Chapter 13 Section 12

Among the direct evidence, the murder weapon and his fingerprints are ironclad evidence.But as far as this case is concerned, fingerprints cannot be detected.The authorities at the trial arbitrarily determined that the poison was "potassium cyanide," but even how Hirasawa got it was unclear.According to Hirasawa's initial confession, it was about October 19, Showa, when he lived in Kashiwagi, Yodobashi District, and asked for it from a pharmacist, Nosaka. It was about 16 grams, and it was said to be mixed into the background color when painting. use.But the pharmacist surnamed Nosaka is dead, and there is no way to prove whether it is true or not.Moreover, there is no absolutely conclusive evidence as to whether the poison used in the "Reichsbank incident" was potassium cyanide.The prosecutor initially said it was a "potassium cyanide compound", but halfway it became an out-and-out "potassium cyanide".

According to Hirasawa's notes, Prosecutor Takagi also struggled with the poison issue.One day he said, "Hey, Hirasawa, even if it's potassium cyanide, it's okay if you begged it from others, right?"Fact or not, the trial transcripts simply read "potassium cyanide."However, in the "Imperial Bank Incident", there is no basis or proof that can be concluded as "potassium encapsulation". The murderer had used a glass straw when using the poison, and the investigation outline had determined that it was "the Komagome type used mainly in the Bacteriological Research Institute or various research institutes related to the Ministry of Old Leather", but there was no way to prove that Hirasawa had it. Such glass straws.The prosecutor had no choice but to conclude that he used the rubber tube of a fountain pen.This is very different from the completely objective reconnaissance compendium at the beginning.Hirasawa said the poison was contained in "bottles containing hydrochloric acid."The prosecutor asked him where he got the bottle after he used it, and he said: "After I walked out of the bank, I threw it in what seemed to be a garbage dump among the trees in the courtyard of the Nagasaki Shrine in front of the bank." (Thirty five interrogation records)

Based on this confession, the investigating authorities searched the garbage dump at the Nagasaki Shrine and dug up a similar old bottle four feet below the ground, but of course it cannot be used as physical evidence.They just picked up something that someone didn't know from the trash.After all, the public trial court failed to treat it as physical evidence. Prosecutors said the poison was potassium cyanide.People who drink potassium cyanide usually cause poisoning symptoms in the stomach and die after fifteen or six seconds.However, in the "Reichsbank incident," the person who drank the first drug drank the second drug a minute apart, and it seemed that another three or four minutes passed before collapsing.The onset of the toxic effect is very slow, and it is absolutely impossible to assume that it is potassium cyanide.The inferences of the investigating authorities on this point have already been discussed above.As for the reason why the criminal also drank the same drug but was not poisoned, the investigating authorities made four assumptions:

"A. Pretending to drink it, but not actually drinking it. B. Really drinking it, but drinking something like a neutralizer or antidote beforehand to make the poison ineffective. C. Before taking the first medicine, pre-dose Put a harmless liquid or neutralizer in the glass straw, first drop it into your own cup and drink it for others to see. D. The liquid medicine is processed and divided into harmful and harmless parts, and the harmless part is sucked first and dripped Drink from your own cup for others to see." As a result, it was deduced that the murderer used the fourth method.