The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1905-04-01
CRIMINALS DEFENCE
TRIALS IN WHICH ATTEMPTS
WERE MADE TO PROVE ALIBIS.


Where Lives Have Depended Upon Ae-
curacy or Inaccuracy of Clock
Cases OF Striking Resemblance Be-
tween Two Persons-Cunning OF a
Murderer PrOved-Case of the Cor
ton Twins.
The proof that an accused person is
somewhere else at the time that
crime is committed has always been
defence in which advocates have taken
special delight. Nothing can be more
satisfactory, says Answers, provided
that the alibi is a good one.
IF ! prove to you, gentlemen" said
a young barrister addressing the jury
in case before Mr.. Justice Hawkins,
that my unfortunate and estimable
client was hundred miles away from
the scene of the burglary at the time
that that foul deed was committed,
then, ! presume, that fact win be suffi-
Gent for you"
"Of course. 1 cannot speak for the
jury" Mr.. Justice Hawkins broke in
in gentle tones, addressing the adyo-
cate, but l can assure you that I my
| self shall not be particular to a mile
Or two. If you can show that the
prisoner was even a mile, or half mile,
away at the time will give him the
benefit of the doubts
The alibi has always been favorite
defence with calculating criminals: It
has, on the other hand, in hundreds of
cases extricated the innocent from the
meshes of net of circumstantial evil
dences which must otherwise have inc
vitably dragged them to unmerited
doom. E,-.-.
In the famous case of Rush, executed
for the murder of Mr.. and Mrs. Jenny
and their son at Stanfield Hall, the as
sassin endeaVored to establish an alibi
by means of his dlousekeeper. Upon the
night of the murder Rush slipped out
of the house in disguise. effected his
horrible design and returned. His
housekeeper declared at first, upon ex-
animation, that Rush had come home
to tea at 6 o'clock and had then taken
off his boots for the night. About he
had left the room in which they had
been sitting, and was absent about ten
minutes. After that he went out no
more. Under a severe cross-ex-
animation she broke down and admitted
that the statement she had made had
been dictated to her by Rush himself.
The alibi was false. She burst into
tears and, sobbing. described to the
court how Rush had been absent from
the farmhouse just at the time of the
murder. s.i+.
Clocks have played an important part
in these defences, Lives have depend
ed on their accuracy or inaccuracy. In
the case of a man named Hardy, who
was accused of having taken part in a
murder with others, one of the MUIR
derers, after the crime was committed
made his way home as fast as possible
1t was night and there was no one in
his house but servant Putting the
clock in the hat back two hours, the
man went to bed, and rising shortly
afterward awoke the servant and or
dered her to go downstairs and see
what was the time. The girl did so.
and once more retired to.her room.
when the murderer, stealing softly
downstairs in. his bare feet, once more
put the clock right. The unuspectfng
girls evidence that the prisoner was in
bed at the time when the crime was
committed secured hts acquittal on his
trial. The truth was made known byI
a deathbed confession some years later
Witnesses who come forward to
prove alibis by the clock sometimes
prove very unsatisfactory. In a muir
der case at the Central Criminal Court
two witnesses swore most persistently
to the prisoner having been In their
company at the hour when the pro-
secution contended he was engaged in
the crime.
Are you quite certain of the exact
timer asked the counsel for the
prosecution
Certain" replied the first witness.
"How are you so sure about it?"
asked the barrister.
eve were in the Bear public house,
and saw the time by the clock in the
bar" replied the witness. ''It was q
minutes past g.
you saw that time yourself?' asked
the counsel.
YES" 49,.
One Of the detectives engaged in the
case here whispered something to the
barrister, and he turned to the witness
once more. s. ..*r.s .'t
You see that clock" he said, point
ing to the clock in the court What is
the time by it?''
The witness turned CHASTITY pale, |
scratched his head, gasped, and was
silent. He could not tell the time. |
The alibi bubble was burst The prison
err was condemned.
A remarkable case of innocence be- |
ing vindicated occurred at Exeter |
some years ago, when a young naval
officer was charged with having pre-
scented at a Plymouth bank a forged Or
der for payment In the name of the |
Paymaster-Gen The order was
cashed and the presenter disappeared |
From the description Of the man given
by three of the bank clerks, suspicion |
It.