The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-10-28
Mr.. PIDG|A'S PERJURY
Continued from page ID


| at him. People in the back of the
room stood up.
'What?' cried Mr. Ross.
Billings" Mr., Pidgin insisted,
| tremblingly. Nathaniel Eltonbury
Billings
Mr. Ross shook his head. He was
| amazed He crouched across the table
again.
Well, Mr.. Billings he said, mean
| ingly, care you a married mana"
| Mr.. Pidgin blushed and then turned
pale.
! Eyes" he said, so low that no one
heard it.
''What - asked Mr. Ross, fercely.
| "Speak louder,' cautioned the judge,
| sternly.
Eyes" repeated Mr.. Pidgin.
"You are married?'' Mr.. Ross in
sisted
Yes" said Mr.. Pidgin, family
The district attorney got up and took
| a chair nearer the witness.
"Well, them said Mr.. Ross, "have
you any children?'
''Yes,'' said Mr.. Pidgin.
GLOW many?'
Mr.. Pidgin opened and shut his
mouth several times.
I" Eleven he murmured.
"Eleven," shouted Mr.. Ross.
"Eleven And yesterday you said
| four! WHAT Mr.. Pidgin, or Rose
mont, or Billings, 40 you know what
perjury means? Think of the penalty
| of lying under oath! Do you mean to
| tell me YOU have eleven children today
and four yesterdays Do you, sir? Be
careful! Be very careful! / ask you
! once more-I give you one more chance
and L beg, l implore you to be care
! full, How many children have you?'
Mr.. Pldgin folded and unfolded his
| hands. He took out his handkerchief
and wiped his palms and his face. His
| eyes took the pleading look of a hunt
ed beast. He tried to answer, but
| could force no words from his parched
| throat. The officer handed him a
glass of water and he slipped it and
the glass fell from his trembling hand.
"Well!' said Mr.. Ross. we are
waiting How many children have
yous''
Mr.. Pidgin bent his head "Nine, -
he said.
/ Mr.. Ross turned and threw up his
arms. He sank into chair and shut
fled his papers aimlessly about on the
table, like a man dazed.
The judge frowned angrily at Mr..
Pidgin. Mr. Roscovitz smiled genially
at the jury; he knew he had won his
case. Mr.. Pidgin sat like a shriveled
parcel of fearsome misery
81 We done it, he said to himself
q don know how, but | we done it. -
| The district -attorney arose
''Your honor he said ''as there
seems to be perjury here, | would like
to suggest that you ask the witness one
question.
The judge was willing. Both the at
torneys consented.
81 would like your honor to ask the
witness why he has changed his an,
swers?''
The judge nut the question.
Mr., Pidgin leaned appealingly toward
the judge.
Oil" he stammered, ''I-my
name was Pldgin. I said it was Pid-
gin. | thought 1t was. And [ was
married I said 1 was married. And
had four children. I said four. didn t
[? But my wife was suing for di-
vorce, Judge, and the ease came up
yesterday across the hall, and when
went out | went over there. and the
ease was over, and | was divorced. and
my attorney told me so. | said | WASH z
married. didn t |? And | am an or
phan. Judge ! We been looking up
| my parcntage for years, and only yes
terday my attorney told me he had
heard my father s name was Rose
mont. Yes. | said it was Rosemont,
didn't II And last night | was mar
ried again. To another lady. of course.
I said I was married. didn't I? And
she had seven children. your honor.
| Seven and four is eleven. | said elev-
en-, didn't r.? -Four I had. aud seven.
makes eleven, don't it? | said eleven.
But when this lawyer made it so i'm
portant what ! said, I remembered my
wife-mv old wife. that is-gets two
| of the children-my old children-so I
have only two-two old ones-and seven
| new ones, that S nine. I said nine,