The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1892-07-13
A FINDER OF CRIME.
The Value of the Microscope il
Noted Murder Trials.
FrOm the chicago Herald.

From the Chicago Herald
In distinguishing human blood on a
knife or razor from rust or from that of
another animal, discovering particle of
poisonous matter invisible to the naked
eye and in various other ways the mi
croscope has rendered invaluable assist
aDce to justice.
In 1855 a murder Of an unusually bru-
tai character Was committed in Cumber-
land, England. The murdered man, the
paymaster Of a colliery, had been way
laid in lonely spot, his throat cut from
ear to ear and his body flung under a
hedge. Circumstantial evidence of a
very incriminating nature was brought
against the prisoner. He had been seen
near the spot of the murder about the
time the deed was done and had attempt
ed to disguise himself by cutting off his
whiskeTs, but jurors are very reluctant to
convict on circumstantial evidence alone,
and the circumstances in this case,
though very incriminatiDg, were not
thought sufficiently conclusive.
THE MICROSCOPE AN uNERBING WITNESS.
A learned microscopic, on examining
the prisoners trousers found several
spots of human blood, the largest being
not so large as a swan shot. Around
these spots were traces of soap, evident
signs of the spots having been attempt
ed 70 be washed out, while over one or
two ink had been spread. The ivory
handle Of arazor found in the prisoners
possession was also smearediwith human
blood. A very severe cross-examination
left the witness's evidence unshaken.
He showed that the corpuscles or glob-
ules of human blood can be easily dis
tinguished by an expert from those of
any other animal, those found in the hu-
man blood being each about 1890 Of an
inch in diameter, those Of sheep being
about 100 of an inch, of dog, 1852,
etc. A verdict Of guilty was found and
the man executed.
Another proof Of the wonderful detect
i've powers of the microscope was given
at the Chelmsford Spring Assizes. This
was also a case Of murder, the victim be-
ing an old woman living alone and hay-
ing q considerable amount OF money in
her bedchamber. The back Of her head
was beaten in, no doubt by means of
large hammer, and the head nearly sew
cred from her body. The footprints
around the house conceded with the i'm
prints of the prisoners boots the ham,
mer found beside the murdered womans
bed was declared by neighborto have
been seen in his possession; g little girl
had seen him come from the house on
the morning Of the murder, and-most
conclusive proof Of all-in a brook mile
or more from the old woman's house was
found pocket handkerchief and tightly
rolled in it razor covered with blood,
which it was proved belonged to the pris-
oner. The defense argued Assuming
the razor and handkerchief belonged TO
the prisoner, and the blood upon them
was human, they may have had nothing
to do with this murder, having been
found considerable distance from the
murdered woman's house. The micro
scope answered the question in most
conclusive manner. Upon the blade of
the razor, besides the blood marks, were
found a few flores Of fax and cotton.
On inspecting the murdered body it was
found that the razor had partially sever
ed one Of the strings of the woman's
nightcap, which string was composed of
mixture Of cotton and fax.
PROVING GUILT AND INNOCENCE.
Another remarkable illustration may
be given Of the important part played by
the microscope in securing the convic-
ton ofa murderess. Not many years ago
a female child about 9 years Of age was
found murdered by deep cash in the
throat in a small plantation near Nor
which. Suspicion fell upon the mother,
who had been seen by several persons
leading the child to the place where the
crime had been committed. Upon the
woman being searched long and sharp
knife was found, which on close examin-
ton revealed a bit OF fur or hair on the
handle. When asked to ex plain how the
fur came there the prisoner brazenly re-
piled: Yes l dare say there is. and
very likely some stains Of blood, for, as
came home, found a rabbit fast in a
snare and cut his throat with the knife"
The truth telling microscope cast differ
ent light upon the subject. The micro
scopist, on separating the handle from
the blade, found between the two guam
tity Of human blood, and asserted that
the fur was that Of squirrel. The
strange fact was revealed tha. around the
child's neck, when the murder was be-
ing done, was tippet over which the
murderer's knife must have passed, and
which was made of a squirrels fur.
A few years ago man was on the
point Of being sentenced to death, the
principal evidence against him being
that he was seen near the scene of the
murder and had in his possession knife
covered with blood" The microscope
discovered the 50 called blood to be simp-
ly lime juice.