The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1916-02-10
CHAPTER xv.-(continued) .


found the jury, under the guidance Of
Simmonds, just coming out of the
house, each member smoking a fat
black cigar at the expense Of the state.
They had been viewing the body and
the scene Of the crime, but as they
Med back into their seats, l noted that
they seemed anything but depressed.
The lunch had evidently been good
one.
Sylvester was recalled to finish his
testimony. He explained the system
or curves and angles by which finger
prints are grouped and classified, and
the various points of resemblance by
which two prints could be proved to
have been made by the same finger.
There was, first Of all, the general con-
Volution, whether a flexure, a stria, a
sinus, spiral, a circle, or a whorl;
there was, secondly, the number OF
ridges In the convolution; and there
was, thirdly, the angles which these
ridges made. II two prints agreed in
all these details, their identity was
certain. He then proceeded to show
that the prints made that morning by
Swain did so agree with the photo
graphs OF the prints on the garments.
Finally the witness was turned over to
me for cross examination.
Mr.. Sylvester" 1 began, are you
willing to assert that those finger
prints could have been made by no
man In the world except Mr.. Swain"
Sylvester hesitated. just as 1 hoped
he would do.
NO." he answered, at last, Il can't
assert that, Mr.. Lester. There may be
three or four other men In the world
with finger prints like these. But the
probabilities against any Of these men
having made these prints are very
great. Besides, 1t is a thinG easily
proved-the number Of persons who
might have committed the crime is
limited, and it is an easy thing to Sc
cure prints Of their fingers"
That Is what / was about to pro-
pose," agreed. II should like the
finger prints taken Of every one who
was in the house Thursday night"
DO l understand that your case
stands or falls upon this point?" asked
the coroner.
your Honor" answered, my
his fingers. IL they are his, came to be
upon that robe. The one thing he Is
certain Of is that they were not placed
there by him. Not once, during the
entire evening, was my client near
enough to Mr.. Vaughan to touch him:
not once did he so far lose conscious
ness as to be unable to remember what
occurred. We have racked our brains
for an explanation, and the only pos
sible one seems to be that the prints
of the real murderer resemble those of
my client. And when I say the real
murderer" l added, Il do not neces-
sarily mean one of the persons whom
we know to have been in the house.
Outside of these finger prints, there
has been absolutely no evidence in
troduced here to prove that the crime
might not have been committed by
some person unknown to u.s."
You can scarcely expect the jury
to believe, however" Goldberger point
ed out that this supposititious person
had finger tips like your clients"
NO." / agreed, II make no such as
sertion: my hope is that we shall soon
have the prints OF the real murderer;
and when l say the real murderer"
added, looking at the jury. Il believe
every one present understands who
mean"
The coroner raped sharply; but /
had said what 1 wished to say, and
sat down. The witnesses Of the morn
ing were ordered to be brought out
Sylvester arranged his ink pad and
sheets OF paper.
1T seems to me-" remarked the
coroner, with a smile, that you and
Mr.. Godfrey would better register, too
You were within striking distance"
THAT Is right" I agreed, and was
the first to register. but Sylvester, after
q glance at my prints, shook his
head.
your thumb is left sinus" he said
you're cleared. Mr.. Lester"
Godfrey came forward and registered,
too, and after him the three servants
In each case a shake Of Sylvester's
head told the result.
Then Simmonds came from the
house, and Silva and Mabbub after
him, and the coroner explained to
Silva what was wanted. fancied that
the yogfs brow contracted little.
The registration Of the fingers" he
said, "of the foot or OF the palm, is
with us a religious ceremony, not to
be lightly performed. By some. 1t is
also held that the touch of ink, unless
compounded by a priest of the temple
according to a certain formula, is de-
filing, and. above all, it is impossible
for q believer to permit such relics OF
himself to remain in the hands OF an
infidel."
THE relics, as you call Them" Gold
berger explained, won't need to re-
main in our hands. Ny expert here
can tell in a minute whether your
prints resemble those Of his. photo
graphs. If they do not they will be
returned to you"
And II they do?"
Goldberger laughed.
We'll, you can have them back. any
way. In that case guess we can per-
guade you, later on. to make another
set"
The yogi flushed angrily. but con-
trolled himself.
81 rely upon your promise, sir" he
said, and laid his fingers. first upon
the pad and then upon the paper.
He stood with closed eyes and NOV
ing lips, his linked fingers held care
fully away from him, during the
breathless moment that Sylvester bent
above the prints. Then the expert
looked up and shook his head.
mo resemblance at ALL" he said,
land held out the sheet OF paper IN
which the prints were.
Silva accepted IT silently. and rolled
Il into q ball in the palm OF his hand.
Now for the other fellow" said
silva glanced at his follower doubt
fully.
II am not sure that / can make him
understand" he said. and for some
moments talked theoretically to Nah
bub in a language which ! suppose
was Hindu. Mahbub listened. scowl-
ing fiercely, speaking brief sentence
now and tAEn. He would know" Silva
asked, at Mst, turning to the coroner
s%xuhather blood Is a constituent or that