The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1916-02-03
CHAPTER XIV.
THE CHAIN TIGHTENs.

An instants silence followed Sylves-
ter's words, and then a little murnur OF
interest and excitement, as the re-
porters bent closer above their work
l heard a quick. deep intakiug of the
breath from the man who sat beside
me, and then / vas on my feet
Your honor" / said TO Goldberger,
st seems that an effort is to be made
TO incrinlinate Mr.. Swain in this Affair,
and he should therefore be represented
sent him, and I ask for an hours
adjournment in order to consult with
my client"
Goldberger glanced at his watch.
81 Intended to adjourn for lunch" he
said. "as soon as 1 had finished with
Mr.. Sylvester. We viii adjourn now.
If you wish-until $780," he added
The battery Of cameras was clicking
at Swain, and two or three artists were
making sketches of his head; there was
a great hustle Is h reporters gath
cred up their papers n hurried to
their cars to search for the nearest
telephone; the jury walked heavily
away IN charge Of ar 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; Simmonds was
replacing the blood stained clothing in
the suit case, TO be held az evidence for
the trial; but Swain sat there, with
arms folded. staring straight before
him. apparently unconscious Of all this,
Goldbergsr looked at him closely. as
he came down to speak 10 me, but
Swain did not glance up.
II can parole him in your custody, l
suppose, Mr. LESTER" the corner asked.
yes certainly" l assented-
"sylvester's evidence makes it look
bad for him"
VIII you introduce me to Sylves-
ter2 I should like to go over the prints
with lin"
Certainty" and. a moment later,
with the prints spread out before US,
! Sylvester wa 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-
ficatton, of course, many times, but Ia
made no study of the subject, and, l
confess, the blurred photographs which
Sylvester offered for my inspection
seemed to me mighty poor evidence
upon which TO accuse a nal OF murder.
The photographs showed II prints
considerably larger than life size, but
this enlargement 4 also exaggerated
the threads Of n cloth, SO that the
| prints seemed half concealed by a
heavy mesh. To the naked ~ the
lines were almost indistiuguishabls,
but under Sylvester's powerful glass
!. lAEr SGlLLS O1E AS0AA
The thumb said Sylvester, fol-
lowing the lines first to the right and
then 10 the left with the point OF a
| pencil. "is what We call a double
whorl. II consists OF Il lines. or ridges.
| With the micrometer.' and he raised
the lid of a little leather which
stood on the table, o out an instru-
| ment of polished steel and applied it
10 one of the photographs, " get the
angle of these ridges. See how /
adjust it," and | watched him, as, with
a delicate thurnbscrew, lie made the
needle ike points of the ind coincide
! with the outside ines OF the whorl.
Now here is a photograph from the
other robe, ais showing the thumb"
! and he applied the machine carefully to
il. 1t also is a double whorl of II
lines. and you see the angles are the
same. And here is the print of tbs
thumb which your client made for me-"
He applied the micrometer and drew
back that might see for myself.
But these photographs are en-
larged." 1 objected.
That makes no difference. En-
largement dos not alter the angles.
Here are n other prints"
He compared them one by one, in the
same manner. When he had finished,
there was no escaping the conviction
that they q been made by the same
hand-that is, unless one denied the
theory OF finger print Identification al
together. and that, 1 knew, would be
absurd. AS he finished his demon
%stration, Sylvester glanced over my
shoulder with a little d~eprecating
smile, as of a mar apologising for do
ing an unpleasant duty. and 1 turned
TO find Swain standing there, his face
lined with perpIexity.
You heard2" I asked
Yes; and l believe Mr.. Sylvester Is
f-ght can't understand it"
- - -
have some lunch. and then we cyn
talk Ii over" and thanking Sylvester
for his courtesy, I led Swain away.
Godfrey fell into step beside us, and
for some moments we walked on in
silence.
There is only ore explanation that
can see" said Godfrey. at last
Swain. you remember. got to the Ii
brary about a minute ahead of us, and