CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE

Circumstantial evidence caused a death sentence to be pronounced on a dog at a west side truck farm recently. The incident only goes to show how easy it is to convict even the innocent. The farmer owned a collie named Maje, of which he was unusually fond. On some weeks he had been missing eggs from his

henhouse, but could not discover the thief. Egg shells could be found m the nests every day, and with fresh eggs bringing forty cents a dozen the farmer realized his loss and finally suspected Maje. A close watch was kept on the chicken house and one day the farmer saw the dog sneaking stealthily along toward the half-open door of the chicken house. In a few minutes it came out again.

The farmer went into the house and there found many egg shells. Evidence was indisputable, and the pet collie was ordered shot. The day following the execu­tion every egg in the chicken house was eaten. The farmer then started another investigation. Beneath the floor of an abandoned smokehouse he discovered the home of a weasel and half a dozen young ones. A trap was set, the mother weasel was caught and killed and the young ones afterward captured. No eggs have since been missing, and the farmer grieves for the loss of his dog.

"Maje never touched an egg," said the farmer. "He was in the henhouse trying to catch that weasel, and the poor fellow died because the circumstantial evidence against him was positive. It would never do for a juror to try a man for murder on such evidence."

Chicago News.