"Have you any objection to giving me a set of your finger-prints?" he
asked.
"None whatever," and Swain stepped toward the table and placed the
tips of his fingers on the pad. Then he pressed each one carefully
upon the pad of paper which the coroner placed before him. Goldberger
watched him curiously, until all ten impressions had been made.
"You did that as though you had done it before," he remarked.
"I made a set once for Mr. Vaughan," said Swain, sitting down again.
"He had a most interesting collection."
Goldberger passed the prints over to the head of the Bureau of
Identification, then he turned back to the witness.
"Mr. Swain," he said, "have you ever seen this cord before?" and he
handed him the knotted cord.
Swain took it and examined it curiously, without hesitation or repugnance.
"No," he answered, finally, "I never saw it before."
"Do you know what it is?" and Goldberger watched him closely.
"I infer that it is the cord with which Mr. Vaughan was strangled."
"That is so. You did not see it around his neck?"
"I have no recollection of having done so."
"Please look at the cord again, Mr.
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