Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-02-06
THE MOON AND THE LAW.
Astronomical Evidence I'm Court to
support or Refute Testimony.

Though criminal lawyers in Chicago
are not noted for their resourcefulness
in presenting their clients side Of
case. 1t is not often that they invite
the aid of applied mathematics to save
a man from hanging. This has been
done recently. however. in more cases
thar one on trial in the criminal courts.
To ascertain whether or not the moon
was due TO exhibit herself on particu-
lar night at the hour when crime
was committed was in each instance
the problem to be solved. The moon
does not act deceitfully. though Wit
neSses may lie. Her habits are regular,
anu any person sufficiently well In
formed can tell just what night she
is out of doors, and when she is In the
dark seCuslon OF her own surround
ings. In times past the moon has been
introduced in many noted criminal
trials The most recent In mind was
the trial OF Dan. Coughlin on the charge
Of numbering Or. Cronin. His identit-
cation on certain occasions was sought
to be established by the aid OF wit
nesses, who swore that they had recOg-
niZed him by the light OF the moon
In the recent cases in which exact in
formation was sought about the phases
Of the moon when the crimes were
committed. identification was alleged TO
have been made possible by her light.
In previous trials the testimony Of in
expert witnesses was taken. but in
these cases the attorneys have sought
the aid of scientific men. IL Is 10 the
Chicago branch Of the HydrOgrdphic
Ofice that the lawyers have turned.
L-utenant George y. Blow. in charge OF
the office. is naval officer of great
ability and experience. His assistant,
William Wilson. Is a graduate OF An
Eapolis and the government nautical
expert here. He has worked out the
problems submitted, and within day
or two the results may be displayed in
the Criminal Court.
No astronomical calculation can. Of
course. show whether clouds obscured the
moon on any given light. But where wit
nesses swear that they identified a man
on a certain night and hour by the light
Of the moon. and proof H. introduced that
the moon was not visible at the time,
the probabilities are that their entire evi-
Gence would be discredited. This was
done most successfully. perhaps, accord
ing 10 popular belief boy Abraham LIN
coin. His client was in grave danger OF
conviction. on evidence by witnesses that
they had by the light of the moon seen
him XIII a man. Almost at the close of
the trial. when the friends Of the accused
had given up all hope Of his chances OF
lie Abraham Lincoln showed, by the AID
OF an old almanac. that the moon was
rot shining at the time the murder was
committed His client was acquitted.
In open country. the position OF the
moon In the heavens would not materially
change the possibilities for recognition
In the city. however. where open ground
is not plentiful. the case is entirely diifer-
ent Shadows cast by structures Of Varl-
Gus sorts introduce a new factor IN the
problem \ full moon In a periectly-clear
SKY might be as little aid 10 the recog-
milton Of a person I'm the shadow OF a
building as a powerful electric-lamp In a
neighborhoOd remote from where the
crime was committed. This is One OF tht
reasons that the aid OF scientific men hd'
h.en asked. Nearly every almanac gives
the phases Of the moon on all nights "l
| the wear. For the reason mentiond, an'
! also that most almanacs are unofficial an'
| Inaccurate they are OF no use IN deter
mining the position of the moon on
| given night and hour.
The Nautical Almanac, which Is takel
! by Mr. Wilson az the basis OF his calcu
I atlons. is an official publication issUe'
I hv the government and recognized bl
courts everywhere as authority In on
| of the cases he was asked u investigate
| he was required To tell exactly the posi-
! tiou of tho moon in the SKY at 10 o'clocl
ON a nlght of last June. This is not "a
! simple "A question as IL appears. Their
| is much OF eccentricity about the orb
of the moon. In getting at results tw'
motions Of the moon which both enec
| tho shadows she casts had to be- con
! sidered The altitude. or the distanc
| the moon was up in the heavens at tn
given time. and it's aZlmuth or compas
| bearing were both worked out. In IN
| Nautical Almanac the moons meridia
passage for the longitude Of Greenwic
! Is given for each day. This was used {
| find the time Of transit in the longitud
Of Chicago. Next, the hour angle wa
worked out. and the declination picke
| out Of the Nautical Almanac. With thes
! the exact position Of the moon for tn
! date and hour was easily found.
| Having found the position of the moor
! and consequently the direction Of m
! shadows which were cast AT that da
| and hour. the next thing to do woul
he TO find how far they affected the pai
tlcular case. For right judgment q
| this a plan Of the place whore the Grim
was committed would be necessary. +
| plotting on paper buildings and struC
| lures in the vicinity with their prope
! heights ard bearings known the exaC
| line of demarcation between light an
| shadow can be laid down.
Unlike expert testimony given by me
Of other professions, the work Of thes
| experts I'm the exact sciences cannot b
controvertcd. \ knowledge of know
scientific laws. and a habit OF eXactnes
| combined with great familiarity wit
higher mathematics, Is all that Is r,
| quired to get results