Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-07-12

with the privileged sarcasm Of an old
lawyer, said: 'The witness Is yours,
counselor. You can now investigate
that church clock"
This was an unlucky speech.
Madame" said to Mrs. Prineveau,
"at my learned brothers suggestion
we will go back to the church clock.
Now why did you say you saw the time
on that church clock when it was I'm
possible to see it from your house on
that day?"
She was taken unawares and &C.
peated after me: "Impossible?"
YES" Isaid, impossible. There was
large stationary banner stretched On
st. Patricks day between your hc.se
| and the church tower"
She showed some signs of distress
and half turned towards her counsel
| He was on his feet in moment.
Your honor" he said, while am
perfectly willing. to allow every lati-
tude to my learned young friend in this
interesting diversion, I submit that the
| time of this court cannot be taken up
altogether with matters that are o.
.iously irrelevant The witness may
have seen the time by a watch or COM
puted it by the sum-"
This was my chance. The witness
did see the time on watch. l said:
"But she will not acknowledge it. ]
now ask you, madame: Did you not see
that it was eight minutes of three by a
watch?"
| np,~ ~ in, nd 1fr
cavernous eyes were fixed ON her. She
hesitated moment and then said:
81 may have done SO; do not remem-
ber."
"Do you mean to say that you fixed
the time to minute and do not re-
member how you did it?'
| II do not remember"
"Then why did you swear yesterday
that you fixed it by the church clock?"
II have been in the habit of SO doing
when in my room"
But now you say you may have done
1t by watch"
81 may have"
| "What watch?"
| "I-I cannot say"
heard Daryl whisper at this moment,
hard and fast now: Don't let her
think"
WAS it silver watch made by
Bringdat Frere Geneva?"
A look of WEAKNESS shot across he-
face. Her lids came down little
| TREMENDOUSLY. She made q movement,
very slight, of distress John Grcvc
jumped to his feet TO protest, and some
one gave her Il glass of water.
The counsel is simply Wearing out
the witness, said Grovc, with incora-
prchcna;b!c questions. On behalf CT
the lady, who is distressed AID i'll,
| protest"
"And on behalf Of justice" replied.
II ask the jury to observe that the
| questions about Il yvatch distress both
witness and counsel.
MADAME, Was il rot your husbands
silver watch by which yol saw the time
when you Pat it il his vci3.coat pocket
to be vcrn over Tot afot where Tx
| bullet llolc vics iaclo?"
Here TIC prosecuting c<toracys were
al OF their feet, Of coar@2, aAoItia,
exceptions. Eu13 l:o71o ~ exc On th,
| witness. knew fat t.I2rc v:as II pro
found sensation in the courtroom. l
could feel it against my back like a
| magnetic wave. But l never took nv
eyes off the woman.
"Your honor" said, without turn
ing my head toward the bench, "this is
question of life or death to an inno-
cent man. His fate lies in the answers
of this witness. She has deliberately
lied in saying that she saw the time
from church clock; and she did it to
| conceal something. 1t will save the
state and my learned friends great
deal of futile labor to permit the cross
examination to go on now"
IF the counsel will frame his questions
to fall within the evidence there can be
no objection" said the judge.
MADAME, your husband carried a
watch?"
She bowed her head.
did he buy that watch or did you?"
81 may have done so. l have made
many purchases for him."
Can you produce that watch?"
Il suppose So"
Gould you identify it if produced
it?"
She did not Immediately answer this
question. l could see that a weird
change was coming over her. She was
making up her mind that Daryl and
knew the whole dire history of her
crime, and were merely playing with
her. The weary look became more pro-
nounced. Daryl saw this, too, and
whispered to me not to forget the waist
coat.
II ask you, could you identify the
watch if we produced it?"
eyes, suppose So
Gould you identify the bullet that
fitted into the back of it?"
stood still while the indignant
voices of the prosecution rang out. For
saw what was coming. During the
wrangle of objections, she toppled over
in dead faint and struck her head on
the bar of the box heavily.
The one thing that distinctly heard
in the confusion that followed was
Daryls husky whisper: Look out now
that she don't kill herself before she
makes confession. The jig's up. I'm
roiDp ovar IN tell Mre Clarl.cor