"But, Lieutenant Miller, this is not conclusive. Which weapon was used
to kill the dead man--the original or the duplicate?"
"I object. That is irrelevant, immaterial, and incompetent!"
Cranshaw smiled deeply. "It is all three, Counsel. I want to know at
this time who was the killer and who was the duplicate?"
Miller shook his head. "Only he can answer that."
"That is all," smiled Cranshaw.
Jones called the defendant to the stand. "Mr. Foster, did you or did
you not make a duplicate of yourself?"
"Objection. The question is an obvious attempt to incriminate the
witness!"
"Sustained!"
"I merely wish to establish the identity of the witness."
"Then do it without asking him leading questions."
Jones faced Cranshaw angrily. "How can I?" he stormed angrily. "His
name, his measurements, his fingerprints, his ... everything is
identical to that of the slain."
"Inconveniently coincidental," smiled Cranshaw.
"Mr. Foster," said Jones quietly, "upon the night of May 18th, was
there a duplicate human being made?"
Foster nodded in a superior fashion.
"And are you the duplicate or the--"
"Objection!"
"Sustained!"
"That is all, Mr. Foster," replied Jones angrily. He turned to the jury
and smiled. "My points are simple but clear," he said. "Circumstantial
evidence it may be, but a more profound interlock of such evidence is
seldom found. One: There was a duplicate made. Two, a man was killed
by a weapon belonging to Harry Foster, in Harry Foster's apartment,
and all evidence fails to show the occupancy of any other human being.
Three, the defendant admits that there was duplication made but makes
attempt to confuse the Court by denying to answer whether he is
original or duplicate! This is an admission that he was the duplicate
made--or that he was the original. No denial is made of this. Since
it is impossible by any ordinary means to distinguish one Harry
Foster--defendant--from the other Harry Foster--victim--a sentence of
death is indicated for Harry Foster, the defendant, since the killing
conveniently made the only distinction."
Cranshaw arose with a stretch and a smile. "First," he said sincerely,
"I want to clear my client of other charges against him. Your Honor,
and Counsel for the Prosecution, will you admit as evidence the
statements made by relatives, and other competent authorities to the
effect that the dead man was the Harry Foster who was wanted for crimes
of various nature?"
"I object!" exploded Jones. "If any duplication was made, then the
duplicate is equally guilty!"
"All right," said Cranshaw. "Let it pass." He faced the jury with a
persecuted air. "Anything to make life difficult," he laughed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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