The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-08-22
THE STARS
Daily Short Story
"OUTSIDE EVIDENCE"
BY Willie Brindley
ANOTHER COMPLETE SHORT STORY TOMORROW

two. by means OF safety.razor
blade held with pair OF pliers
80 as To make diagonal cut that
would permit the severed halves 90
DO glued together again. but glued
NO that each rcconditioned bill was
half ono and half ten. II was al
legged that the defendant. Mattison
Jimmy meeting up with one Olaf
LaurcRunrd, stranger from a
logging camp, had bought sundry
drinks Of cider. seasoned with de-
natured alcohol. for Olaf and, when
it, came olsfs time 10 buy, had
volunteered 10 cash olnfa paycheck
for him. Olaf having endorsed the
check, Mattison Jimmy took II 20
the bartender in the soft drink os'
Enlistment. and had IL turned into
money. lie then presented the roll
to Olaf. who bought aundry cider
seasoned with dcnntured alcohol.
and retired In back room Of the
saloon.
Upon awakening tie next morn.
Ing. Olaf found himself destitute
and. upon complaining 20 The bar
tender was rendered a somewhat
shrunken roll. which tho barton
der counted FOR him. discovering
/ in the process that one so bill
was Ia fact not $40 bill AZ both
ends-on end being 81 bill.
Whsreupon Olaf had let forth
! loud saunwks. donounclng the
house and all therein. and more
particularly tho bartender who had
caahed tho payeheck. The barten.
der had called cop, who had
called detective. who had called
a secret service agent, who had
demanded 20 know. IN some par
tioular. what sort Of a guy u was
who had 10 kindly offered 70 cash
olars check. aud, upon hearing the
7 description. had declared that this
was individually Mnitison Jimmy,
and had started in search Of that
person. This let out tho barten.
der. and satisfied Olaf Lauregaard
satisfied him AZ least that he
had not been trimmed by a com.
mon bartender. but rather by an
experienced trimmer.
In due coursc. tho secret agent
rounded up Madison Jimmy who
was registered az the American
Eagle hotel as H. J sculIy They
( found In Sculiy'a room safety
razor bladr, bat no razor. pair
" pliers and ib.cent pot Of glue
and that WAS all Eleven men Of
lbc jury. having weighed this evi
dencc. decided that seuliy. or Mat
tlSon Jimmy. was tough bird all
right. but that the government
Ind offered less evidence than was
necessary 90 prove the case.
The twelfth man. who sat fourth
In the front row. believed Mattisor
guilty Thrpout tho trial his eyes
royed aSeut tho court room. stop
ping always when they came e
Madison Jimmy. Jimmy. attirct
/ In the latest In jazz suits. viii
ia Observation-Disclosures handkerchief
pecping from top pocket in his
bcl,ed coat. returned tho stare al
first. then seemed 10 squirm under
a. He chewcd gum. and tho more
Juror No. stared at him. ih'
harder he uhewod.
Tho prosecutor rested his cas-,
with an earnest admouition 10 this
jurymsn 20 do their duty. The clio
auent and resourcefui counsel for
tho defendant numbered for his
customary passionate plea. The
jury settled hack. unhappy under
the flow OF language-to ii mer
It seemed a waste OF words. theii
vote would be not guilty.
The attorney for the defense
rambled on. Juror No. 4 stared al
MattiBon Jimmy. who chewed gum
and paved himself. brushing of
imaginary specks from his jazz coat
feeling OF tho lavender. bordered
handkerchief in bis breast pocket
Tho learned counsel for the defense
brought Mattison Jimmy TO the
jury rail. and urged the jury to
look at this innocent man, who
had been dragged into court 10
suffer from the unwarranted zeal
Of tho hounds OF justice.
Madison Jimmy squirmed. The
Jurors all stared now. and Jimmy
stared them all down-all but Jur
or No. 4. Juror No, focused
thru steel.rimmed glasses upon
tho ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS handkerchief
that peeped from the defendants
pocket. Jimmy choked on his
gum, spat It into his hand, looked
for place TO stick 1t and, finding
none. slipped IL into the pocket with
his handkerchief. Juror No.
continued 20 stare at the handker
chief pocket. Mattison Jimmy
jerked his handkerchief from his
pocket TO wipe his forehead and
Il fluttercd from his trembling
hand. Juror No. picked It up
for him and handed II back, smil
ing,
/ Tho jury retired and ballotcd
! without discussion. Tho count
I showed IL votes not guilty, one
guilty. The II looked around, try
ing TO locate the hold.out.
II voted guilty." said Juror No
4. "but not on the evidence as
presented"