Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-01-23
AM EXPERT IN
GMIR0GRAPHW
TOri2inal.1


{ Carl KRAFT, expert in chirography,
sat in his study in the city of Berlin
examining by lamplight a package OF
papers. While thus engaged the door
opened and stranger entered
KRAFT had that afternoon testified
in a murder case in which he had
shown conclusiveIy that the prisoner
had written threatening letters to the
murdered man. The experts reasons
why these letters had been written by
the same person as letters proved 10
have been written by the prisoner were
so convincing that the jury would have
convicted him without leaving their
seats. But the case must be summed
up by prosecuting attorney and counsel,
and that would require another day.
Herr KRAFT" said the visitor, Il
listened to your testimony today in the
Keller case, and my confidence in your
skill is 50 great that / have decided to
employ you in case / have in hand"
please be seated, SIR
Here is a letter which came TO light
after an interval of twenty years. 1t
was written in 1919. You will remem-
Der that the year previous occurred the
revolution Of 1913. During that troublous
period Il prominent member Of the leg
islative body defied the revOlutiOnists,
throwing all his influence with the gov
eminent. He stated to several intimate
friends that he had been threatened
with death by the revolutionists if he
did not cease his opposition to their
work. One day he was found dead
and everybody knew that he had been
murdered. Nevertheless the murderer
or murdcrers were never discovered.
This letter. recently found among the
papers Of the murdered man that es-
capped notice at the time OF the MUIR
der. was evidently written by the leader
of revolutionary society and threat
ened him with death if he did not ac
cede to the society's demands"
The speaker threw the letter on the
desk before the expert. 1t read:
Herr X:
The revolutionary committee warns you
that IL you speak tomorrow to the citi-
zens of Berlin upholding the tyrant and
denOunCinR the motives of the revolution
lists you will never address another as
sembiy. BY order of the committee.
HANS OBERBECk. President
The expert bent low over the letter
as he read it,
Now. the receiver of this letter."
the visitor continued. addressed the
meeting referred 10 and the following
day was found dead with Il bullet in
his back. Hans Oberbeck is well re-
membered as a young enthusiast but
twenty-five years of age. He disap
pcared as soon as the revolution was
suppressed. l have letters bearing date
of 1852, 1897 and 1860 which are SINH |
lar in chrOgraphy to the one before !
you. though they bear n different Sig |
nature. L have come to you for the pur-
pose of getting your opinion as TO the |
identity Of the writer of these recent |
letters with the man who wrote the one |
of 1913"
The speaker threw three more letters |
on the desk, which KRAFT opened and |
appeared to study intCntly for n time, |
then said: THE letters bearing the name
of Oberbeck and these bearing the
name of Herman cannot possibly have
been written by the same person be
cause happen TO remember that Ober-
beck died of fever in 1919. The rea-
son | remember his death is that, he
being prominent revolutiOnist, it eX-
cited considerable comment at the
time"
And if he had not died of fever
lie would have died 10y the rope"
Il remember that, too" said the ex-
pert in Il scarcely audible voice.
There is Il chapter of this little story
with which you are perhaps not IA
miliar. \ year ago the grave of ODER !
beck was opened and found 10 contain !
Il coffin filled with stones"
KRAFT made no reply. but bent lower |
over the letters. as though deeply i'm