Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-12-12
terlock Holmes in Real Life
TODAY'S INSTALLMENT.

h,-7,ich is a prlori the more probable:
d.. .rch am unheard-of million-to-one
incidence should have occurred, or that
rnrice. having committed themselves
the theory that he was the murderer,
.,,s-d TO admit that they were wrong
4 On he bottom fell out of the original
L. and persevered in the hope that
i ,,a jdentifications of queer looking
&reigner would justify their original ac-
o outside these identifcations, must
2,eat once again, there is nothing to
B,,,re slater with the murder, or to show
o, he ever knew. or could have known
81 such a person as Miss Gilchrist ex-
THE REPRIEVE.
The admirable memorial for a reprieve
hswn up by the solicitors for the de-
- was signed by 10000 members Of
q nuhlic, and had the effect of chang
n, the death sentence to one OF penal
srvitude for life.
FThe sentence was passed on May g. For
antv DAYS the man was left in doubt,
H. the written reprieve only arrived on
bav &C. within twenty-four hours of the
grne for the execution. On July Slater
.as conveyed TO the Peterhead convict
bison. There he has now been for three
bars. and there he still remains.
1 ! can not help in my own mind compar-
\ g the case of Oscar Slater with another,
Finch I had occasion to examine-that of
Eeorge EdaljL
! must admit that they are not of the
hme class. George Edalji was youth
H exemplary character oscar Slater
has a blackguard George Edalji was
bbysically incapable of the crime for
Ehch he suffered three years imprison-
hent, years for which he has not re-
,eived, after his innocence was estab-
ished, one shilling of compensation from
he nation Oscar Slater might con-
.eivably have committed the murder, but
he balance of proof and probability seems
'ntirely against 1t.
Thus. one can not feel the same burn
ng sense of injustice over the matter,
snd yet | trust for the sake of our char
letter not only for justice, but for intel
igence, that the judgment may in some
way he reconsidered and the mans
PRESENT punishment allowed to atone for
hose Irregularities of life which helped
10 make his conviction possible.
Before leaving the case. it is interest
ng to see how far this curious crime may
,e reconstructed and whether any posi-
DE light can be thrown upon 1t. Using
hand material, one can not hope
b do more than indicate cartain POSSIBLE
ties which may already have been con-
dered and tested by the police.
THE POLICE WAY.
The trouble, however, with all police
Prosecutions is that, having once got what
hey imagine to be their man, they are
lot very open TO any line of investiga-
ion which might lead to other conclu-
ions. Everything which will not fit into
he official theory is liable to be ex-
uded
One might make few isola ted COM
nents on the case which may at least give
Use to some interesting trains of thought
one question which has to be asked was
whether the assassin was after the
ewels at all. 1t might be urged that
he type of man described by the spec
ators was by no means that of the or
inary thief.
When he reached the bed room and lit
he gas he did not at once seize the
watch and rings which were lying open
exposed upon the dressing table. He
lid not pick up a half sovereign which
vas lying on the dining room table. His
-ttention was given to q wooden box,
he lid Of which he wrenched open.
This, think, was the breaking of
ticks heard by Adams.) The papers
n 1t were strewed on the ground We're
he papers his object, and the final abb
traction of one diamond brooch a mere
hind? Personally, l can only point out
he possibility OF such a solution.
On the other hand, it might be urged
The thief's action seems inconsequen-
lal' that Adams had rung, and that he