Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-10-24


experiment again. this time in the wa
ter barrel, and. examining the ball
with my microscope. saw scratch
corresponding with the rust speck in
the barrel Of my gun.
Then the fact came into my brain
that the barrel of the pistol which had
been used to kill Mr.. Ackers undoubt-
eddy contained two little protuberances
against which the bullet had rubbed
on being fred. and the distance be
tween these protuberances would be
exactly the same as between the
scratches. do not mean that this oc-
Cured TO me as n possible means OF
discovering the murderer | merely
looked upon it as an interesting fact.
Meanwhile the police were investi-
eating. The period of the detective
was coming on. and two or three men
were working on the case. But they
worked secretly. and | knew nothing
about what they were doing. nor did
/ receive any information upon this
till a man Of the name OF Coyne was
arrested for the murder and held for
rt2l. There was a lot OF circumstan-
tiai evidence against him. Mr.. Ack-
ers had owed him some money, which
Coyne had vainly tried to get Coyne
had been heard TO use violent Language
TO Ackers. Indeed, n threatening ie;
ter from the former was found among
the latter's papers. immediately after
the murder Coyne had disappeared
and was arrested in n distant city. He
owned pistol which was captured
by the police. and one chamber was
found empty. The evidence consisted
in these two features-the matter ot
securing payment of the debt and the
revolver. one chamber of which had
been discharged.
| was in court during the trial and
heard the prosecuting attorney make
strong point against the prisoner by
producing the accuseds revolver.
When the court adjourned | went TO
Coyne's counsel. and | confessed that
had the bullet which killed Ackers
and which had not been found by the
police. also told him of my expert
ments and that ! believed the pistol
with which the murder had been com.
mitted could be identified by the
scratches on the bullet.
The lawyerETruesdale- at me
while spoke with eyes as large as
butter plates. then asked me lot Of
questions. The trial had ended for the
day. and he Immediately adopted
means TO be ready with the new evil
dence on the morrow. He told me to
bring the bullet to him at once in cot
ton, fearing that 1t might receive other
scratches | did as he bid me. and the
next day when the court convened
went there. as requested.
The moment entered the courtroom
Coyne looked at me with terrible anx-
iety on his face. having been appraised
OF what had passed between me and
his counsel, AS for me. was wonder
ing whether would prove him a
, guilty on an innocent man. A barrel
of water stood in the courtroom be-
meath the judges bench. Truesdale
instructed me to load my squirrel gun
with a new bullet and fire it into the
water did so, and he showed the
bullet and the interior of the gun bar
rel to the jury. using the same means
as I had used In my experiment. ex-
! cept that his microscope was more
powerful and his light was electric.
The scratch on the lead was apparent.
The bullet that had killed Ackers
was then produced and the scratches
shown the jury. 1t was of; the same
caliber as Coyne's revolver. A new
bullet was then put in Coype's pistol
and fired into the water.
was watching the prisoner. and as
soon as the experiment with the SOUR
rel gun had terminated | saw his face
light up with hope. When the bullet
was taken out of the water he showed
great agitation. His counsel first ex-
amined the bullet. then looked at him
with an expression of joy. The ball
was examined by the jury and found
to be without scratch.
The demonstration that Ackers had
not been Killed from the prisoners re-
volver was conclusive. and since this
was the keystone of the evidence
! against him the states case fell to the
| ground. He was acquitted. and, though
many still believed him guilty. most
| persons were convinced OF his inno-
cence.
The moment he was made free he
came to me and embraced me. Come
with me-" he said vent home WITH
him. and he asked. What can l do for
you:"
Help me get away from the farm"
The best way to do that is to edu-
cate you. Would you like to go to col.
lege:''
replied that would. and he sent
me to a preparatory school and after
that to college and gave me also a pro
fession.
The real murderer OF Ackers was
subsequently arrested I took enough
interest In the case to hunt down tbs
4 pistol with which the murder was
done and tested 1t for the scratches
II had become somewhat rusted anf
showed other marks besides those OF
the bullet in my possession but Their,
were two that gave the same distanc,
measurement. The evidence was no
necessary. for the murderer confessed
|