The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 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.
heard a quick, deep intaking of the
breath from the man who sat beside
me, and then 1 was on my feet.
your honor" l said to Goldberger,
at seems that an effort Is to be made
to incriminate Mr.. Swain in this affair,
and he should therefore be represented
by counsel. 1 myself intend to repre-
sent him, and 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 I had finished with
Mr.. Sylvester. We will 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 as the reporters gath
cred up their papers and hurried to
their cars to search for the nearest
telephones; the jury walked heavily
away in charge OF an officer to get
their lunch at some near by roadhouse;
Sylvester was gathering up ms pTllts
and photographs and putting them
carefully in his pocket; Simmonds was
replacing the blood stained clothing in
the suit case to be held as evidence Tor
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 to me. but
Swain did not glance up.
"I can parole him in your custody,
suppose, Mr.. Lester?" the corner asked.
Yes; certainly" I assented.
"sylvester's evidence makes it look
bad for him."
"Wiu YOU introduce me to Sylves-
ter? | should like to go over the prints
with him." ,
with the prints spread out before us
Sylvester was showing me their points
of similarity.
talking and stood looking over MS
shoulder. $500,
7 had heard of finger print identi-
fication. of course, many times, but mao
made no study Of the subject. and, l
confess, the blurred photographs which
Sylvester offered for my lnsPectlon
seemed to me mighty poor evidence
upon which to accuse a man OF murder.
The photographs showed the prints
Considerably larger than life size, but
this enlargement had also exaggerated
the threads of the cloth. so that the
prints seemed half concealed by
heavy mesh, To the naked eye, the
lines were almost NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.,
but under Sylvester's powerful glass
thew came out more clearly.
Srhe thumb" said Sylvester. fol-
lowing the lines first to the right and
then to the left with the point OF
pencil, els what we can douple
with the micrometer," and he raised
the lid of a little leather box which
stood on the table, took out an instru-
ment of polished steel and applied 1t
TO one Of the photographs, we get the
angle Of these ridges. See now
adjust IT." and | watched MN, as, WI" tSn
a 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 thumb,
and he applied the machine carefully TO
it. 1T also is a double Whorl or Ia
lines. and you see the angles are the
same. And here Is the print OF the
thumb which your client made for me-"
He applied the micrometer and drew
back that 1 might see for myself.
but these photographs are en-
larged." objected.
.'That makes no difference. En-
largement do~s not alter the angles.
Here are the other prints"
He compared them one by one, in the
same manner. When he had finished,
there was 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, and 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 perplexity.
You heard?" I asked.
Yes; and I believe Mr.. Sylvester is
right. ! can't understand it,"
We'll" l said, suppose we go and
have some lunch, and then we cIn
talk it 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 IL
brary about a minute ahead of us, and