New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-05-02

OF the Jail To add TO his trouble Madge Ger
ford was dangerously ILL., as the result OF the
nervous STRAIN Of that awful morning. one iad
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 VIII.
The arrest OF Young Rance, charged with the
murder of his father had caused a 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 a stern and unsympathetlc 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 10 proceed The court
room was packed TO sutfocatlon. 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 q heroic fight: but the trend of evidence
was entirely against him At the inquest he
had admitted the receipt of a letter from ms
father threatening him with dIsInherItance
should ne refuse to give up Miss Clertord- He
had admitted making a hurried and undr-
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- on 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 LETT It
with his father at the latterS request before the
dispute as the old man declared he had an IN
easy fear Of burglars
The demonstration sent from the graphophone
company for the purpose of reading the letters
10 the Jury droncd 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.
& n electric thrill ran through the courtroom
when the demonstration took up the last
cylinder The sensation of the trial was at
hand; and the most damaging evidence, aside
from the prisoners own admissions, con
tanned in the cylinder of Insensate wax before
them.
Through the letter to Blake the demonstration
read Then came the letter to Miss Clertord
and with the opening lines of the old man S let
ter to his the stiffness IN the courtroom was
profound. The Jury leaned forward breath
leSsly. 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 "a dramatic cadence to his voice as ne paused
for moment al the break IN the letter and then
read clearly.
Why Jack my son. you here Have YOU
come to your SenseS2 | was Just writing 10 YOU.
Then, That's all. he said, and removed
In the dead silence that followed thrilled a
clear distinct voice, Read the rest of the
reCOrdl'
Silence in the COURT" said the fudge. look
ing sternIy in the direction from which the
voice had come slight. girlIsh figure rose
heSitatlngly and came forward
Your Honor, she SAID. and her Voice shook
and wavercd rs if every word would be the last.
60 do not understand Just what one should do
in a 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 reSti" ne commanded
That's all, there isn't any more. The rest Of
the cylinder Is blank said the man.
That Is not ALL have heard. and know
Finish the cylinder" exclaimed the Judge
to the demonstration. 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 a moment. then moved the repro
Queer back and listened again.
"Well?" queried the Judge impatiently.