Judged by his appearance

A lady rang the alarm bell the other day on a train near Berlin because she didn't like the face of the passenger sitting opposite her. He hadn't done anything unusual, the nervous woman agreed, but she thought his sinister appearance was worthy of the worst bandit.

The employees were of the same opinion. The scarecrow had several days' beard, the rest of his face was in harmony with that rough jaw, and his clothes were most questionable. "He must have done something bad," they say. "Let's wrap him up!"

The poor devil, whose opinion had been neglected to be asked, protested. He was not a criminal, but an honest film actor who, having to play the part of a murderer, had tried to take on the outward appearance of one as scrupulously as possible. Despite this explanation, the suspicious employees handed the suspect over to the police at the next station. The police also found the man's appearance very unpleasing. He defended himself as best he could, but as he had no identification papers on him, they kept him under lock and key until the film company he claimed to be from certified that he was indeed an artist, too conscientiously realistic.