The daily Alaskan., 1905-08-17
X RAY EVIDENCE
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not for the repetition of the ofcnsc your distinguished fellow citizen would look leniently upon the theft and leave you to your conscience. But you have taken a dozen fat chickens which be has reared. nurturcd with tender aflec- ton and brought to an age when be could have sold them for broilcrs to a good profit. What have you to say In your defonsey'
 "I hab to say, mars lawyer, dat | hain't tasted chicken meat fo' two years. To sec. mars, Is too honest to steal 'em, Is too proud to beg 'em and de price has been goin' up so fas' ob late date | can't afford to LJy 'em. Now, l jiSt tell yo', mars lawyer, de trouble wifi de kentry Is de trus'. It's de chicken trus' dat talk an dc flavor out ob de chicken In de COT storage and fills mp de gap wifi de price. It's 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 a dis sertatiou on chicken stealing would ba far more acceptable Nevertheless, neither of these topics Is in order. The question we are here to determine is your guilt or innocence Of the charge of stealing Ben Frankrn's hens"
 "Yo' mistaken, sah. Dere amt no question ob my innocence; de only question Is Ob my guilt"
 John" looking at the negro admir-. ingly, "I doubt 1T Randolph of Roa- noke ever spoke a truer sentence. Since the accused Is guiltlcSs before the law tln proved guilty there Is no question as to your innocence. It is your guilt we are to determine
 Dat depends, sah, wedder yo' tak circumstantiary evidence. No' can prove anything by dat evidence. Reck. on 1T l was snorin' in bed yo' might prove l war robbln' hen roosts by dat Circumstantiary evidence sah, aln't worf de-
 "The difficulty Of eliminating your fine analytical powers" again Inter. rupted the attorney, 'is great John, admit. Nevertheless I must find means to do SO. II you again swerve from the question l shall have to ask his honor to commit you for contempt ot court"
 contempt Of cou't, sah! hab con tempt of cout hab de highest re spec fo' cOu't. Wha' innocent men ac cuSed ob stealth chickens gwlne to dC widout de cou't. like to knowT"
 That Is very cute of you, John. You have the faculty Of persuasive elo Qucnce to a high degree. There is something so honest sounding In youl protest that I'm almost persuaded Co consider you innocent. My duty Co thS state. however, requires me Co prove you guilty-that is, if can. John, did you ever hear of the \ rayy'
 No. Sah; I didn't nebcr hyar ob d, x ray"
 'sThe x ray Is a light by which w, can look into a mans body and Sc, what's there Now, I'm going Co de termine your guilt or innocence oi stealing a chicken last night. You neighbor has testified to seeing yoJ chop the head on a chicken this morn Ing lust before breakfast It Is to b, presumed that you ate this chicken But we don't know that. I propose (, bring the x ray to bear on your stom ach and determine if the chicken i' there"
 John Randolph turned livid. So lons as words could be used to throw duS Into the courts eyes he had maintaincJ an air of injured innocence. Now tha science was to point out his guilt ht qualled. But only for a moment sudden thought seemed to strike him and he braccd himself for a continu ance of his case.
 Bring in the x ray apparatus" tn, attorney called to his assistant
 An electric machine such as Is useJ by invalids was brought in and, {, make it appear more impressive, wa placed on four bottles. The attorne! | placed handle attached by a wire [, | the machine In each of John Ran | dolph's hands.
 Now, prisoner" saii tie prosecute sternly, when I pull i,ut this cylinde you'll feel a slight sho'k. At the sam, time can look into your stomach The demonstration VII be unnecessar- If you will confess"
 "Go on wifi de demonstrationary, said the darly confidently.
 The attorney pulled out the cylinder The darky braced himself against tn shock. but rolled his eyes around as under great mental strain. Mean while the attorney folded a piece O paper into tube, placed one en against John Randolph's stomach an his own eye against the other. He pr, tended to look carefully for few min utes, during which the negro was in a agony of suspense Then the gaze iropped his telescope.