Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-11-27
The Daily
Short Story
CALLED THE BLUFF.
By F. A. Mitchell.

"a
markable for scientific development
This story shows how an uneducated
German was willing to suffer imnr;s.
onment to test the efficacy Of a sci.
entitic device.
Herman Gotlieb was suspected =,
stealing corn from neighbor,s par-
den. Whether he was really guilty the
owner of the garden did not know hut
Gotlieb lived near his property and
was the only person who did live near
il. Besides he was very Door and
found it difficult to feed eight or nirs
children with capacious stomachs. The
depredations ON the garden continues
and the owner decided to make an a..
ample of some one, so he pounced IN.
on Gotlieb, had him arrested under
the specific charge Of stealing a nun.
Der Of ears of corn before daylight an
the morning OF the arrest. That ia
prisoner might not be unjustly a..
tanned the trial was set for 10 oicIock
the day of the arrest.
After the preliminary questions haA
been put the prosecuting attorney
made several attempts to trick the ac-
cused man into discriminating himself
but without success. Finally the pros.
Iecutor undertook to catch him In a
scientific trap
did you ever hear Of the Y-ray.~
he asked Gotlieb.
mo. neffer heard about dot; what
iss dot?"
The prosecutor was taken fiat ahack
How to tell an ignorant man the ma
ture Of the X-ray was poser. The
Judge, seeing his discontinue. smiled
THE X-ray is a very bright light
so bright that it enables one to look
inside of man. The machine, or We
call it lamp, that emits the ray was
invented by a countryman Of yours"
"a Sherman" asked the prisoner.
Yes, German. His name was
Roentgen. The X-ray is sometimes
called the Roentgen ray
Herman seemed interested. The
lawyer proceeded.
This machine is now used BY SUI
geons to locate bullet that is lodged
inside of man. If you had swallowed
: a nail it could be seen in your stom.
s ach by means of this instrument"
e Got in Hinmel! Dot machine va,
t invented in Shermany?"
di "Yes. it was made in Germany: bui
e I'm going to use It in America IN
d going to bring one of them into TIL
Il court and look into your stomach witt
: it."
+ "Vot you do dat for7'
"To prove that you ate corn fo
breakfast this morning"
= "VfIl dat machine show corn IN m,
e stomick?" asked the prisoner, seem
: ingly more interestd in the machin
Ie than that it might prove him guilty.
# IF you robbed the cornfeld a
ID charged, you undoubtedly ate III
10 fruits of your robbery for breakfas
IS and the Roentgen lamp wilISshow It /
your stomach"
"Mein Colt: vot a machine"
ar Now. Gotlieb. If you will plea
ii guilty I will ask his honor to give 20
i a light sentence
:. The prisoner appeared to be lost |
4 thought. The prosecutor. thinkin
~ that he had not heard the question, n
N peated it, Then suddenly Collie
- called the bluff
=, Bring on dot machine"
By this time the Judge, the court an
the spectators were on the tiptoe
!. expectations of amusing scene. tt
- prosecutor assumed a severe air an
IT calling an attendant, sent him for q
: electric lamp. The prisoner was I
. intent upon it that he did not see d
eu smiles of those present
n' Prisoner" said the prosecuting a
8 torney with great severity, will yc
ea kplead guilty and take a light senteni
q tor suffer the full penalty Of the Law
+ I find corn in your stomach"
ay Herman's face assumed an EXPIRE
sion of a struggle within him. II
court was led to believe that ne drea
W. ed exposure from the Roentgen II
IS but doubted its efficacy. Finally
o. turned to the judge and said;
T. wat punishment you gil me L
"a, find dot corn in my stomick?"
n "Ten days in jail
The prisoner looked again at &
electric lamp. which the prescott
ed was flashing for the purpose Of teri
ry, flying him.
he Ferry we'll, I go to shall; but
o., won't confess dat I vas guilty"
ok There was nothing for the attorn
Of to do but carry out his purpose;
we flashed the lamp against the prisone
,se stomach and feigned TO examine
NJ with reading lamp.
cts There it is" he said You MI
he have eaten dozen ears Then tuI
ng ing to the Judge. he said; "Havi
M proved the prisoner guilty. your hor
he it remains fer you to pass senta1
lys upon him. And on account of his p
the sistence in denying mis- guilt I u
ley that you make it all that the l
sti- allows"
the REFRESHING his laughter. the iut
ar said:
bv Prisoner, stand up
Be- The prisoner rose.
m Have you anything TO say VII!
lex should not pass sentence upon "
ind Yes. jutch. Dot machine vas net
made in Shermany in de worlt II
a humbug and don't tell de truth
;ult / had for breakfast dis morning
err a dish of sauerkraut."
he There was an explosion In
inc courtroom. the only official word sp
5o1 en- being, Case dismissed
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low the harness department of the r