Part 26 (1/2)
”Patience, Mr Weems Your interests will be protected It seeht and less noise in thisat this time, I am inclined to let him
Proceed, Dr Pinero”
”Thank you, your honor Taking the last of Mr Weems' point first, I am prepared to stipulate that I published the utterances he speaks of-”
”One moment, doctor You have chosen to act as your own attorney Are you sure you are competent to protect your own interests?”
”I am prepared to chance it, your honor Our friends here can easily prove what I stipulate”
”Very well You may proceed”
”I will stipulate that many persons have canceled life insurance policies as a result there of, but I challenge thee there froh my activities, but that is the natural result of my discovery, which has made their policies as obsolete as the bow and arrow
If an injunction is granted on that ground, I shall set up a coal-oil-laainst the Edison and General Electric companies to forbid them to manufacture incandescent bulbs
”I will stipulate that I a predictions of death, but I deny that I aic, black, white or rainbow-colored If to al, then the actuaries of the Auilty for years, in that they predict the exact percentage that will die each year in any given large group I predict death retail; the Aal, how can al?
”I admit that it makes a difference whether I can do what I claim, or not; and I will stipulate that the so-called expert witnesses from the Academy of Science will testify that I cannot But they know nothing of ive truly expert testimony on it-”
”Just a moment, doctor Mr Weems, is it true that your expert witnesses are not conversant with Dr Pinero's theory and methods?”
Mr Weems looked worried He drurant ence?”
”Certainly”
Mr Weems held a hurried whispered consultation with his cohorts, then faced the bench ”We have a procedure to suggest, your honor If Dr Pinero will take the stand and explain the theory and practice of his alleged uished scientists will be able to advise the court as to the validity of his claily at Pinero, who responded: ”I will not willingly agree to that Whether erous to let it fall into the hands of fools and quacks-” he waved his hand at the group of professors seated in the front row, paused and sentlemen know quite well Furthermore, it is not necessary to know the process in order to prove that it ork Is it necessary for me to re-educate this entire body of self-appointed custodians of wisdorown superstitions-in order to prove that my predictions are correct?
”There are but tays of for an opinion in science One is the scientific e from experiment, or one can blindly accept authority To the scientific mind, experimental proof is all-important, and theory is merely a convenience in description, to be junked when it no longer fits To the acade, and facts are junked when they do not fit theory laid down by authority
”It is this point of view-acade like oysters to disprove theories-that has blocked every advance of knowledge in history I am prepared to prove my method by experiment, and, like Galileo in another court, I insist, ”It still moves!”
”Once before I offered such proof to this Some body of self-styled experts, and they rejected it I renew th of the members of the Acadee the results I will seal s in two sets of envelopes; on the outside of each envelope in one set will appear the name of a member; on the inside, the date of his death In the other envelopes I will place names; on the outside I will place dates Let the committee place the envelopes in a vault, then meet from tie body of amated actuaries can be trusted, every week or two In such a fashi+on they will accumulate data very rapidly to prove that Pinero is a liar, or no”
He stopped, and thrust out his chest until it allared at the sweating servants ”Well?”
The judge raised his eyebrows, and caught Mr Weems' eye ”Do you accept?”
”Your honor, I think the proposal highly ie cut hiainst you if you do not accept, or propose an equally reasonableat the truth”
Weeed his mind, looked up and down the faces of the learned witnesses, and faced the bench ”We accept, your honor”
”Very well Arrange the details between you The temporary injunction is lifted, and Dr Pinero must not be molested in the pursuit of his business
”Decision on the petition for per the accumulation of evidence Before we leave this matter I wish to comment on the theory ie to your client There has grown up in the roups in this country the notion that because a man or corporation has overn such profit in the future, even in the face of changing circue doctrine is not supported by statute nor coht to come into court and ask that the clock of history be stopped, or turned back”
Bidwell grunted in annoyance ”Weea to need a new chief attorney It's been ten weeks since you lost the injunction, and that little wart is coining money hand over fist Meanti broke Hoskins, what's our loss ratio?”