Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1901-10-10


of the earth, as it is written in its
crust; when n Keplcr or a Newton
formulatcs the immutable laws of the
universe, as they are recorded in the
motions of the heavenly bodies, they
draw their conclusions from evidence
| which is entirely crcumstantial.'
"Yes; but you forget that science
has often been mistaken in its con
clusions," interrupted Sprague, 80
| that it has constantly been necessary
to alter theories to At newly acquired
or better understood facts"
"Grantcd," rejoined Sturgis, "but
that is because the interpreters Of the
evidence are falliblc; not because the
evidence itself is incomplete. The
same cause will always produce the
same effect; the same chain of events
will invariably terminate in one and
| the same catastrophe. The apparent
deviations from this law arc due to
unrecognized differences in the pro
ducing causes. to additional or miss
Ing links in the chain Of evidence.
| Therefore | hold that criminal,
however clever he may be, leaves be-
hind him complete trace of his every
act, from which his crime may be re-
constructed with absolute certainty
by a competent detective
an short, Murder will out!'" said
"a man who had been silent listener
TO the conversation up to this point
lie spoke with quiet smile, which
barely escaped being a polite sneer.
Sturgis' keen eyes met his inter-
locutor's as he replied gravely:
81 should hardly care to make so
sweeping an affirmation, DR.. Muir
dock. l have merely stated that the
history of every crime is indelibly
written in tangible evidence The
writing is on the wall. but of course
n blind man cannot see it. nor can
an illiterate man understand it.
Every event, however trivial. owes its
occurrence to natural cause, and
leaves its indelblc impress upon ma
ture. The Indian on the trail reads
with an experienced eve the story of
his enemy's passage. as it has been
recorded in trodden turf and broken
twigs; while the bloodhound follows
with uncrring Judgment, still surcr
though less tangible trail. The lat
tors quarry has left behind. at every
step, an invisible, imponderablc, and
vet unmistaltablc part of itself Per-
haps my meaning can be made clear
by an illustration. When u photOg-
rapher in his dark room takes an ex-
posed plate from his camera. il is APP
paren,ly blank; but in reality there
Is upon this plate the infinitely de
tailed history of an event, which, In
proper hands. can be brought before
the least competent of Observers as
irrcfutable evidence. Here. the actinic
rays of the sunlight are the authors
Of the evidence; but every natural
force, in one way or another. con.
spires with the detective to run he
criminal to earth"
"Unlcss." suggested Mu~docls, "the
ability happens to be on the side OF the
quarry; in which case. the conspiracy
Of natures forces turns against he
hunter"
"Ah." rctorted the reporter, abe
game is not an equal one. The dice are
| loaded. For while on the one hand
the detective. if ne falls into an error,
has a lifetime in which to correct il .
any misstep on the part of the criminal
is fatal. And who is infalliblc?'
"Not the detective, at any rate" an
SwerCd Murdoch, with suavc irony. at
n n I ~ : h, l,n1
which has been conferred upon him
chiefly through the efforts of imagin-
ntivc writer's of sensational fiction. is
entirely urGCscrVcd. In the first place.
most of tn" crime. of which we hear
ARE committed either by men of ioW
order Of intelligence or else by madmcn.
IN which latter category include all
criminals acting under the impulse Of
my of the passions hatred, love, joal
Dusy, anger. And then, willie the de-
tectivc takes good care that his sue
'esscs shall be proclaimed from The
houSctops, he is equally careful TO
smother all accounts, or 10 suppress
every detail, of his failures, whenever
there is any possibility of so doing,
l Oi van 'i't, hIioN, Illtlll v Oh cases
in which, even after the lapse of years,
the crime has been discovered and the
criminal has been confronted With lis
guilt, but"
"ln my opinion" piped the shrill voice
of an elderly man of clerical aspect,
"con.cience is the surcst detective,
after all"
"Consciencc." retorted Murdoch,
calmly; "thc word is a euphem-m.
Man gives the name of conscience TO
his fear of discovery and punishment.
There is no such thing as conscience in
the criminal who has absolute conf
dence in his power to escape detcc-
tion.'
But where is the man who can have
that superb confidence in himsell?'
asked Sprague.