The Washington herald., 1911-05-21

was afterward commuted to penal servi-
tude for life.
DR.. Laccasagne one of the greatess
criminal medical experts in France, was
once called upon to solve the mystery Of
q tragedy which created an immense
sensation. 1t was the death Of an old
gentleman who had been discovered
lying in his bed. and who had succumbed
to the bullet of a revolver which was
found on the floor beside him. Had he
killed himself, or had he been slain by
some assassin as he lay there asleep?
The revolver was his own. ana people
were At first inclined to accept the theory
that the old gentleman had, In mt or
temporary insanity, committed suicide.
Yet. why should he have done so? He
was a person OF considerable fortune
and. apparently. had no trouble In the
world save the anxiety occasioned him
by the evil life Of a young relation In
whom he was much interested, and who
would inherit his fortune at his death.
DR.. Laccasagne declared that the old
man had fallen by the hands OF an
assassin. and he was led to this con-
clusion by the fact that the dead man
eyes were closed. They should, had he
committed suicide, have been open. They
had been closed by some one who had
murdered him. But what could have in
duced an assassin to perform such an
act? The detectives were able to state
that II is a common. superstltutlon
among criminals that the unclosed eyes
Of a person who has fallen by their hand
may haunt them. The doctors declara-
ton led the police to turn their attention
to the dissolute relative Of the dead man,
ard they quickly found their c'rcun-
stances to prove that the doctors theory
was correct. They were able to bring
his guilt home to him, and he was con-
victed.
The medical expert has occasionally to
deal with the willy imposter, and that
cunning gentleman is apt to find him a
very terrible person. People who make
claims against railway companies for
colossal sums because they have, through
some alleged negligence. been rendered
deaf in one ear. or incapable of feeling
in a certain limb, little dream of the re-
sources Of the medical detective to dis
cover the truth of their statements. Some
time since. a man who claimed big dam
ages against railway company for
the loss of the sense of hearing In his
left ear. found himself subjected to the
most bewildering tests. He was placed
in a room through the wall of which pro-
jected two india rubber tubes with
moutbpieces. which he was requested to
place to his ears Then the medical de-
tective went into the next room.
Claimants for COmpe nsation.
THE doctor" explained the assistant
who remained with the victim of the
experiment. rs now about to speak to
you through the tube attached to your
left ear. Can you hear anything?'
He could hear nothing.
THE Doctor" went on the assistant,
lis now about 10 sreak to you through
the tube attached to your right ear. Can
you hear?'
He could perfectly we'll.
In short time the victim Of the eN-
pertinent came to the conclusion that the
experiment was rather embarrassing for
he was totally unable to say through
which tube the doctor was really speak
ing. Sometimes. when the assistant said
he was speaking through the right. he
was, as matter of fact. speaking
through the left, and the message he
ought to have heard with his right ear
he declared he could hear nothing of.
By the time the would-be swindler had
arrived al the conclusion that il would
be we'll for him to be taken suddenly
unwell and unable TO submit to further
experiments, he had convicted himself
as a fraud. He could hear with both
ears equally well.
People who allege that, as the result
OF accidents. they have limbs rendered
senseless. are frequently exposed to ex-
periments Of the same kind. In that
case instead stead e speaking tubes wires wires
electrical currents may be administered.