Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1901-11-30
readiness to snap it.

around, and IN the motion gave the rub
Der bulb IN my hand faint pressure.
without realizing what was doing; and
only discovered, when I heard the metal
lie click of the shutter, as it closed after
its instantaneous movement, that I had
| taken the photograph!
When my startled senses came back
to me l saw bleeding form lying on
the ground, while few yards away a
man was running.
The body which lay on the thick.
green grass was that of a man whose
death caused this trial; and the coward
~, fleeing assassin, the man who would
not face the consequences of his deed
was the prisoner, John Evans"
| The witness took a glass of water.
wiped his heated brow, and looked about
him
The spectators, too interested to think
gaspingly drew back into their chairs.
The prisoner, handsome, honest ap-
! pearing man, sat motionless and stun
ned.
That night" said Mr.. Mourdoff, re-
Stunning his narrative, II developed the
! plate that was in the camera, and you
may be sure l watched with interest and
hope as the picture gradually began to
| form
Bit by bit the trees came out, the
long shadows deeply indented the glass
in their reverse color of pure white; the
| grass, like bunch of tangled thread
gathered into a discernibIe mass; and
then, last of all, the two mems images
stood out on the dull gray surface
by means of solution of alcohol I
dried the negative at once, and by us
ing developing paper, soon had
perfect print.
The photograph is more than mere
curiosity; it is the study of crime.
| On it you can see undeniable proof of
| that mans guilt see the manner of the
killing; see the already dying victim.
That IS the extent of my knowledge
of this murder"
In dazed, uncertain fashion, the
man on trial for his life gazed at the
photograph which the lawyer held in his
hand.
He seemed unable to comprehend the
| story, and his eyes beseechingly asked
! for glance at the picture which he could
not understand
But the prosecuting attorney had fame
and a name yet to gain, and needed not
the pleading now expressed in the mute.
! quivering mouth; what difference could
| it make at any rate?
| The picture was a remarkably distinct
| one.
Before a background of tangled trees,
merging into the matted grass at their
! base, stood two men; one with an ex-
ploding rifle in his hand was on the
back on the left side, was falling, his
arms thrown up in way that left no
| doubt as to the human target his COM
panion had chosen. The murderer, whose
calm face l1armonized with his cool fir
ing, was unquestionably the present
! prisoner, John Evans. The other was
the man who had been found dead with
a bullet in his forehead
The first of the twelve jurymen held
out his hand and took the photograph.
For moment he gazed critically at
the bit of cardboard, then grim look
of determined duty overspread his face
"a look which caused the attorney for
the State to lean comfortably back and
wreath his face in a contented smile
One after another of the jury passed
the picture on to his neighbor, some
with plying glances at the puzzled priS-
oner some with the 1oathing for him
clearly shown in their shrinking coun-
tenances; but one and all with an TIN
mistakable verdict plainly written on
their persons.
A short half hour later the jury filed
man stood UP.
1--WE find the prisoner guilty of muir
der in the first degree, as charged was
all he said.
* \
Wrapped in an outer covering of heavy
paper, the governor one day received an
envelope bearing the inscription, TO be
sent to the governor of the State after
my death.
Inside was a signed and duly atteSted
confession, which read
in the late Evans murder trial, l.
Robert Mourdoff gave false testimony
in regard to the killing of Andrew Cor
don. In this confession, which shall
be read only after my DEATH | wish to
state that I was the murderer of Andrew
Gordon The photograph displayed in
court was an elaborate affair which |
made-sl<ilfully l congratulate myself
and it had no real value at all.
For years Gordon and l had been
enemies. | hated him and he hated me,
| although to the world we were casual
friends. | murdered him on that fatetul
Saturday, July 18th.
How was it done? I'll tell you
, During the past year many dealers
in Photographic goods have offered for
sale a little article, under the name of
: multiplying attachment which enables