The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-08-18
CHARGED WITH THEFT
4 Queer Trial In Which Was Used
a Queer Defence.
SHIPPING A CASE OF GOLD.

SHIPPING A CASE OF GOLD.
The Solution Of the Difference In
Weight q the Box at Cape Nome and
ct San Franoises-Ths Glover Move
Of an Astuts YsunS Lawyer.
One Of the most Interesting trials
that ever took place in any country
was that Of James Stevens in the Cali
fornia courts for theft. The circum-
stances were az follows:
There were four prospectors in the
Klendike rsgion when the goA fever
there was at It's height. among whom
Stevens was one. They ''snuck II
rich" divided UP and started cat fer
the United States. Just heeere leav-
ing Stevens got into q faro game and
lost everything 10 had. Winter was
coming On aud he bsAe fair to starve
uniess something was dsne for him.
So the ether three decided to pay him
SO much to guard their dust on the
0AIp on&x LIZ WY AV0SC ~ 0UAl
Francisco. They each had their share
Of dust and nuggets accurately
weighed and then pat them into a
common piae, psading, Of course, their
reapportisnmeut Oh reaching pert.
This they placed IN a strong box
which they naked up and sealed care
fully. 1t was Stevs~s' duty to watch
this By day and sleep by it by night
until. the desttoatsaa was reached.
There was exactly zoo pounds avoirdu-
p0is Of the gold: swern to by regular
weigher. 1t was worth a great deal
OF money.
Well. everything went along smoothly
until san Francisco was reached, Ste
vens seeming - appreciate what his
former partners were doing for hin,
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. 50 that each could take his
share again and debut 50 much for
Stevens pay. -.. g.
1t was found that instead Of having
600 pounds Of gold as before there was
now only 4 fraction over SOS pounds.
The partners were loath to distrast
Stevens and had 1t reweighed twice,
but with the same result esch time.
Reassure0 as they were Of his guilt
and having contempt for such ingrati-
tude, they Immediately swore out a
time protested his innocence. but was
not able to account for the less.
The poor fellow was thrown into
prison ana held for tidal. Not having
any money er friends. he gave uD all
hope Of being acquitted, A. the cdr
cumstantial evideace seemed obsolete
" against him. A youHg lawyer was
appointed by the court to defend him.
This young man. Thaddeus Wayne by
name. set to wsrk 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 net even question a wit
ness.
When all the testimony was in
W ~ NC AS40CNsSN NAC y0A6C W AAAO '"
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 a peculiar glimmer in the
latter's eye persuaded him to humor
the boy. johnson was placed on the
stand. and tie following eolloquy en-
sued:
with WHIST dsss physics dealy'
with nat1Eal phenomena, or the
changes IN Tie state or condition of
matter"
"Dces the weight Of person change
rs he changes his location on the
earth?'
yes"
"Just how dsas that happen. and
how much does the weight changer
The weight Of any betly Is greatest
at the poles ~ the earth. - they are
the nearest points to the center 1t
gets legs and less the farther We trav-
4 tewasd Tia eqsatsy, far We 20 away
from the csetsr. This eject II en-
hanced hV Sns rotation q tie earth.
bsdis tsndi.g 10 ~ o6 Dsre ut he
equator than n0Ar the poles. The com-
binatt0n Of these two makes 4 body
weigh enc two-hundred-and-elg eighty
niDth 49, at the equaasr than at the
poaes Al = prspsstis1ate ameuat for
6lstaDcos be<WiDn"
AAbout what fraction Of IT. weight
weaA betly Lose Il going from Cape
Mona .Alcaka. - SaA bxanc.xoeS.