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Freeman, R. Austin (Richard Austin), 1862-1943

"and edited by R. Austin Freeman"


"Now, in this case we had to deal with a very short round skull. But you
cannot argue from races to individuals; there are many short-skulled
Englishmen. But when I found, associated with that skull, hairs which
were circular in section, it became practically certain that the
individual was a Mongol of some kind. The mother-of-pearl dust and the
granules of rice starch from the inside of the hat favoured this view,
for the pearl-shell industry is specially connected with China and
Japan, while starch granules from the hat of an Englishman would
probably be wheat starch.
"Then as to the hair: it was, as I mentioned to you, circular in
section, and of very large diameter. Now, I have examined many thousands
of hairs, and the thickest that I have ever seen came from the heads of
Japanese; but the hairs from this hat were as thick as any of them. But
the hypothesis that the burglar was a Japanese received confirmation in
various ways. Thus, he was short, though strong and active, and the
Japanese are the shortest of the Mongol races, and very strong and
active.
"Then his remarkable skill in handling the powerful caretaker--a retired
police-sergeant--suggested the Japanese art of ju-jitsu, while the
nature of the robbery was consistent with the value set by the Japanese
on works of art.


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