Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-05-25
DAILY SHORT STOR
X.RAY EVIDENCE
IOriginal.l

Franklin. You have not only robbed
it once. but a dozen times. Were it
not for the repetition OF the offense
your distinguished fellow citizen would
| look Ieniently upon the theft and leave
| you TO your conscience. But you have
taken q dozen fat chickens which he
| has reared, nurtured with tender affec-
ton and brought TO an age when he
| could have sold them for broilers TO a
good profit. What have you to say In
your defenseE''
Il hab to say, mars lawyer, dat L
hain't tasted chicken meat 70 two
years. Yo' see, mars, Is too honest TO
steal 'em, Is too proud TO beg EN-
and de price has been gOin' up SO fas'
| Oh late date can't afford To buy EN-
Now. / Jist tell yo', mars lawyer. de
trouble VIII de kentry is de trus'. Its
de chicken trus' dat tax all de flavor
out Oh de chicken in de col stOrag
and Nils up de gap VIII de price. Its
de trus' -
John Randolph interrupted the at
torney, could the distinguished man
for whom you are named stand before
US and eNpatiate on this national evil
we would all listen with eyes and ears
open, but for our present purpose dis
sertation on chicken stealing would be
far more acceptable. Nevertheless.
neither of these topics is i'll order.
The question we are here To determine
fs "a ,hn
OF stealing Ben Franklin's hens
"YO' miSta ken, sab Dere amt no
question Ob my innocence; de only
question is OBJ my guilt"
John looking at the negro admir-
ingly, II doubt If Randolph of Roa-
noke ever spoke d truer sentence. Since
the accused is guiltless before the law
till proved guilty there is no question
as to your innocence. 1t is your guilt
We are TO determine"
Dat depends, sab, weddOr yo' tax
circumstantiary evidence. 70 can
prove anything by dat evidence Reck-
on If | was snOrin' in bed yo' might
prove / war robbin' hen roosts by dat.
Circumstantiary evidence, sab, amt
WORT de-
Iuc Vi your
fine analytical powers" again inter
rupted the attorney, lis great John, j
admit Nevertheless / must lind means
to do SO. If you again swerve from
the question l shall have to ask his
honor to commit you for contempt of
court
Contempt OF cou't. sab. l hab CON
tempt of cou't! l hab de highest re-
spec 70 cou't. Wha' innocent men ac-
cuSed Oh stealth chickens gwine to do
widOut de cou't, | like to know"
THAT is very cute of you. John. You
have the faculty of persuasive elO-
quence TO high degree. There is
some thing SO honest sounding in your
protest that I'm almost persuaded to
consider you innocent. My duty to the
state, however, requires me to prove
you guilty-that is, if can. John, did
you ever hear of the Y ray?"
No. sab; l didn't neber hysr OBJ de
y ray"
The y ray is a light by which we
can look into mans body and see
what's there. Now. I'm going to de
termine your guilt or innocence Of
stealing IA chicken last night. Your
neighbOr has testified TO seeing you
chop the head OF a chicken this morn
ing just before breakfast 1t is to be
presumed that you ate this chicken.
But we don't know that l propose to
bring the y ray TO bear on your stom-
ach and determine il the chicken is
there"
John Randolph turned livid. So long
as words could be used to throw dust
into the courts eyes he had maintained
an air OF injured innocence Now that
science was to point out his guilt he
quailed. But only for moment A
sudden thought seemed to strike him,
and he braced himself for n continu-
ance Of his case
Bring IN the \ ray spparatu s," the
attorney called to his assistant.
An electric machine such as Is used
by invalids was brought in and, to
make 1t appear more impressive, was
placed OIL four bottles. The attorney
placed 4 handle attached by Il wire TO
the machine I'm each Of John Ran
dOlph's hands
Now, prisoner" said the prosecutor
sternly, when l pull out this cylinder
you'll feel a slight shock At the same
time 1 can look einto your stomach.
The demonstration will be unnecessary
II you will confess"
Go on VIII de demonstrationary,"
said the darky confidently.
The attorney pulled out the cylinder
The darby braced himself against the
shock, but rolled his eyes around as II
under a great mental strain. Mean
while the attorney folded a piece OF
paper into a tube, placed one end
against John Randolph's stomach and
his own eye against the other He pre-
tended to look carefully for a few min
utes, during which the negro was in an
agony OF suspense. Then the gazer
dropped his telescope
Your honor" he said, Il saw plainly
the remains OF chicken In the prisoners
stomach"
'Yo' honor" said the prisoner. FAX