...Or Your Money Back | Page 8

know that loading dice for one set of numbers merely increases the probability that those numbers will come up; it does not guarantee that they will come up every time.
"It is the same with marked cards. Marking the backs of a deck of cards doesn't mean that you will invariably get a better hand than your opponent; it doesn't even mean that you will win every hand.
"The device taken from the defendant at the Golden Casino does not, as you have seen, work every time. But, as you have also seen, it certainly does shift the odds by a considerable percentage. And that, I submit, is illegal under the laws of this state."
He went on, building on that theme for a while, then he turned the trial over to the defense.
"Call Dr. Pettigrew to the stand," I said.
I heard Thursby's gasp, but I ignored it.
A chunky, balding man with a moon face and an irritated expression came up to be sworn in. He was irritated with me for having subpoenaed him, and he showed it. I hoped he wouldn't turn out to be hostile.
"You are Dr. Herbert Pettigrew?" I asked.
"That is correct."
"State your residence, please."
"3109 La Jolla Boulevard, Los Angeles, California."
"You are called 'Doctor' Pettigrew, I believe. Would you tell the Court what right you have to that title?"
He looked a little miffed, but he said: "It is a scholarly title. A Doctorate of Philosophy in physics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology."
"I see. Would you mind telling the Court what other academic degrees you have?"
He reeled off a list of them, all impressive.
"Thank you, doctor," I said. "Now, what is your present occupation?"
"I am a Professor of Physics, at the University of California in Los Angeles."
I went on questioning him to establish his ability in his field, and by the time I was finished, the jury was pretty well impressed with his status in the scientific brotherhood. And not once did Thursby object.
Then I said, "Dr. Pettigrew, I believe you came to this city on a professional matter?"
"Yes, I did." He didn't hesitate to answer, so I figured I hadn't got his goat too much.
"And what was the nature of that matter?"
"I was asked to come here by Mr. Harold Thursby, the District Attorney, to perform some scientific tests on the ... er ... device ... the device known as People's Exhibit A."
"Did you perform these tests?"
"I did."
"At the request of District Attorney Thursby, is that right?"
"That is correct."
"May I ask why Mr. Thursby did not call you as a witness for the prosecution?"
Thursby, as I had expected, was on his feet. "Objection! The question calls for a conclusion of the witness!"
"Sustained," said Judge Lapworth.
"Dr. Pettigrew," I said, "what were your findings in reference to Exhibit A?"
He shrugged. "The thing is a plastic box with a dial set in one side, a plastic lens in one end, and a couple of strips of silver along two other sides. Inside, there are a lot of markings in black ink on white paint." He gestured toward the exhibit table. "Just what you've seen; that's all there is to it."
"What sort of tests did you perform to determine this, Dr. Pettigrew?" I asked.
He took a long time answering that one. He had X-rayed the thing thoroughly, tested it with apparatus I'd never heard of, taken scrapings from all over it for microchemical analysis, and even tried it himself on a roulette wheel. He hadn't been able to make it work.
"And what is your conclusion from these findings?" I asked.
Again he shrugged. "The thing is just a box, that's all. It has no special properties."
"Would you say that it could be responsible for the phenomena we have just seen? By that, I mean the peculiar action of the roulette wheel, demonstrated here by the prosecution."
"Definitely not," he stated flatly. "The box could not possibly have any effect on either the wheel or the ball."
"I see. Thank you, doctor; that's all. Cross-examine."
Thursby walked over to the witness stand with a belligerent scowl on his face. "Dr. Pettigrew, you say that the box couldn't possibly have had any effect on the wheel. And yet, we have demonstrated that there is an effect. Don't you believe the testimony of your own senses?"
"Certainly I do!" snapped Pettigrew.
"Then how do you account for the behavior of the roulette wheel as you have just seen it demonstrated in this court?"
I suppressed a grin. Thursby was so mad that he was having trouble expressing himself clearly.
"In several ways!" Pettigrew said sharply. "In the first place, that wheel could be rigged."
Thursby purpled. "Now, just a minute! I--"
I started to object, but Judge Lapworth beat me to it.
"Are you objecting to the answer, Mr. District Attorney?"
"The witness is insinuating that I falsified evidence!"
"I am not!" said Pettigrew, visibly angry. "You asked me how