The evening times., 1900-05-30
TRACING A BULLETS COURSE.
The Correct Theory of an Army Man
Clearly Proven

(From the Chicago Chronicle)
It is singular that detective stories have
such fascination for the majority OF
people. They are read and listened 10
when tales Of almost any other description
are wholly ignored. And the detectives
seem to know this failinS-on the part Of
those with whom they came il contact.
seldom neglecting this opportunity fcy
spinning yarns Illustrative Of their Fre-
ternatural sagacity. At q recent gathering
made up OF detectives, newspaper report
ers and one or two rank outsiders" the
killing OF Goebel had brought up a dis
cUssiOn, and they were commenting On The
attempt made 20 trace the place whence
the fatal bullet came by means Of a tight
wire stretched 20 various windows Of the
Kentucky capitol.
Il think l can recall ? story that beats
that" said an old detective, after they had
looked at II from all points Of view Il
" 5 down in Hot Springs, Ark, once when
very peculiar accident happened 20 q
policeman there. He was, more properly
speaking, an applicant for admission On
tEs force and was undergoing q physical
examination. They had him standing Up
against the wall and had adjusted the
measuring machine 10 take his height
when, zip, Mr.. Policeman cIapped his
hands TO his right eye and fell all in a
heap. He was picked up almost UncCn-
sciOus. and an examination disclosed the
fact that he had been hit just above the
eye by partially spent bullet. which had
fallen 10 the floor with him.
We dOctored him up and found him only
slightly hurt, but everybody was wonder
ing where in the world that bullet had
come from. No shot had been heard and
no shooting affray had been reported all
that day. but there was young army Of
ticer at the reservation there who was
pretty well known as an engineer in the
artillery arm Of the service. He heard OF
the queer happening and became inter
ested in the case He came down TO head
quarters next day and had a talk with
Chief - and the upshot OF il was that
he was given permission TO work on the
affair, as he said he was sure he could
locate the exact spot whence the shot
came.
The first thing he did was to examine
the measuring machine. and he found it
just as il was left when the prospective
policeman had been bOwled over so he had
him get under the bar again and stand
just as he had stood the day before When
he had rigged up his own machine he got
the exact altitude Of the place where the
ball struck and the direction Of the bullet
in the wound 1 can't give you the tech
nical description. but he worked at his in
struments and worked at his paper and
finally told us be was going 20 ascertain
the trajectory of the bullet in its flight
He weighed the bullet and measured it
also TO a hairs breadth. and planted his
machine so that his needle would be exact
ly in the spot where tie wound would have
been in the pOliceman's head had he stood
there. | forget 10 say the bullet had evil
IDENTIFY come through the window opposite
and outside was a perspective of house
tops with the ridge Of the mountains away
to the back Of them.
"Of course We were all mighty curious
and a whole lot skeptieal but the mi j.
tary chap kept his mouth shut and worked
away nearly all day. Finally toward dusk
he jumped up and put on his coat and
told the chief to follow him. You can
wager We all did and those fellows who
were on duty were awfulIy sore because
they couldn't go.
DO you see that tall house behind
the waterworks2' said the officer.
" Yes, said we.
Well, do you see the white house to
the right? Now. do you see the edge of
that shanty lying up under the hillside
about half way?'
we saw it and told him so.
All right said he; that's where the
bullet came from; if it didn't I'll set up
the dinners down at the Park house
well, you may believe we all struck
the road pretty quick, even If some of
US did doubt him. for we wanted to get
that dinner. II took US half an hour TO
make the place, having to do a deal of
twisting about. and at last We came to
the shanty. The sbanty belonged to an
old fellow who was a unique character
and lived there all alone. and he was
suspected of having a stocking full Of gold
hidden somewhere, but none of US was
prepared for the sight we beheld when the
chief opened the door. There was the
old fellow lying prone on the floor and
moaning family. We went up and ex
amined him and there was blood all over
his clothes and bullet hole in his neck
The army chap felt sorry guess. but
he didn't look it, but we all set about
bringing the old fellcy around. and when
we had removed him cogn the hillside to
a neighbor's house he rallied all right
under the physician and told US his tale
He said he had been set upon by Big
Mike, notorious gambler and desperad DO
OF the springs, who had been away to the
races az Memphis and had come back
broke Just couple of days before.
The old man said he had found him in
his shanty rummaging among the mat
tresses, and when discovered had drawn
revolver and let him have it. The first
shot missed, but the second put bali
through the muscles Of the old mans