Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-02-03
CHAPTER XIV.
THE CHAIN TIGHTENS.

An instant's silence followed Sylves-
ter's words, and then a little murmur Of
interest and excitement. as the re-
porters bent closer above their work.
l heard a quick, deep intaking of he
breath from the man who sat beside
me, and then l was on my feet.
your honor" 1 said to Goldberger,
ait seems that an effort is to be made
to incriminate Mr.. Swain in this affair,
and he should therefore be represented
by counsel. | myself intend to repre-
sent him, and l ask for an hours
adjournment in order to consult with
my client"
Goldberger glanced at his watch.
II intended to adjourn for lunch" he
said. "as soon as l had finished with
Mr.. Sylvester. We will adjourn now,
if YOU wish-until 1870" he added.
The battery of cameras was clicking
at Swain, and two or three artists We're
making sketches of his head; there was
a great hustle as the reporters gath
cred up their papers and burned 70
their cars to search for the nearest
telephone; the jury walked heavily
away in charge of an officer to get
their lunch at some near by roadhouse;
Sylvester was. gathering up his prints
and photographs and putting them
carefully in his pocket; Snnn1onds was
replacing the blood stained clothing in
the suit case, to be held as evidence for
the trial; but Swain sat there, with
arms folded, staring straight before
him. apparently unconscious OF all this.
Goldberger looked AT him closely, as
he came down to speak 10 me, put
Swain did not glance UP .
u can parole him in your custody,
suppose. Mr.. Lester the corner asked.
"Yes: certainly | assented.
''Sylvester's evidence makes it look
bad for him
will YOU introduce me to SylveS-
ter? 1 should like to go over the prints
with him.
"Certaintly;" and, a moment later,
with the prints spread out before us,
Sylvester was showing me their points
of similarity.
Godfred came forward while he was
talking and stood looking over his
shoulder.
had heard of finger print identi-
fication. of course, many times, but had
made no study of the subject, and, |
confess, the blurred photographs which
Sylvester offered for my inspection
seemed to me mighty poor evidence
upon which to accuse a man OF murder.
The photographs showed the prints
considerably larger than me SIZE, bu,
this enlargement had also exaggerated
the threads of the cloth, 30 that the
prints seemed half concealed by a
heavy mesh. To the naked eye, the
lines were almost NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.,
but under Sylvester's powerful glass
they came out more clearly.
THE thumb" said sylvester. fol-
lowing the lines first to the right and
hen to the left with the point of a
pencil. lis what we call a double
whori. 1t consists of IA lines, or ridges.
With the micrometer." and he raised
the lid of a little leather box Which
| stood on the table, took out an instru-
"a -,I;rhaI stool and nnnIia1 il
to one Of the photographs, We get the
| angle of these ridges. See how ]
adjust it." and / watched him, as. with
q delicate thumbscrew, he made the
| needle like points of the finder coincide
with the outside lines of the whorl.
Now here is a photograph from the
! other robe, also showing the aunt
| and he applied the machine carefully to
it. 1T also is a double whorl Of IA
| lines. and you see the angles are tho
, same. And here is the print OF the
| thumb which your client made for me
He applied the micrometer and drew
| back that l might see for myself.
But these photographs are en-
iarged," | objected.
THAT makes no difference. En-
largement does not alter the angles,
, Here are the other prints"
He compared them one by one, in the
| same. manner When he had finished
there vas no escaping the conviction
that they had been made by the same
hand-that is, unless one denied the
theory of finger print Identification al
together, n that, / knew, would be
absurd. AS he finished his demon
stration, Sylvester glanced over my
shoulder with a little deprecating
smile, as of a man ~apologising for do
ing an unpleasant duty, and / turned
to find Swain standing there, his face
lined with p~erplexity.
You heard?" l asked.
Yes; and l believe Mr.. Sylvester is
right. I can't understand it."
Well" l said. suppose we go and
have some lunch. and hen we cJn
a it over" and thanking Sylvester
for his courtesy. l led Swain away,
Godfrey fell into step beside us, and
for some moments we walked on in
silence.
There is only ore explanation that
I "a See" said Godfrey, at last.
Swain. you remember, got to the IL
brary about a minute ahead Of US. and