Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-12


The second session of the fourteenth annual
convention OF the American Society Of Micro
scopists began this morning. The lecture room
OF the medical building, Columbian University,
was the scene Of the meeting, and It was . few
minutes after 10 o'clock when President James
raped for order. There were about fifty or
sixty members Of the association present. al
interested spectators and auditors.
Prof. Frank L. James, Id, Phi. D., the
president Of the American society, il himself
one OF the best known microscopes in this
country and has an international reputation
In his special lines Of research. In addition
he is thorough general scientist and an &C.
knowiedged expert in microscopy and medico-
legal subjects. He is professor Of chemistry
In St Louis, where he has acted many times -
an expert in trials Of one sort and another The
story he told last night in his annual address
as president Of the society at the meeting at the
Congregational Church was an interesting de-
scription Of how the testimony Of the micro
scope was used in . murder trial in st. Louis.
Prof. James is . skillful linguist, having been
educated abroad under the great chemist, Lie
big. He now stands at the head Of his profes-
sion in st. Louis and is the professor Of chem
istry in the st. Louis College Of Physicians and
Surgeons
NEW MEMBERS KLECTED.
The first business on the regular program to-
day was the election Of new members. Secre-
tary Seaman read q list of over forty names
that had been acted upon favorably at the
meeting OF the executive committee. This ID
the largest number Of new members ever ad-
United at one time and showed the growing
interest that is being taken in the society a.
well as in the general subject Of microscopy.
The new members elected today were a.
follows: DR.. Chas. d. Smith. Portland, Me-;
Prof =. G. Love, New York city; Prof. Edward
A Rnrt 1hanx ID Ion
y. S. n, Brooklyn; DR.. Henry N. Heinemann,
New York city; Nathan Banks, Sea Cliff, N. Y;
DR.. Julius A. Gottlieb, New York city; DR..
James NJ. Flint, Washington, D. c., DR.. Otto
y. Plath, Cincinnati; Rev. Geo. E. Goetz, Erie,
D. C.; Prof Arthur H. Elliott, New York city;
DR.: Jas. Foster Scott, Washington, D. c.; ].
G. Brubaker, Kansas City; DIR. Chas. B. Gil
bert. Washington, d. c.; F. Patrick, Topeka,
Kan; DR.. H: W. ingalls,, Lagrange, Ohio; DR..
Smith Smith. H; Platt, Waterbury, Conn; John
Ore; Jonathan White, Brockton. Mass; DR..
A. L. Kotz, Easton, Pa; DIR. Robt. s. Willard,
Brownsboro', Tenn; DR.. Ernst Wende, Buffalo;
Or: Joseph P. Remington, Philadel-
g. gh'' w da,,s oal'r o RsEt.and' 1s Ms
DR.. Thos. B. Hood, Washington, D. c.; DR.. Jas.
Barnsfather, Cincinnati; Rudolph Siemon, Fort
Wayne, Ind; DIR. ]. w. Meeker, Nyack-on-
Hudson; Dr.W. s. Miller, Worcester, Mass. DIR.
James Stimson, jacksonville, Cal; Thos. D. Bis
coe, Marietta, o.; DR.. Paul Paquin, Column
bia, Mo-; DR.. W. L. Baird, Dallas, Tex; Robert
o. Moody, New Haven, Conn; Harry F. Starts
man, Rochester. N. Y; N. Rowland Brown,
Philadelphia; Chas. H. Denison, Brooklyn; Gus
tave Gutenberg, Pittsburg; Magnus Pfaum,
Pittsburg; John b. Smith. New brunswick, n.
j.; Herbert Eastman Kerrey, Littleton, N. h. (;
DR.. N. L. E. johnson, Washington, D. O.
A CHANGE OF NAME.
H.
committee on incorpor ating the society, read q
report to show what had been done and what
yet remained to be done in the Formally of the
work. In reading the form of incorporation
he suggested that the name of the society be
changed from the American Society of Micro
scopists to the American Microscopical Society.
This suggestion met with general favor ON ac-
count OF the bulk and awkwardness of the old
name. 1t was moved that the change be made
and the motion was carried.
DIR. L. d. Mcintosh read an interesting paper
on The Portable Lime Light" illustrating his
remarks by means of an instrument, using tho
light, with which he presented slide upon a
screen about twelve feet distant. He explained
the workings Of the machine and answered q
number of questions that had been suggested
by his paper.
DIR. LAMBS PAPER.
DR.. j. Melvin Lamb Of this city read paper
on 'The Microscope in Government Work"
1t was somewhat in the nature of q guide to the
society, giving the members a very good idea
OF the work that is being done with the micro
scopes in the departments here and telling
them where they could see the most that would
be OF interest to microscopists.
New Microscopes was the subject Of a brief
paper by Mr.. Bausch of Rochester, N. Y. after
which DIR. James NJ. Flint of Washington pre-
sented an interesting paper ON Apparatus for
Public and Class Exhibition Of Microscopic
Objects" He explaineda number of ingenious
devices for tightening the work OF the micro
scopist when giving an exhibition of a series Of
objects, transparent or Opaque. DIR. Flint was
the recipient Of many complimentary remarks
upon the success of his inventions.
After the reading OF some announcements by
the secretary the meeting adjourned. This
afternoon the society visited the Agricultural
Department in a body, and this evening at 8
O'Clock there will be special business meeting
of the society at the medical building of the
Columbian University, 1926 II street.
THE MICROSCOPE AS A DETECTIVE.
There was very fair-sized audience gath
cred last night in the lecture room of the First
Congregational Church to listen to the annual
address Of DR.. Frank L. James Of St. Louis,
president of the American Society of Micro
scopists., His subject was ''The Microscope in
the Investigation Of Scorches and Burns on
Textile Fabrics"
1ue auurebS WAS TAKEN up Win an account OF
the trial in the spring OF 1890 of Charles F.
Vail, young business man of st. Louis, for
the murder of his wife and the part the micro
scope took therein. Il was necessarily COM
PEELED, said DR.. James, ''to stray into paths
in which the microscope did not directly play
an important part but in which it entirely and
finally proved to be the agent of saving q
human life and establishing the innocence of
one unjustly accused Of one of the most
heinous crimes known to mantle cold
blooded and cruel murder of o young wife
about to become mother.
"It was in the early spring Of 1880 when
Charles F. Vail, a young business man of St.
Louis, and his wife, young and beautiful
woman, to whom he had been married less than
a year, left the house Of relative, with whom
they had been spending a few days, to take the
railroad for home. The country house was
some distance from the station and spring
wagon had been brought to the gate to convey
them and some members of the family thither
The wagon was turned so that the hound pro-
jected sufficiently to make a stepping point,
and Mrs. Vail started to climb to the seat. Her
husband, standing behind her, assisted her to
rise, but Just as she was about to step from the
hound up to the seat she lost her balance.
turned, and fell backward, throwing her hus.
band (who was OF slight build while she was
large and solidly built against the hind
wheel. A muffied report was heard, and Mrs
Vail fell into the arms Of her husband, shot
through the body. She was carried into the
house of her relative, where in the course of a
feyv houra abe died On examination Il ,a.