Chapter 16 Section 16

My brother leaves behind a wife, daughter and son.His daughter has been ill for a long time, which has become his biggest concern.At the time of his disappearance, his son was in Europe and later returned. Samuel B. Fuller, Sergeant of the Boston Police Department  … I've seen the tea chest before but didn't touch it.This time, I picked a few pieces of ore from the top and found the tanned hide underneath.I reached into the tanned leather and drew a hunting knife.I opened it, looked at it, and put it in my pocket.I reached in again and touched something wet and cold.I said to myself, it seems that there is more than tanned leather in this box.I dragged the tea box out of the corner behind the door and pinned it to the ground, and a bunch of severed limbs fell out...

The next day, Sunday, I found another kidney in the soot. We went to the bathroom to experiment.The bore of the toilet is nine and three-quarter inches.We tried the ribcage first and the mouth was too small to get in.The abdominal cavity is not a problem, but it must be erected and put down vertically. When we were doing the experiment, the seat of the toilet was uncovered.Littlefield, Officer Bultman and me.Littlefield holds the ribcage and abdominal cavity.The abdominal cavity is easily entered. Commissioner Francis Tucker went to the witness stand again and showed the court three of the several report letters received by the police.First letter:

Dear Mr. Tooker: I am deeply interested in the disappearance of Dr. Peckman, and I thought I could give you some advice, so that you may shed some light on the many mysteries connected with this case. First, regarding your search, I think you should pay more attention to the basement floor; second, have you thoroughly searched all the toilets and their equipment? Perhaps his body was thrown into the water in a bag of weights over a bridge - most likely the Klej Bridge.I propose that you bombard the water from some bridges and ports to bring the bodies to the surface.Of course, this should be the last move.

I also recommend that you search the basements of those houses in East Cambridge. Yours, Sevis. Second letter: Dr. Pikeman was kidnapped in Port Hercules, that's all I can tell you, or I'd be dead - East of Cambridge - One of the kidnappers gave me his watch, but I dare not keep it, Just dropped into the water from the right side of the long bridge to Boston. The third letter: Dear Sir: You will find out that Dr. Peckman has been murdered in Brooklyn Heights. Yours faithfully, M—Captain Dart. The next two witnesses for the prosecution were handwriting experts who were rarely seen in courtrooms in those days:

My name is Nathaniu D. Gold, a Bostonian who has lived in this city for many years.I know the defendant, Professor West, and see him often, but we have no personal acquaintance. Although I have never witnessed him writing, I am fortunate enough to admire his handwriting. Having been employed as a copyist of diplomas and degree diplomas for Harvard students for over 20 years, I am familiar with his signature on medical school diplomas along with other medical professors. ………… The police gave me some samples of Professor West's writing, which I spent a long time researching.That so-called "Eastern Cambridge" letter, in my humble opinion, is not "writing" at all.But as far as its handwriting is concerned, there is no doubt that it was written by Professor West. The two letters of "Captain Dart" and "Savis" should also be written by the defendant.

My name is Josh Smith, engraver.Due to my profession, it is mainly to engrave handwriting realistically. I have studied handwriting and calligraphy to a considerable extent. I was also familiar with the defendant's signature through various diplomas from medical school.As for the "Severs" letter, according to my opinion, it is definitely Professor West's handwriting.I am sorry to tell you that I am very sure of this judgment. In the "Captain Dart" letter, I also found many similarities with Professor West's handwriting, but it seems to be less certain than the "Syves" letter.

As for the "Cambridge East" letter, again, I dare not say that I am very sure. On the second day after the two experts appeared in court, as if to make a joke with the prosecution, Edward Sawyer, the defendant's defense attorney, received a letter from "Severs" dated "50 March 27th, the first day.The writer insisted that he, "Severs", and not Professor John West, had written the letter to "Dear Mr Tooke", and accused the testimony of the two experts of "showing artificial non-objectivity and impreciseness of judgment". Later, experts who studied the case appraised that the two "Sevez" letters were completely consistent in style and handwriting, so there is no doubt that they were written by the same person.But somehow, Edward Sawyer did not bring this letter into court as physical evidence, nor did he bring this dispute into court debate.

The defendant's hearing was almost immediately followed by two handwriting identification experts, starting on the afternoon of the eighth day of the trial. The first thing the defendant needs to prove is that Professor John West is not a violent person who can kill and burn corpses so bloodily.The more than 20 witnesses who appeared in court were all members of Boston's upper class and even celebrities, including members of Congress, the former governor of Massachusetts, the mayor of Cambridge, as well as professors, scholars, scientists, judges, lawyers, businessmen and so on. On the ninth day, Harvard University President Galder Sparks appeared in court for Professor West.He is not only the professor's colleague, but also his neighbor.He called John West "a gentleman" in his testimony.Abraham Edwards, Chief of the Cambridge City Police Department, said: "I have been with Professor West for 15 years and live in the same block. As we all know, he is a quiet, peaceful, well-educated, and very kind-hearted gentleman. I I've never seen him show even the slightest bit of impatience, anger, or violent tendencies."

The defense's second step is to prove that Professor West did not behave abnormally in the week following Dr. Peckman's disappearance.