The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1909-09-08
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 Bo~ at Cape Nome and
at San Franeiscc-The Clever Move
of an Astute Young Lawyer.

that ever tOuk pace IN any country
was that of James Stevens in the Cali
fornia courts for theft. The circum.
stances were ms follows:
There were four prosppctors In the
Klondike region when the gold fever
there was mt its height. among whom
Stevens was one. They struck 1t
rich" divided up and started out for
the United States Just before leav
lost everything he hnd Winter wns
coming on and he bnde fair to stnrvr
unless something was done for him
So the other three decided TO pay him
so much 10 guard their dust on the
ship and pay his way home TO San
Francisco. They each had their share
of dust and nuggets accurately
weighed and then put them into Il
common pile. pending. of course. their
reapportionment on reaching port
This they placed In strong box
which they nailed up and sealed care
fully. 1t was Stevens duty to watch
this by day and sleep by 1t by night
until the destination was reached.
There was exactly 200 pounds avoirdu-
pos OF the gold sworn to by regular
weigher II was worth a great deal
of money
Well, everything went along smoothly
until San Francisco was reached. Ste
vens seeming TO appreciate what his
former partners we're 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 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
600 pounds of gold as before there was
now only fraction over 59S pounds
The partners were loath to distrust
Stevens and had 1t reweighed twice.
but with the same result each time.
Reassured as they were of his guilt
and having contempt for such ingrati.
tude, they Immediately swore out
warrant for his arrest. He all the
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 gave up all
hope of being acquitted. as the cir
cumstantial evidence seemed absolute
ly against him young lawyer was
appointed by the court to defend him
This young man. Thaddeus Wayne by
name. set to work on the seemingly
hopeless job with great enthusiasm,
as he had few clients anyhow and
plenty of time.
The case was soon called and all the
circumstantial evidence set forth
Wayne did not even question wit
ness.
When all the testimony was In
Wayne requested the Judge to allow
him to qualify Samuel l.. johnson.
teacher Of physics in 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 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 dealT'
with natural phenomena. or the
changes in the state or condition of
matter"
Does the weight of person change
as he changes his location on the
earthr
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 trav-
ell toward the equator. for we go away
from the center This effect is en-
hanced by the rotation of the earth.
bodies tending to 6y of more al the
equator than near the poles The COM
bination of these two makes a body
weigh one two hundred-and-eighty-
ninth less at the equator than at the
poles and proportionate amount for
distances between"
"About what fraction of its weight
would a body lose In going from Cape
Nome, Alaska. to San FranciscoT
81 should say about one in 300"
'Then gold Weighing 600 pounds in
Nome could not possibly weigh over
sos 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 him
up in business from their ample funds.
This fact is peculiar. but perfectly in
accord with reason. It is recognized
by the United States government. Ev-
cry time bullion is sent from Washing
ton to the New Orleans mint a certain
amount of weight is lost In the mere
act Of transit. So In order to get the
same amount of metal In each coin
compensating weights or those special
1y calibrated have to be used or else
special scales. II the weights are made