The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1906-06-06

In the country the case looked hopt.
less.
He went to the lawyers IL arranged
for a copy of the testimony. and when
that was forthcoming he shut himself
in his room to study it.
At the end of Il couple of days Fe
locked the typewriter pages in his
desk and gave himself over to his So
cial duties. Elder was a detective
through love OF the work, not because
it was necessary for him to earn his
living in this fashion, and OH those
rare occasions when not engaged in a
pursuit he was welcomed in fashiona-
BILE homes.
His temperance in society was &C.
copied. as being an acknowledgment
that there was nothing to be done for
Paul Westcott, for lie was known to
have been Erica's sutton, and it was
argued that if there vas any hope he
would have disappeared in search of
+! the murderer.
In spite of this Erica seemed hopeful,
and the trial, through political inlu-
ence, was pushed to appeal. Gordon
Westcott, her cousin, was opposed to
the haste and argued violently against
it, but he had always been hostile to
Elder, and it was natural that he
should object to any of the ~latter's
suggestions.
AS in the previous trial, the evidence
hinged almost entirely upon the letter.
There was brief testimony to the eff
feet that Paul Westcott had been in
danger of being wiped out in the mar
ket to prove motive. 1t was shown
that upon his arrest he had been un-
able to negotiate loans and had lost
heavily. Then the prosecution put in
the evidence of a handwriting expert,
who had testified at the previous trial
and who discussed learnedly the indi-
vidual pe%culiarities that, even in a for
gerry, will unconsciously betray them
selves.
Almost letter by letter he compared
the formation Of the characters of the
supposed last message with Paul's
handwriting, and with each fresh slide
there was more firmly established in
the minds of the jury the fact that
Paul must have written the letter.
With the letter the prosecution rest
ed h case, and the defense began.
Elder was the first witness, and, to
the surprise Of every person, he took
his stand by the lantern which had
figured so s%pectacularly at both trials.
He first flashed upon the screen half
a dozen examples of Paul Westcott's
handwriting and then in succession
showed another hand displaying many
Of the same characteristics.
"You will perceive that the two men
whose handwritings l have shown
have many traits in common" he said.
but in his eagerness to prove guilt by
angle and curve the previous witness
has neglected his photography.
"The first examples were those writ
ten by the defendant prior to the COM
mission Of the crime. The ones last
shown We're written by his cousin,
who studied under the same tutor in
his uncle's house. l will now show half
a dozen examples Of the late James
WestcOtt's handwriting. asking the
jury to note that in every instance
until is spelled properly, as it was in
the examples shown Of Paul West
NONNS "AIA ollS al NOIuOA W cSl-
colts letters will the word be found to
he persistently m%isspelled 'untill,' as
was the case in the forgery. 4 writer
unconsciously betrays himself, but in
this instance it was the spelling. not
the formation, which told tales.
Il also show a letter from Gordon
Westcott to a money lender, written
Immediately after the murder, in which
he calls attention to the fact that, as
Paul Westcott could not inherit, the
estate would be divided between him
self and his cousin Erica and that then
he would be able to make the deferred
payments"
= The defense rested it's case, and as
soon as the opposing counsel had sum-
med up the jury brought in a verdict
of Not guilty" and Gordon Westcott
was placed under arrest.
Erica. her arm about her brothers
) neck. reached forward in the cab.
Erred" she said, II will take back
> all l sid about not marrying YOU un-
til you gave up your detective work"
"What's the incentive to give it up"
! he laughed as he kissed her, 'when a
simple matter of spelling pays me so
: large Il fee:'