66 
REPORT ON FORM 874-20. 
The first thing required is the report on Form 874-20, 
in accordance with the National Forest Trespass Manual. 
THE WORKING MEMORANDUM. 
For the purpose of the case in court a somewhat different 
organization of the material will be desirable, for which 
approximately the same form will apply, whether it be 
prepared for conduct of the case by the forest officer, 
which he will doubtless be called upon to do in many 
justice’s cases involving no legal difficulties, or as a memo¬ 
randum for the district law officer in more important or 
difficult cases. 
Several persons may be prosecuted together for the same 
fire, or any one alone. Separate fires, especially if on 
separate days, should be reserved for separate cases, so as 
not to have used up all ammunition if the defendant is 
unexpectedly acquitted on the first one. 
The main case .—Arrange the material so that it tells the 
story in chronological order. Confine the main case to the 
material essential to a clear and complete chain of evi¬ 
dence. This gains the advantage of clearness of impres¬ 
sion on the jury; too great a mass of evidence may muddle 
the main issue in their minds. Any additional material 
should be carefully worked up with a view to its use in 
rebuttal or in connection with surprise defenses as 
discussed below. 
Have your record perfectly clear as to exactly what part 
of the chain the testimony of each witness and each piece 
of documentary evidence will cover, and just what link 
each exhibit will support. Avoid repetition as far as 
possible. Whenever it is necessary to mention again 
something already related, simply refer to it, with the 
page on which it first occurs. If your record is to be used 
as a memorandum for the district law officer, the reviewer, 
if without other knowledge of the case, may otherwise have 
difficulty in determining whether such an incident is a 
new occurrence or one previously related. 
