The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-08-27
CHARGED WITH THEFT.
"A Queer Trial In Which Was Used
a Queer Defense.
SHIPPING A CASE OF GOLD.
Tho Solution Of tho Difference In
Weight Of the Box at Cape Nome and
at San Franciseo-The Clever Move
Of an Astute Young Lawyer.

stances were as follows:
There were four rrospectors in the
klondike region when the gold fever
there was at its height among whom
Stevens was one. They struck II
rich" divided up and started out for
the United States. Just before leav-
ing Stevens got into n faro game aud
lost everything he had. Winter was
coming on and he babe fair to starye
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 and nuggets accurately
weighed and then put them into a
common pile. pending. of course, their
reapport!onment on reaching port
This they placed in q strong box
which they nailed up and sealed care
fully. 1t was Stevens duty to watch
this by day aud sleep by it by night
until the destination was reached.
There was exactly 200 pounds avoirdu-
pols Of the gold. sworn TO by a regular
weigher. 1t was worth great deal
of money.
Well, everything went along smoothly
until San Francisco was reached. Ste
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 fraction over sos pounds.
The partners were loa,h to distrust
Stevens and had it 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 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 gave up all
hope OF being acquitted, as the cir.
cumstantial evidence seemed absolute.
" against him. A 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
circumstaptial evidence set forth
Wayne did not even question wit
ness.
When all the testimony was II
Wayne requested the judge to allow
him to qualify Samuel L. johnson
teacher OF physics in a high school. a,
an expert witness. The judge. not see
ing any relation Of physics to tn
theft, was about to refuse the young
man when a peculiar glimmer In tn
latter's eye persuaded him to hume
the boy. Johnson was placed on tn
stand, and the following colloquy en-
sued:
with what does physics deal!
with natural phenomena. or th
changes In the state or condition o
matter"
Does the weight Of person chang
as he changes his location on tn
earthg'
Eyes"
dust how does that happen. AM
how much does the weight changer
1.-THE weight Of any body is creates
at the poles OF the earth. as they ar
the nearest points to- the center. !
gets less and less the farther we tray
el toward the equator. for we go ava
from the center. This effect is er
HANGED by the rotation Of the eartt
bodies tending to ny OF more at til
equator than near the poles. The con
bination OF these two makes a bod
weigh one two hundred eighty
ninth less at the equator than at ii
poles and proportlonate amount fc
1 distances between"
Abont what fraction OF its weigh
would body lose In going from Car
Nome, Alaska, to San francisco?
II should say about one In 800. !" s
Then gold weighing COO pounds
Nome could not possibly weigh ove
sos pounds here. could It T.
at could not.
It Is needless to say that Stevens vi
acquitted on this evidence. ais form,
partners were so sorry Of their recel