Evening star., 1909-05-02
The Witness in Wax
Continued from page s

of the Jail To add to his trouble Madge Cler-
ford was dangerously ILL., as the result of the
nervous strain of that awful morning She had
been unable to testify at the inquest; but her
evidence was not essential, since the cylinder
with its accusing voice, the voice of the dead
could be repeated at will.
The arrest of young Rance. charged with the
murder of his father had caused sensation
throughout the country. His great wealth had
made John Rance national figure. and, while
his death was the cause of little personal sor-
row, if any, the fact that he had been hard
man and stern and unsympathetic father was
not felt to excuse his son.
The widespread publicity of the affair made
it difficult to obtain jury; but on the third
day the twelfth man took his seat in the box,
and the trial was ready to proceed. The court
room was packed to suffocation, and outside
the courthouse crowds of morbid curiosity
seekers clamored for entrance.
After the prosecutor had presented his case
to the Jury, the work of taking testimony went
on rapidly. The prisoners counsel were max
ing heroic fight but the trend of evidence
had admitted the receipt of letter from his
father threatening him with disinheritance
should he refuse to give up Miss Clerford. He
had admitted making hurried and unan-
nounced visit to his home the night the murder
took place. He had admitted having quarreled
with the elder man; that the last words spoken
between them were those which had been over
heard by the maid Leave me! You are no
son of minel Blake draws up new will to-
morrow!" He admitted that the revolver was
his; but stubbornly insisted that he had left it
with his father at the latters request before the
dispute, as the old man declared he had an un-
easy fear of burglars.
The demonstrator sent from the graphophone
company for the purpose of reading the letters
to the Jury droned on and on. RANGES counsel
had succeeded in having ruled out as incompe-
tent evidence the transcription that the Prosecu-
ton had made; but had been unable to have
the records themselves excluded.
A N electric thrill ran through the courtroom
when the demonstrator took up the last
cylinder. The sensation of the trial was at
hand; and the most damaging evidence. aside
from the prisoners own admissions. was con-
them.
Through the letter to Blake the demonstrator
read. Then came the letter to Miss Clerford:
and with the opening lines of the old mans let
ter to his son the stiffness in the courtroom was
profound. The jury leaned forward breath
iessly. Even the young man from the graphic
phone company seemed to be imbued with the
portent of the words he was reading. and there
was dramatic cadence to his voice as he paused
for a moment at the break in the letter and then
read clearly.
why. Jack, my son. you here? Have you
come to your senses? was just writing to you
Then That's ALL he said. and removed
the receivers
In the ucdU SucHCe CnaL IOuOWeu q
clear. distinct voice. Read the rest of the
record!"
"Silence in the court!" said the Judge, look
ing sternly in the direction from which the
voice had come A slight. girlish figure rose
hesitatngy and came forward.
Your Honor" she said, and her voice shook
and wavered as if every word would be the last,
Il do not understand just what one should do
in court to be heard; but ask that the opera
tor be told to read the rest of the record"
The Judge glanced at the girl before him,
then at the demonstrator. who still sat by the
machine. Read the rest!" he commanded
That's all; there isn't any more. The rest of
the cylinder is blank" said the man.
THAT is not ALL l have heard. and know!"
Finish the cylinder!' exclaimed the Judge
to the demonstrator. and the man replaced the
receivers Slowly for the second time the needle
journeyed round the expanse of wax. Those in
the farthest corner of the room could hear the
whir of the mechanism. Then the man at the
machine gave amazed gasp. He listened in
tently for moment then moved the repro
ducer back and listened again.
"Well?" queried the Judge impatiently.
Gentlemen, there is something more on the