Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-03-01
THEY ALL KNEW HIM
POINTS ON PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION IN TEE
COURTS.
How the Mystery Of the Burglary in the House Of
Mr.. John FIukss Was Clsvsrly Unrayelsd-A
Story With Moral and Some Fun.
IcOPYRIGHTED.

I should not think it worth while TO
tell so simple story as the one which |
now propose TO grind out II il did not
give me an opportunity to speak in
structively about two or three subjects
on which l have long been crank.
The most important of these is personal
Identification as it is practiced in courts.
Oh, have seen so much of it, Only
last week Policemen Schlob swore posi-
lively that the man seen entering the
side door of Reinangels saloon on Sun
day afternoon was Reinange's brother
in-law. He knew him because they
had been friends from boyhood. 1t was
shown by other evidence, however. that
the man in question was sixt feet two
in his stockings and weighed one hun
dred and fifteen pounds, while Reinan-
gels brother-in-law was five feet three
and so fat that he couldn't have been
forced through the door by a hydraulic
press. But the license was not revoked.
Then | remember seeing a woman
positively identify the thief who stole
half bushel of potatoes out of the back
cellar of her house in the middle OF the
night. She recognized him by the color
of his eyes. CrosS-examination failed
TO shake her certainty. but it developed
some interesting facts.
1t appeared that the husband Of the
witness, Mr.. John FlukeS, came home
from the club about two a. m. on the
night of the robbery; and after unlock
ing the door with his watch key, he
paused in the hall moment trying 10
decide whether the front stair led up or
down. 1t was quite essential to solve
this problem in order that he might get
up TO bed without creating unnecessary
disturbance.
He removed his plug hat so that his
footsteps might not disturb his wife, and
then took hold of the stairs TO steady
them. They kept still long enough for
him TO become convinced that they led
up, in a general way, and as that was
the direction in which he wanted to 90.
he assembled half dozen stsps Here
he sat down 10 reflect. He was aware
of a slight noise, but the house was
turning over and over so fast that he
could not tell whether it came from the
cellar or attic. He bestowed so much
attention upon listening that he forgot
to hold on 20 the stairs, and, as a result,
fell to the bottom with a resembling
crash.
This frightful rumpus in the still
watches Of the nisht awoke Mrs.
Flukes, who yelled burglars" in a
voice like fifty wounded elephants.
Flukes, not desiring 10 contradict his
wife at time when he felt himself TO
be somewhat at disadvantage, also
yelled burglars" whereupon Mrs.
Flukes buried her head under the bed
clothes, while a male servant, whose
room was in the garrett, fired a double
barreled shotgun through the roof and
locked himself i'm closet.
| do not pretend 10 know how the
household Strengthened itself out, but
nothing was done until morning. when
search of the premises revealed the
fact that nothing was missing but the
half bushel of potatoes. With this clew
to work upon, the police soon arrested a
tramp who was heard to say that he
hadn't eaten anything except one potato
during the past ten days.