Year: 1875

to be honest. Inc anxiety was intense 10
know whether he would really be proved
criminal.


The case seemed to be going against
the accused, for one CT two other people
had been summoned, who testified that,
''to the best of their knowledge and be-
lief" they had seen the man in or about
the bank at l o'clock on the day when the
check was passed


All the known evidence was in, and to
the last, save the statements of FEW
friends as to his previous good character,
nothing in his behalf beyond his unsup-
ported word had been brought forward


The prosecuting attorney arose and
formally recounted the strong points in
the case, dwelling especially on the failure
of the prisoner to prove an alibi, j. e., to
show to the satisfaction OF the Court that
he was elsewhere than in the bank at the
moment Of the crime when suddenly, to
the unspeakable establishment of all pres
ent, queer voice from distant part of
the room exclaimed:


But can tell where he was


Everybody turned to look at the speak
er who was none other than our friend
Dan. He stood with his mouth wide open,
clutching his cap with one hand, and with
the other nervously poking his tousled
hair. Everybody laughed.


''Slencc ~ roared the crier, in a fierce
tone, and then assuming that the boy in
tended to make sport, he ordered him to
sit down


NO" drawled out Dan, II guess l
WON'T


OF course that set the crowd into still
louder uproar OF laughter The erier made
an attempt to get at the boy.


Stop" cried the Judge, in voice that
was heard in all parts of the room.


As soon as silence was obtained he
turned toward Dan, who was still stand
ing:


young man, do you know anything
about this case 2"


Yes, sir" replied Dan, slowly. Il
know"


Il don't want to hear that yet" inter-
rupted the Judge. Come this way" The
shrewd magistrate knew the youngster
well enough to surmise that he would
neither care nor dare to be fooling at such
u time


Dan, all stained and spotted, picked his
way out OF the crowd and walked forward
to the bench. \ curious spectacle he was,
with his uncouth form and dress, and a
mass of white hair The Judge leaned
forward and said something to him in
very low tone. and then Dan whispered
back to the judge. Soon the people saw
the Judge smile and nod his head.


All" said they to one another. 'our
Dan has turned up something new It's
Just like him"


Their surmises were turned to certainty
when the Judge announced, This young
man will produce important evidence for
the defense


Dan made his way out of the court room
and disappeared. In ten minutes he came
back again breathess lie had never been
known to run before,


In his hand he had a paper as large as
the cover OF a geography. This he handed
to the Judge. The Judge looked at it
seriously Then he looked at the prisoner.
Then at the paper again. In Il moment he
looked up, and said;


CLERK, administer the oath to this boy"


Dan Wl5 sworn.


cannot repeat his testimony here, but
be sure it was drolly worded and disioint-
ed enough. 1t made everybody laugh,
even while it interested them profoundly.
The substance Of it was that on the day
when the forged check was passed he was
taking photographs between Il m and )
p. IN. Among the pictures he made one of
u mal who was standing in the window OF
Il building on the opposite side OF the
street. The man that he photo graphed
was the prisoner ut the bar.


Immediately there was general buzz
in the court room. The prisoners pale
face flushed, and he gazed at Dan with e
look of joyful gratitude.


B1t there was still a very important
question to be settled "At what time eX-
actly was that photograph taken9"


Dan took the picture, and looked at it
closely.


''There's the clock on St. Lukc's Church,
up in that corner there" said he, pointing
to the place, and handing the picture back
to the Judge


The Judge looked again, holding the
paper up to the light and turning it care
fully around. BY the dial here, said he,
"it was just one O'Clock at the instant
when the picture was taken


The jury and the counsel now examined
the photograph minutely. 1t could not
be disputed, there was the indentical man,
and there was the proof that he was not i'll
lnc Dink ~ Guc lllplutHl With lllG lOlStu
check was passed.


The teller was once more placed upon
the stand. lie was confused by the evi-
dence he had heard, and was by no means
as positive as he was before. AT last he
reluctantly admitted that he might be
laboring under Il mistake. And upon that,
he retired into the crowd with an appear
ance Of great chagrin.


Dams triumph was complete He was
. hero, People forgot his strange dress
and his wild looking head, and actually
''liouized" him. The prisoner was dis
charged He instantly went to Dan, and,
seizing both hands, exclaimed;


You have saved me. You shall have
anything you want | cannot do enough
10 show you my gratitude


From that moment Dams star began to
rise. He had money enough to continue
his experiments, and he eventually dis
covered process by which he succeeded
in obtaining the richest and most 'urable
photographs that are now taken. lie still
keeps the old camera that made Iii. for
tune