The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1909-08-19
CHARGED WITH THEFT
A Queer Trial In Which Was Used
a Queer Defense.
SHIPPING A CASE OF GOLD.
The Solution of the Difference In
Weight Of the Box at Cape Nome and
at San Francisco-The Clever Move
Of an Astute Young Lawyer.

One of the most interesting trials
that eve took place in any country
was that of James Stevens in the Cali
fornia courts for theft. The circum-
stances were as follows:
There were four prospectors in the
Klondike region when the gold fever
there was ut its height. among whom
Stevens was II They "struck il
rich" divided up and started out for
ing Stevens got nto Il faro gone and
lost everything he had. Winter was
coming on and he babe fair to Starve
unless something was done for him
So the other three decided to pay him
so much to guard their dust on the
ship and pay his way home to San
Francisco. They each had their share
Of dust II nuggets accurately
weighed aud then put them into a
common pile. pending. Of course. their
reapporIionment on reaching port.
This they placed in a strong lOx
which they nailed up and sealed care
fully. 1t WAS Stevens duty to watch
this by day and sleep by it by night
until the destination was reached.
There was exactly 2UD pounds avoirdu-
pois Of the gold. sworn to by n regular
weiChpr Ii was worth a great deal
of money.
Well. everything went along smoothly
venS seeming to appreciate what his
former partners were doing for him
and guarding his trust jealousy. When
the ship came into port the box was
Immediately removed. under the super
vision Of Stevens. to a place Of re.
weighing. so that each could take his
share again and deduct so much for
Stevens pay.
1t was found that instead Of having
GOO pounds Of gold as before there was
now only a fraction Eel sos pounds.
The partners were loath to distrust
Stevens and had it reweighed twice,
but with the same result each time.
Reassured as they we're of his guilt
and having contempt for such ingrati-
tude. they Immediately wore out a
warrant for his arrest. He all the
time protested his innocence. but was
not able to account for the loss.
The poor fellow was thrown into
prison and held for trial. Not having
any money or friends, he rave up all
hope of being acquitted. as the cir
cumstantial evidence seemed absolute
ly against him. A Young lawyer vas
appointed by the court TO defend him.
THIS young man. Thaddeus Wayne by
NAME. set ~ work on the seemingly
hopeless Job with great enthusiasm
plenty % time.
The case was o called and all the
circumstantial evidence set forth.
Wayne did not even question a wit
ness.
When all the testimony was in
him to qualify Samuel l.. Johnson.
teacher OF physics In a high school. as
an expert witness. The judge. not see
ing any relation of physics to the
theft. was about to refuse the young
man when a peculiar glimmer in the
latter's eye persuaded him to humor
the boy. johnson was placed on the
stand. and the following colloquy en-
sued:
with what does physics DEAL"
with natural phenomena. or the
changes in the state or condition Of
matter"
docs the weight of a person change
a. he nhn ~ ~ hfy lnoottnn on fho
earth:"
Yes"
Just how does that happen. and
how much does the weight change"
THE weight Of any body is greatest
at the poles Of the earth. as they are
the nearest points to the center. 1t
gets less and less the farther we tray
ell toward the eqlSator. for we go away
from the center. This effect is en-
HANGED by the rotation Of the earth.
bodies tending TO fly off more at the
equator than near the poles. The com
bination Of these two makes n body
weigh oAe two hundred-and-eighty.
ninth less at the equator than at the
poles and a proportionate amount for
distances between"
about what fraction Of its weight
would a body lose IN going from Cape
Nome. Alaska. to San Francisco"
II should say about n in 300"
"Then gold weighing GOO pounds in
Nome could not possibly weigh over
598 pounds here. could it,"
1T could not"
1t is needless to say that Stevens was
acquitted on this evidence. His former
partners were so sorry OF their recent
suspicion and so eager to make amends
that they not only paid him the salary
they had promised him. but set hin
up In business from their ample funds
This fact is peculiar. but perfectly in
accord with reason. 1t Is recognized
by the United States government. Ev
cry time bullion is sent from Washing
ton to the New Orleans n.ut a certain
amount OF weight Is lost in the mere
act Of transit. So in order to get the
---- 1921 --- T.