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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 5, 1908)
r The Crime of Qaretic the Boulevard CHAPTER V—Continued. "No. monsieur, but you are a man of too great intelligence to say to yourself that there is nothing in this world classe, that every matter can be taken up again. The idea has come to me to try the experiment If I am permitted. Yes, monsieur, those eyes, did you see them—the eyes of the dead man? They seemed to apeak, they seemed to see. Their expression Is of lifelike Intensity. They see. I tell you, they see. They perceive something wMch \Ve cannot see and which Is frightful. They bear —and no one can convince me to the contrary—they bear on the retina the reflection of the last being whom the murdered man saw before he died. They keep it still; they still retain that Image. They are going to hold an autopsy. They will tell us that the throat Is cut. Eh, parbleu! We know It well. We see It for ourselves. Moniche, the porter, knows It as well as any doc tor, but when one questions those eyes, when one searches In that black cham ber where the image appears as on a plate, when one demands of those eyes ■ their secret, I am convinced that one Will find it.” ‘‘You are obstinate, Bernardet.” "Yes, very obstinate, M. Glnory, and very patient. The pictures which I took with my kodak will give us the expres sion, the Interior, so to speak. Those which we would take of the retina would reveal to us the secret of the agony. And morevore, unless I deceive myself, what danger attends such an experiment? One opens the poor eyes, and that Is sinister certainly, but when one holds an autopsy at the morgue, when one enlarges the gash In the throat In order to study It, when one dissects the body, Is It any more re spectful or proper? Ah, monsieur, if I had but your power” M. Glnory seemed quite struck with all that the police officer had said to him, but while he still held to his con victions he did not seem quite averse to trying the experiment. Who can say to science, “Halt!” and Impose upon it limits which cannot be passed? No one. "We will see, Bernardet.” Ar.u In that "we will see” there was already a half promi*e. “Ah. If you only will, and what would It cost you?” added Bernardet, still urgent Indeed almost suppliant. "Let us finish this now. They are waiting for me," said the examining magistrate. As he left M. Rovere’s study he in stinctively cast a glance at the rare volumes, with their costly bindings, and he re-entered the salon where M. Jaequelln des Audrays had, without doubt, finished his examination. i CHAPTER VI. The attorneys for the republic called In the examining magistrate. Nothing more was to be done. The magistrate had studied the position of the corpse, examined the wound, and now, having told M;. Glnory his Impressions, he did not hide from him his belief that the crime had been committed by a profes sional. as the strokes of the knife across the throat had been given neatly, scien tifically, according to all the established rules. "One might well take It for the work of a professional butcher." "Yes, without doubt, M. Glnory, but one does not know-. Brute force—a strong blow—can produce exactly what science can." More agitated than he wished to ap pear by the strange conversation be tween the agent of Surete and himself, the examining magistrate stood at the foot of the corpse and gazed, with a fixity almost fierce, not at the gaping wounq of which M. Jncquelln des Au brays had spoken to him, but at those eyes, those fixed eyes, those eyes which no opacity had yet Invaded, which, open, frightful, seemingly burning with nnger, menacing, full of accusations of some sort and animated with ven geance, gave him a look, Immovable, most powerful. It Is true; It was true. They lived; those eyes spoke. They cried to him for Justice. They retained the expression of some atrocious vision, the expression of violent rage. They menaced some one. Whom ? If the picture of some one was graven there, was it not the last image reflected on the little mirror of the retina? What If a face was re flected there? What If It was still re tained In the depths of those wide ofcen eyes? That strange creature. Bernar ds, half crazy, enthused with new Ideas, with the mysteries which tra verse chimerical brains, troubled him, Glnory, a man of statistics and of facts. But truly those dead eyes seemed to appeal, to speak, to designate some one. What more eloquent, what more ter rible witness, could there be than the dead man hlpiself, If it were possible for his eyes to speak? If that organ life should contain, shut up within It. preserved, the secret of death! Bernar det, whose eyes never left the magis trate's face, ought to have been con tent. for It plainly expressed doubt, a hesitation, and the police officer heard film cursing under his breath. “Folly, stupidity! Bah, we shall see!" Bernardet was filled with hope. M 'Blnory. the examining magistrate, was moreover convinced that for the pres ent. and the sooner the better, the corpse should be sent to the morgue There only could a thorough and scien tific examination be made. The re porter listened Intently to the conversa tion, and Mme. Monlche clasped her hands, more and more agonized by that word morgue, which among the people produces the same terror that that oth er word—which means, however, care ful attendance, scientific treatment and safety-VhospUal. does. Nothing was now to be done except to question some of the neighbors and to take a sketch of the salon. Bernar det said to the magistrate; "My photo graph will give you that." While some one went out to get a hearse the magis trates went away. The police officer placed a small guard In front of the house. The crowd was constantly In creasing and becoming more and "more curious, violently excited and eager to see the spectacle—the murdered man borne from his home. Bernardet did not allow M. Glnory to go away without asking respectfully If he would be allowed to photograph the dead man’s eyes. Without giving him a formal answer M. Glnory simply told him to be present at the autopsy at the morgue. Evidently If the magis trate had not been already full of doubt his reply would have been different. Why did that Inferior officer have the audacity to give his opinion on the sub ject of conducting a Judicial investiga tion? M. Glnory would long before this have sent him about his business If he had not become suddenly Interested in him. In his quality of judge he had come to know Bernardet’s history and his exploits In the service. No more ca pable man in als line could be found. He was-perfectly and utterly devoted to his profession, gome strange tales were f told of his methods. It was he who once passed an entire night on a bench, pretending intoxication, in order to gain m i I sufflctnet Information to enable him to arrest a murderer in the morning In a wretched hovel at La Vllette—a mur derer armed to the teeth. It was Ber nardet who. without arms—as all those agents—caught the famous bandit, the noted Taureau de la Glaclere. a foreign Hercules who had strangled his mis tress. Bernardet arrested him by hold ing to his temple the cold neck of a bottle and saying, "Hands up or I fire!" Now what the bandit took for the cold muzzle of a pistol was a vial containing some medicine which Bernardet had purchased of n pharmacist for his liver. Deeds of valor against thieves, male factors and Insurrectionists abounded In Bernardet’s life, and M. Glnory had Just discovered In this man, whom he be lieved simply endowed with the activity and keenness of a hunting dog, an In telligence singularly watchful, deep and complicated. Bernardet, who had noth ing more to do until the body should be taken to the morgue, left the house directly after the magistrates. "Where are you going?” asked Paul Rodfer, the reporter. "Home—a few steps from here.” "May I go along with you?" asked the Journalist. "To find an occasion to make me speak? But I know nothing, I suspect nothing, I shall say nothing." “Do you believe that it Is the work of a thief or revenge?" “I am certain that It was no thief. Nothing In the apartment was touched. As for the rest, who knows?” "M. Bernardet," laughingly said the reporter as he walked along by the officer’s side, “you do not wish to speak.” “What good will that do?” Bernardet replied, also laughingly. "It will not prevent you from publishing an inter view.” “You think so. Au revolr! I must hurry and make my copy. And you?" "I? A photograph." They separated, and Bernardet en tered his house. His daughters had grieved over his sudden departure on Sunday his fete day. They met him with Joyous shouts when he appear'd and threw themselves upon him. "Papa! Here Is papa!" Mme. Bernardet was also happy. They could go then to the garden and finish the picture. But their Joy sub sided: night had fallen, and Bernar det, preoccupied, wished to shut him self up so that he might reflect on all that had happened, and perhaps to work a little, even today. "It. Is thy fete day, Bernardet. Wilt thou not rest today?" "I can rest at dinner, dear. Until then I must use the time reading over a mass of evidence.” "Then thou wilt need a lamp?” asked Mme. Bernardet. "Yes.’ my dear. Light the lamp." Next to their bedchamber M. Ber nardet hud fitted up a little room for his private use. It was a tiny den. In 1 which was a mahogany table loaded with books and papers, and at which he worked when he had time, reading, annotating, copying from the papers and collecting extracts for hours at a time. No one was allowed to enter this room, filled with old papers. Mme. Bernardet well called it "a nest of mi crobes.” Bernardet found pleasure in this sporadic place, which in summer was stifling. In winter he worked with out a fire. Mme. Bernardet was unhappy as she saw that their holiday was spoiled. But she very well knew that when her husband was devoured with Curiosity, carried away by a desire to elucidate a puzzle, there was nothing to be said. He listened to no remonstrances, and the daughters knew that when they asked if their father was not coming to renew his games with them they were obliged to content themselves with the excuse which they knew so well from having heard it so often, "Papa Is studying out a crime.” Bernardet was anxious to read over his notes, the verification of his hopes, of those so-called certainties of today. That is why he wished to be alone. As soon as he had closed the door he at once, from among the enormous piles of dust laden books and files of old news papers, with the unnering Instinct of the habitual searcher who rummages through bookstalls, drew forth a gray covered pamphlet lit which he had read, with feverish astonishment, the experi ments and report of Dr. Vernois upon the application of photography in crim inal researches. He quickly seated him self, and with trembling fingers eagerly turned over the leaves of the book so often read and studied and came to the report of the member of the academy of medicine. He compared It with the proof submitted by Dr. Bourion of the medical society, in which it was stated that the most learned savants had seen nothing. ’’Seen nothing or wished to see noth ing perhaps,” he murmured. The light fell upon the photograph which had been sent a long time before to the society, and Bernardet set him self to study out the old crime with the most careful attention, with the pas sion of a paleographer deciphering a palimpsest. This poor devil of a police officer, In his ardent desire to solve the vexing problem, brought .to it the same ardor and the same faith as a biblfo p'niie. He went over and over with the method of an, examining magistrate all that old forgotten affair, and In the solitude and silence of his little room the last reflections of the setting sun falling on his papers and making pale the light of his lamp, he set himself the task of solving, like a mathematical problem, that question which he had studied, but which he wished to know from the very beginning, without any doubts, before seeing M. Ginory again at the morgue beside the body of M. ; Bovere. He took then his pamphlet and read: “The photograph sent to the society of medical jurisprudence by Dr. Bourion, taken upon the retina of the eye of a woman who had been mur dered the 14th of June, 1868, represents the moment when the assassin, after having struck the mother, kills the in fant, and the dog belonging to the house leaps toward the unfortunate lit tle victim to save It.” Then, studying turn by turn the pho tograph yellowed by time and the ar ticle which described It, Bernardet sat isf.ed himself and learned the history bj heart. M. Gallard, general secretary of the society, after having carefully hidden the back part of the photograph, had circulated It among the members with this note: “An enigma of the medical jurisprudence.” And no one had solved the tragic enigma. Even when he had explained no one could see in the pho tograph what Dr. Bourion saw there. Some were able on examining that strange picture to see in the black and white haze some figures as singular and dissimilar as those which the amiable Polonius perceived in the clouds under the suggestion of Hamlet. Dr. Vernois, appointed to write a re port of Dr. Bourion’s communication, asked him then how the operation had been conducted, and Dr. Bourion had given him these details which Bernar det was now reading and studying. The assassination had taken place on Sunday between noon and 4 o'clock. The extraction of the eyes from their orbits had not been made until the fol- i lowing day at 6 o’clock in the evening, i The experiment on the eyes, those terribly accusing eyes of this dead man, could be made 24 hours earlier than that other experiment. The Image—if there was any Image—ought to be in consequence more clearly defined than In Dr. Bourlon’s experiment. “About 6 o’clock In the evening,” thought Bernardet, "and the photo graphic light was sufficient. Dr. Bourlon had taken pictures of ! both the child’s eyes as well as both | of the mother’s eyes. The child’s eyes showed nothing but hazy clouds, but the mother’s eyes were different. Upon the left eye next to the circular section back of the Iris, a delicately marked image of a dog's head appeared; on the same section of the right eye another picture—one could see the assassin rais ing his arm to strike and the dog leap ing to protect his little charge. "With much good will, It must be confessed," thought Bernardet, looking again and again at the photograph, “and with much Imagination too. But It was between 50 and 52 hours after the murder that the proof was taken, while this time it will be while the body Is still warm that the experiment will be tried.” Seventeen times already had Dr. Ver nols experimented on animals—some times just after he had strangled them, again when they had died from prussic acid. He had held in front of their eyes a simple object which could be easily recognized. He had taken out the eyes and hurried them to the pho tographer. He had, In order to better expose the retina to photographic ac tion, made a sort of Maltese cross by making four incisions on the edge of the sclerotic. He removed the vitreous humor, fixed It on a piece of card with four pins and submitted the retina as quickly as possible to the camera. In rereading the learned man’s re port Bernardet studied, pored over, carefully scrutinized the text. Investi gated the dozen proofs submitted to the society of medical Jurisprudence by Dr. Vernols: Retina of a cat’s eye killed by prusslo acid. Vernois had held the animal In front of the bars of the cage In which It was confined. No result. Retina of a strangled dog's eye. A watch was held In front of Its eyes. No result. Retina of a, doc killed by strangula tion. A bunch of shining keys was held In front of his eyes. No result. Retina of a strangled dog. An eye glass held In front of its eyes. Photo graph made two hours after death. Nothing. In all Dr. Vernols’ experi ments—nothing, nothing! Bernardet repeated the word angrily. Still he kept on. He read page after page. But all this was 26 years ago— photography has made great strides since then. What wonderful results have been obtained! The skeleton of the hi.matv.body seen, through the flesh, the Instantaneous hotograph, the kine toscoplc views, man’s voice registered for eternity In the phonograph, the mysterious dragged forth into the light of day, many hitherto unknown secrets become common property, the invisible —even the Invisible—the occult, placed before our eyes as a spectacle! ; “One does not know all that may be done with a kodak," murmured Bernar det. Ah he ascertained In rereading Dr. Vernois’ report on “The Application of Photography to Medical Jurisprudence,” the savant himself, even while deny ing the results of which Dr. Bourlon spoke In his communication, demoted himself to the general consideration upon the role which photography ought to play in medical Jurisprudence. Yes, In 1869 he asked that In the researches on poisonous substances, where the mi croscope alone had been used, photog raph'- should be applied. He advocated what In our day Is so common, the photographing of the features of crim inals. their deformities, their scars, their tattoolngs. He demanded that pictures should be taken of an accused person In many ways, without wigs and with them, with and without beards, in divers costumes. “These propositions,” thought Ber nardet, “seem hardly new. It Is 26 years since they were discovered, and now they seem as natural as that two and two make four. In 26 years from now who knows what science will have done? “Vernois demanded that wounds be reproduced, their size, the instruments with which the crime was committed, the leaves of plants In certain cases of poisoning, the shape of the victims' garments, the prints of their hands and feet, the Interior view of their rooms, the signature of a certain ac cused affected with nervous disorders, i parts of bodies and of bones, and. In fact, everything in any way connected with the crime. It was said that he asked too much. Did he expect Judges to make photographs? Today every thing that Vernois demanded In 1860 has been done, and in truth the Instan taneous photograph has almost super seded the minutes of an investigation. (Continued Next Week.) The Double Dealer. One side of his face wore a happy smile. The other side wore a frown; One side of his face tipped smilingly up. The other side sorrowfully down. I One side of his forehead was bland and smooth. The other side scowled at one: One eye had a Joyfully twinkling look. The other eye seemed to frown. One pocket was filled with clinking gold. The other had not a cent; One side of h!s suit looked newly sold. The other was torn and rent. Prosperity shone from one side of him. The other looked poor and glum; One side spoke for riches and wealth. From the other was nothing to coma. One side showed no business for him. The other showed all he could do; One side showed that nothing came in. Into tho other the shekels flew. The poor side showed that he dealt tn coal, The rich one he dealt In lee: For the coal business now is on the bum. And the other exceptionally nice. Just an Experiment. "Tip” in New York Press. A restaurateur asked me the other day what he could do to increase the patronage of his house, where several thousand cannibals feed dally. There are 66 small tables for two braced against the walls of the place. Scat tered here and there are tables for four, six and eight; some round, some square, some rectangular. "Pull every small table away from the wall,” I said, "so that a chair will go behind it. One of the little sanctities of man is to have his back against something so that nobody can walk behind him. Cut the tables down to solitaires and you can place 100 where only 56 are now. Every customer that comes In alone will have a table to himself, with the privilege of facing the throng, the waiter, the manager and the proprie tor." Strangely enough the advice was taken. Result: An increase of 200 per cent In business and always a grand rush for the solitaires. Mary and her little lamb Have long since passed away, It s Mary, her sheath and her stlk-hosed calf, That la making the hit today. n? FOR FEMININE EYES ^ v? .. ,............— /II i' 'll I I DESIGN FOR GOWN OF SILK OR CLOTH. Various materials would be suitable made up after the design pictured, the model being in beige meteor silk, braided in self-tone soutache. The sleeves were an especially attractive feature of the gown, and were very odd in style. They were cut in one with the bodice and were fastened over a long undfjr sleeve of tucked mull and Val. edging, with tiny buttons, covered with the gown material. The skirt had a pointed overskirt, which was trimmed with a row of little buttons down the center seam. The yoke was of fine white lace laid over a lower part of tucked mull and tiny Valenciennes frills. ♦ THREE DELICIOUS f "♦i DESSERT RECIPES ♦ ♦ ♦ Orange Cream. Grate the rind of one orange on three ounces of loaf sugar, pound It, and put Into a large dish. Squeeze half the Juice of the orange over, stir Into It half a tablespoonful of brandy, then pour In gently half a pint of cream, and let stand as long as convenient. Whip and put Into glasses and serve. Baked Peaches. Carefully wash and rub the furze off ripe peaches with a suitable cloth, cut out a little of the skin from the blos som end to allow sugar to penetrate and the juices to escape; then place In a baking pan, stem end down, pour over them water to fill half or two-thirds up, and scatter sugar, according to their tartness. Place In a moderate oven till entirely tender; serve hot; but If any are left over they are nice cold. Oatmeal Pudding. Half cup shortening, two eggs, one cup brown sugar, one cup sour milk, one teaspoon baking soda, one cup raisins or currants, one cup flour, two cups oatmeal, little nutmeg and cinna mon, a little cloves, steam one hour, make a butter, sugar, and flour sauce, flavor with brandy or lemon. FRIED CELERY. Did you ever eat celery that was fried? Don’t you think of It only as raw or stewed? Yet it can be fried and makes a most palatable side dish. Stalks of celery are cut Into three and four-inch lengths: One egg and a tablespoonful of cold water are beat en together. The celery stalks are first rolled in the egg and fried in olive oil. They are then sprinkled with a lit tle salt and pepper and again rolled In the egg and fried In olive oil. Grated cheese Is sifted over the stalks after taking them from the oil. If you are In doubt some day as to what to serve, try this. FASTEN IN FRONT. It looks as though all the garments of this winter will fasten In front, In stead of the back. From shirtwaists to ball gowns one sees the same meth od of fastening. This Is especially true of one piece suits of elaborate blouse and of classic party gowns. A man can have a grip on his pocket book and still not travel. ♦ VARIOUS WAYS TO ♦ ♦ PREPARE MEATS * ♦ ♦ Economical Ragout. Put four tablespoonfuls of butter In pan and brown. Have two and a half pounds of round steak cut about two inches thick, and fry brown on both sides. Cut up four onions, two to matoes, and one green pepper; pile on top and around meat. Season to taste. Fill pan with water, cover, and boil slow'ly until done, and you have a dish lit to set before a king. Swedish Meat Balls. One pound of round steak, one pound of fresh pork, one cup of cracker crumbs, one cup of milk, one egg. Make into little round balls and fry about 20 minutes. Stew for Two. Take a small roast of any kind of about two pounds, or chicken. Put in a frying pan in which two tablespoon fuls of lard or butter has been heated. Then put your meat in and keep turn ing it so it will brown on every side. Then add a teaspoon of sugar, a table spoon of vinegar, a handful of flour, and a pinch of pepper. Turn into a larger vessel, add enough water to al most cover the meat, put cover on and cook slowly for half an hour. Then add six onions and six potatoes and cook until done. Last of all season with salt. Result is a nice stew with plenty brown gravy. Ham Patties. Chop cold boiled ham, add one-third as much bread crumbs, moisten with milk. Fill patty or biscuit pan about two-thirds. Set in moderately heated oven and when hot break an egg over each patty (be careful not to break yolk), then set back Into oven until the eggs are cooked. When slightly cooled serve on lettuce leaf. Baked Ham. Get a ham and let it soak in cold water over night. In the morning pour off water and cover again with cold water, and add one cup of vinegar and one cup of molasses; boil until tender; then stick a few cloves in the ham and sprinkle top lightly with sugar, and bake for about an hour. Then serve hot. This way of cooking ham gives it a fine flavor, and it is not too salty. It slices nicely cold for luncheon the next day. Dyspeptic. Clubbman—I see you’ve been wearing plaid vests lately. Grypes—Yes, the doctor says I must put a check on my stomach. LITTLE GIRLS’ FROCK OF CASHMERE. Red cashmere was used for the model frock pictured, but flannel, serge or heavy washable fabric could also be made up after the same design. The little frock was entirely without trimming, but was quite odd and effective In cut. The frock was made In one piece, and was joined at the waist by a stitched belt of cloth. The yoke was of white tucked lawn. ▼ - -- - —■> Rather Slender. Bings—Are the mosquitoes thick out your way? Wings—They’re not so thick but what they can get through any wire netting that ever was made. Aviation. “Mother, may I go out to fly?" "You may, but cut no capers, And don't fly high, or you will get Your name in ail the papers." —Buffalo Evening News. A Philanthropist. Victim—Here! Why are you shoot ing.’ I haven’t done anything. Bad Bill—We've just built a new hos pital in this berg, and need a few pa tients to start it up. Reconciled. Husband—Well, darling, I’ve had my life insured for 110.000. Wife-—How very sensible of you! Now I shan't ha,ve to keep telling yoq to be so careful every place you go. -- So Cordial. Guest—It's still raining! I’m afraid I'll have to inflict myself on you toe a little longer. Host—Oh, never mind, old chap, it won’t be long. It s only a shower. Father—What's that young man’s busi ness who I saw huggfng you In the par lor last night? Daughter (confused)—Why, er—er—he’a a book agent, sir. Father—Oh! I thought he was a presa agent woman who can street car company and feel she puts the saved nickel in the trlbution box, says the New York FOWL PLAY ON WORDS. U|. - . —— .— ■ - “Willis calls his wife Birdie.” j “Making game of her. I see.” r AVERSE. “Oh, may I write a verse to you 7“ The ardent lover cried. “No need. I am averse to you!” The maiden proud replied. LITTLE DEARS. Ethel—Maud is very shortsighted, poor girl, Mae—Yes, but her ailment has com pensations. She can’t see herself in % mirror. Poverty and Prosperity. From International Theosophical Chron icle. The problems of poverty and labor have become more and more puzzling the further we have gone along in na tional prosperity, and none feel the bewildering nature of the present state of things more than those who have daily to suffer from its sad effects. PUZZLE SOLVED. Coffee at Bottom of Trouble, It takes some people a long time to find out that coffee is hurting them. But when once the fact is clear, most people try to keep away from the thing which is followed by ever-increasing detriment to the heart, stomach anil nerves. “Until two years ago I was a heavy coffee drinker,” writes an 111. stockman, “and had been all my life. 1 am now _ CO years old. “About three years ago I began to have nervous spells and could not sleep nights, was bothered by indigestion, bloating, nud gas on stomach affected my heart. “I spent lots of money doctoring—one doctor told me I had chronic catarrh, of the stomach: another that I had heart disease and was liable to die at any time. They all dieted me until I was nearly starved, but I seemed to get worse instead of better. “Having heard of the good Postum, had done for nervous people, I discard ed coffee altogether and began to use Postum regularly. 1 soon got better and now, after nearly two years, I, can truthfully say I am sound and well. “I sleep well at night, do not have the nervous spells and am not bother-: ed with indigestion or palpitation. I weigh 32 pounds more than when I be gau Postum, and am better every way than I ever was while drluking coffee. I can’t say too much in praise of; Postum, as I am sure It saved my life.” “There's a Reason.” Name given by Postum Co., Battle Creek, Mich. Read “The Road to Well ville.” iu pkgs. Ever read the above letter? A new one appears from time to time. They are genuine, true, and full of V human interest. ^ i