The Case of the Horrified Heirs Read Online Free PDF

courtroom, which had been almost empty, had now filled up nearly to capacity with spectators from the various county offices, newspaper reporters and photographers.
    "People versus Virginia Baxter," he said. "Are we ready to proceed?"
    "Ready, Your Honor," Caswell said.
    "Ready for the defendant," Mason announced.
    Detective Jack Andrews was on the stand and the evidence was about to be weighed. "You have scales, Mr. Bailiff?"
    "Yes, Your Honor."
    "Check them, please, and see if they are accurate. Put them on zero and watch the beam."
    The bailiff checked the scales.
    "All right," Judge Albert directed, "now, let's have the suitcase and the overnight bag put on the scales."
    The clerk took the two bags which had been marked for identification, placed them on the scales and carefully adjusted the beam until it balanced, then stood back.
    "Exactly forty-six and one-quarter pounds, Your Honor," the bailiff announced.
    There was a moment of tense, dramatic silence and then someone applauded.
    Judge Albert frowned and said, "We'll have no demonstrations, please. Now, does the defendant have the airplane ticket and the receipt for the excess baggage?"
    "We have, Your Honor," Mason said, handing the ticket and the receipt to Judge Albert.
    Judge Albert frowned at the assistant prosecutor. "How much does the material weigh that was taken out of the bags?"
    "I don't know, Your Honor. As the witness Andrews testified, it was counted by packages and not weighed."
    "All right, let's weigh it," Judge Albert said. "You Shave it here in court?"
    "Yes, Your Honor."
    The bailiff started to remove the baggage from the scales.
    Mason said, "If the Court please, I would prefer to have these articles simply placed on top of the bags while they are on the scales and we will then see how much it increases the weight."
    "Very well," Judge Albert ruled. "It's just as easy one way as the other, perhaps a little more dramatic and, therefore, a little more convincing to have it done as counsel suggests."
    Officer Andrews produced a bag with the cellophanewrapped packages and, taking the packages from the bag, placed them on top of the suitcases.
    The arm of the scale quivered, then went upwards.
    The bailiff adjusted the sliding weight.
    "One pound and three-quarters, Your Honor," he announced.
    Judge Albert glanced at the prosecutor, then at Andrews. "Does the prosecution have any explanation for this?" he asked.
    "No, Your Honor," Jerry Caswell said. "We feel that the material was found in the defendant's suitcase and therefore that she's responsible for it. After all, there was nothing to prevent her adding this material after the baggage had been weighed. She could have done it as easily as anyone else could have done it."
    "Not so easy," Judge Albert said. "When the suitcases are checked on an airline, they're weighed on the scale at the time the passenger checks in, and the ticket clerk then takes them from the scale and sends them out to the airline.
    "As far as this Court is concerned, the evidence is convincing and the case is dismissed."
    Judge Albert stood up, looked down at the courtroom where people were still coming in through the doors and said, with a slight smile, "Court is adjourned."
    One of the reporters rushed forward. "Your Honor, would you consider posing in front of the scale? We want to get a story and a picture, and we'd like to have some human interest."
    Judge Albert hesitated.
    "No objection whatever on the part of the defendant," Mason announced in a loud voice.
    Judge Albert looked at Jerry Caswell.
    Caswell avoided his glance.
    Judge Albert smiled. "Well, if you want to have human interest, you'd better have the defendant standing beside me and pointing out that it's her baggage that's being weighed."
    The reporters and photographers gathered around the scales.
    "And let it appear that these pictures were taken after court had adjourned," Judge Albert said. "I've always been broadminded about publicity photographs in my