Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-15

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mistaken.
| @Do you recognize this picture and these
voices, Mr.. Wiz er?" came the voice of the
District Attorney.
@Yes,' the witness replied. 3These pic
lures were taken by me with moving pic
ture Photographic apparatus, and the voices
of the subjects We're caught at the same time
by photographic receiver concealed in the
room. The two instruments were synchro-
nized, or timed together, so that they act like
one, by means of recently perfected de-
vice" f.
3If the court please broke in the agitated
voice of the defendants lawyer, Il wish to
protest and renew my objections to all this.
It is unheard Of. There is no precedent in
any court of law to justify such an innova-
ton as this"
@This is, in some respects, new thing,
replied the measured tones of the Judge.
II will admit that know of no exact prece-
dent for it. But there has got to be first
time for everything, even in courts of law.
Courts must keep abreast of the times,
which are changing fast these days. They
cannot hold aloot or drag behind the times.
These are wonderful times we are living in.
But even this thing is not entirely without
precedent. For the several components of
it there is ample precedent. Photographs
telephone conversations and Biographical
ly reported conversations. The moving pic
ture, as well as the monograph, which are
only different forms of these same things,
have become indispensable parts of our
daily lives. Their accuracy is in many re-
spects greater, than that of living witnesses.
They are employed for scientific purposes
demanding the highest accuracy. 1t seems
to the court that the evidence before it is
merely new combination Of accepted
things that are commonplace facts in our
daily lives. Their truthfulness in the pres
ent case is sworn to by witness who has
Qualified as an expert in such things. You
are sure, Mr., Wilmer, that nothing is dis
torted by this: apparatus?"
u am, absolutely replied the witness.
u saw and heard the things pictured and re.
produced with my own eyes and ears; but
could not describe or repeat them with any
thing like the accuracy of this apparatus.
"Then the court rules that this testimony
and evidence! are admissible the Judge
said. @Of course, as in the case of all other
evidence, it rests solely with the jury to de-
eide what value it has in this trial. The
Jury alone are the judges of the credibility
of this witness, and the value of this evi-
dence.'
Ply this time the two figures in the picture
- had take,! their seats at the deal table,
and their lips were seen to be moving in
conversation:
slope haven't kept you waiting" said
the image of the One Good Alderman.
NO. the other replied: 3just got here
myself. How do things look?'
@Fine! They are all fixed replied the
Alderman. = suppose we might as well get
right down to business and close the bargain
now
a am ready, if you are sure the other
members of the committee can be depended
upon
aThey're al sure as gold, now that have
got them lnei up, the Alderman said. aOf
course, being reform Aldermen and honest
as saints, the; were not so easy to get as the
old crowd; hut got them. One thousand
dollars cash and the chance to get in on the
inside track fbr good block Of stock will fix
them true as steel They are to have the
stock CONVEYED to them through dummy
IL explained the. workings of that to them
you know, the old procedure
Eyes, yes, I'll attend to all that said
F1annery. @And how about yoursef-the
usual figure?s
3Weli, Flannery. this is the most valua-
BILE franchise: you ever GOT the Alderman
replied, @and my work has been extrahaz-