The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-04-26
KANSAS COAAENT
EXPERT TESTIMONY.


! awarded that intelligent citizen OF
Kansas City. who. while being ex-
amfned as to his fitness for jury SER
vice in the Hyde case. voluntarily ex-
planned that he would not believe any
or the testimony of hired scientists.
He had not been asked anv questions
touching this matter; he simply con-
sldered it his duty to the bulwarks
clear.
The Introduction of scientific ex-
perts OF various kinds as witnesses in
murder trials is modern idea. and
IL mas become SO popular that a GOOD
many alienists derive their chief
revenue from this sort of work. The
ch1ef result of their efforts is to be-
wilder the juries and bore the spec
tators, ana cause the average trial to
drag along to an unconscionable
length. Scientific testimony might
have some value if real scientists tes-
tined to facts alone, without reference
10 the guilt or Innocence of the defen-
dant But they are paid by one side
or the other. and their first duty is
to earn their oats.
In the Hyde case the state will in
troduce chemists whose evidence will
go to show that SWope was poisoned,
and the defense will introduce their
chemists for the sole purpose of re-
fut1ng the testimony of the first lot.
One batch of chemists is as dis
ttnguiShed as the other. What is a
says that black is black. and another
says that black is white?
or what value is the testimony of
any scientist. if another scientist OF
equal standing Immediately proves
that the testimony is founded upon
error? The whole business becomes a
joke
One expects LAWYERS to take either
who pays them first. for that is their
business but these court room sci
entlsts who swear to any old thing,
to earn fee. are not only making
Justice ridiculous. but they are making
science ridiculous as we'll. So long as
scientist deals in facts.or what he
believes to be facts. he deserves re-
spect; when he begins to shade his
'Iacts 10 suit his paymasrer, he becomes
an object OF contempt.
The Kansas City venireman deserves
universal praise, and other prospec-
tive Jurors should follow in his foot
steps, and it will be good thing when
the judges also repudiate hired sci
entlsts.-Emporia Gazette.
STATES GET MISERs WEALTH.
Down in Panhandle of Texas. at
Amarillo, farm hand died this week
at bank. were examined it was
found that he left an estate valued
at about 100000. A large part of
this was on deposit in various banks
w AAAlS LII III 1GXaS ana kentucky
made UP the remainder. This man
worked on farms at the pay of a COM
mon laborer and has done so for
several years. He would take one va
cation each year of several months
duration and. while away from his
farm work. would attend to his own
business affairs.
Here is another case of a man ac-
cumulating money and doing no good
with it. He was different from the
ordinary miser in that he did not keep
his gold where he could look at it
frequently but possibly the figures in
his bank books were Just as satisfying
as the sight of the cold. yellow cash
Just what good man gets out of
working like a poor man and hoard
Ing his wealth will never be known.
Men have done such things since time
began and they will do it until Halley's
comet or some terrible force destroys
the world
OF course a large and increasing
crowd of relatives" will arise and go
into court to fight for the wealth
This is invariably the end of fortunes
piled up by such men, There should
be some provision by law whereby the
estate could be turned over to the state
in which it is found or at least a great
part of the estate should be disposed
of in such manner. The states
could use the money for charitable
urposes.-Wichita Eagle,