The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-10-29
TIE MINNEAPOLIS JOURNAL.

with him, but it is impossible to tell
What theory they will ultimately adopt.
If sufficient motive for the act can be
saes s6so4H almost M fs1 bar TO adSSp
expressed her conviction that we are
(! dealing with case Of murder. Mr..
| Browne AMI Mr.. Herne have expressed
no opinion on the subject. SO far as I
At this point Gwen, with an eager
possibly it was nervousness-excl claimed:
And your own view Of the caseq'' ct
believe" Maitland replied deliberately.
that your father g death resulted from
poison injected into the blood; but this
is a matter SO easily settled that pre-
several poisons which might have pro-
duced the effects we have observed. If,
however, I am able to prove this con-
lecture correct have still only elimin-
ated one of the three hypothesis and
resolved the matter to a choice between
that is something gained. It is be-
cause I believe it can be shown death
did not result from natural causes that
| have 50 strongly urged MI. Browne
"Pardon me, sirl" CALCULATED Browne,
HYSq mean to insinuste e 4''7:i Noth:
ing" continued Maitland, finishing his
noring the aot nterfupton sne9 ds ef have
already said, I am somewhat familiar
with the usual methods Of ferreting out
cbimG AS a.nsr aTySSs and also Is
gases, ana IN THIS ue ana Other Il '' maYa
learned the lines upon which detectives
may confidently be expected to act,
when once they have set upa hypothesis.
The means by which they arrive at their
hypothesis occasionally surpass all I'M
assurance as to the view they will take
Of this case. The first thing they will
do, will be to make. what they will call
.thoro' examination Of tho premises;
but a study Of chemistry gives to the
word 'thoro' Significance Of which
they have no conception. It Is to shorten
this examination as much as possible
to prevent it from being moro tire
some to you than is absolutely neces-
sary,' he said to Gwen, "that I have
taken. the liberty Of ascertaining and
will require"
"Believe me-" Gwen said to him in
az undertone not intended for the rest
OF us, THO we heard it, t<I am duly
grateful for your consideration and
shall find fitting time to thank you
With no other reply than deprecat-
AAS EOoCu1Os
CHOW let us look at the matter from
the standpoint Of the officers.
"They must first determine in their
own minds how Mr.. barrow met his
death. This will constitute the basis
of their first hypfG;t aH say first
any moment it seems to them untenable.
If they conclude that death resulted
from natural causes, I shall doubtless
be able to induce them to waive that
view Of the case until I have been
given time to prove it 'antenable-if I
one Of the other two possible theories.
Of the case. that, Whichever fa1 nn0 one Of
these they choose, the same difficulty
will confront them.'
Gwen looked at him inquiringly and
he continued, answering the question in
her eyes:
"This is what I mean. Your father,
whether he committed suicide or was
murdered, in all probability met his
death thru that almost imperceptible
wound under his chin. This wound,
so far as [ have yet been able to ex-
anime it without a. glass, was made
able, apparently, to little more than
puncture the skin and draw a drop or
so Of blood. Of course, on such a theo-
ry, death must have resulted from poi
soning. The essential point is: Where
is the instrument that inflicted the
Knight it not be buried in the
fesh7'' Gwen asked.
"IPossiibly,. but as I have not been
s Tep The M SlSifE SIareh %ay Ffysa
right forefnger,'' he continued, "is
slightly. stained with blood, but the
| Sc 81 .oL
have been caused by a ingernail pre-
viously poisoned. Since we know he
pressed his hand to his throat, this
bloodstain makes no more strongly to-
ward the truth Of the suicide theory
than it does toward that Of the MUIR
der hypothesis Suppose now-for we
must look at all sides Of the question
sumption that murder has been com.
mitted: What will they then dos They
will satisfy Themselves that the east
window was opened six and threequar-
tiers inches and securely fastened in
that position; that the two south win.
the blinds thereof were also closed
They will ascertain the time when
death occurred-we can easily tell them
land this will show them that neither
Of the blinds on the south side. could
have been opened without SO increas-
ing the light in the room as to be sure
to attract our attention. They will
learn also that the folding doors were
locked, as they are now, on this side,
and that these two gentlemen indi-
eating Browne and Herne7 sat against
them. They will then turn to the hall
aG05 as ah hs 4n l Pos xa means 5s Of
doctor and I sat directly in front Of
this door and between it and Mr.. Oar
row. I have taken the liberty to cut
; the carpet to mark the positions Of ou1
chairs; In view, of all these facts, what
must they concluded Simply this: nc
one entered the room, did the deed
being Observed" "But sureiy,V j
heT viii preSnme to ogeston the esf
mony of all Of US that no one was OBJ
served.'
"That is all negative evidence" he
prove that another might not have OBJ
served what weSlailed to detect. How
ever, it is all so self-evident that they
| will not question it. I know so vel
their methods of reasoning that am al
ready prepared to refute their conclu
} sions at every point, without, regret tc
say, being myself able to solve the
mystery, tho I may say in passing that
I purposely am refraining from formu
r lating any theory whatever until I have
l ascertained everything which it is posi-
bic to learn in the matter. In this way
I hope to avoid the error into which the
detective is SO prone to fall. Once YOU
set up a hypothesis you unconsciously
and in spite Of yourself, !accentuate un