The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-05-23

|
the part of Dr. Ross Mastcrson came
as usual ignoring the seriousness OF
the INatter and accusing us all of con-
| spring to keep him from the first
night of light opera which was
opening. Mrs Maitland followed, the
unaccustomed pallor OF her face
heightened by the plain black dress
felt most uncomfortable, as indeed
| think the rest did. She merely in
clined her head to Masterson, seem
ed almost to avoid the eye OF DIR.
Ross, glared at DR.. Leslie, and abso-
lutely ignored me.
Craig had been standing aloof at
his laboratory table, beyond nod
OF recognition paying little attention
to anything. He seemed to be in no
hurry to begin.
Great as science IS" he cont
mcnccd, at length, 1T is yet far re-
moved from perfection. There are, for
instance, substances so mysterious.
subtle and dangerous as to set the
most delicate tests and powerful
lenses at naught, while they carry
death most horrible in their train
He could scarcely have chosen his
opening words with more effect.
Chief among them" he proceeded,
"are those from natures own labora-
tory. There are some sixty species
of SerpentS, for example, with deadly
venom. Among these, as you doubt
less have all heard, none has brought
greater terror to mankind than the
cobra di-capello, the Naja tripudians
of India. have here small quantity
of the vcnom"-he indicated it in a
glass beaker. ct was obtained in New
York, and ! have tested it on guinea
pigs. 1t has lost none OF its potency.
1t was difficult to sit unmoved at
the thought that before us, in only a
few grains OF the stuff, was enough TO
kill US all if it were introduced into a
scratch OF our skin.
Until recently chemistry was pow
erless to solve the enigma, the micro
scope 10 detect its presence. or path
ology to explain the reason for its
deadly effect"
As Kennedy proceeded. Mrs. Matt
land never took her large eyes from
his face.
Kennedy now drew from a large
envelope in which Lc protected it, the
typewriter note which had been
found on Maitland. He said nothing
about the suicide" as he quietly be-
gan a new line OF accommodating evil
dence.
There is an increasing use OF the
typewriting machine for the produc
ton OF spurious papers," he began,
rafting the note significantly. 1T is
partly due to the great increase in
the use of the typewriter generally,
but more than all is it due to the err
roneous idea that fraudulent typewrit-
ing cannot be detected. The fact is
that the typewriter is perhaps a worse
means of concealing identity than is
disguised handwriting
He paused and indicated a num-
Der of little instruments on the table.
For example," he resumed. the
Lovebond tintometer tells nc its
story of the color OF the ink used in
the ribbon of the machine that wrote
this note as we'll as several standard
specimens which | have been able TO
obtain from three machines on which
it might have been written.
THAT leads me to speak OF the quail
ity of the paper in this half sheet that
was found on Mr. Maitland. Some
times such half sheet may be mated
with the other half from which it |
was torn as accurately as if the act
were performed before your eyes.
There was no such good fortune in
this case, but by measurements made |
by the vernier micrometcr caliper |
have found the precise thickness OF
several samples of paper as COM
pared to that of the suicide note.
need hardly add that in thickness and |
quality, as well as in the tint OF the |
ribbon, the note points to one person
as the author"
No one moved.
And there arc other proofs I'M
escapable" Kennedy hurried on For
instance, | have counted the number |
Of threads to the inch in the ribbon,
as shown by the letters OF this note.
That also corresponds to the number
in one OF the three ribbons"
Kennedy laid down a glass plate
peculiarly ruled in little squares
This" he explained, "is an align
nent test plate, through which can
,e studied accurately the spacing and
alignment OF typewriter characters.
Not only that, but the faces OF many
etters inevitably become broken,
worn. battered, as well as out OF
alignment, or slightly shifted in their
position on the type bar. The type
aces arc not fiat, but little concavc
o conform to the roller. There arc
thousands OF possible divergences,
cars, and deformities in each ma
:hine.
Such being the case" he con-
,luded, "typewriting has an indi-
like that OF the Bertillon
ystem finger prints, or the portrait
,arle"
He paused, then added quickly:
What machine was it in this case?
have samples here from that OF DR..
Ross, a machine used by Mr.. Master
on's secretary, and from machine
which was accessible to both Mr. and
Mrs. Maitland" |
Kennedy stopped, but he was not
ret prepared to relieve the suspense
# two of those whom his investiga-
ion would absolve.
Just one other point" he resumed
"a point which a few
ears ago would have been inexplica-
,le-if not positively misleading and
productive of-sctual mistake. ! refer
O the dreams OF Mrs. Maitland"
| had been expecting ii, yet the
words startled ME. What must they
ave done to herr But she kept ad-
cA,t,1t 81 ha,Sa1f l