Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-08-04
prosecutor remarked this to himself when
once more he was alone
CHAPTER y

CHAPTER
TNllE trial of James Lawrence Challoner
l. had progressed with uncommon haste
! the fourth day finding all the witnesses
heard and the case ready to sum up to the
| jury. The courtroom was crowded. the
| newspapers were there: the people were
! there; public opinion was there. Brief and
TO the point had been the States case-made
/ up out of Pemmican's evidence and the con-
| fession Of the prisoner But in the prose
| cutors presentment OF his evidence there
had been an undercurrent as unusual as IL
was unexpected; every question that he
hurled at Pemmican had a hidden meaning
| every Interrogation point had a sting hid
| den in its tail Not that he made any at
! tempt to switch the issue or to sidetracl< the
facts, but 1t was clearly apparent that from
start to finish he was making a supreme
| effort to include within his facts to embrace
| withlh the issue and to place on trial. to-
| gether with the prisoner. one other culprit
in this celebrated case--Cradebaughs
However, II such were the prosecutors
chief purpose, it failed. Thorne the coun-
i sci for the defense--who represented moro
| than one client in this case-met him at
every turn parried his every thrust
objection sustained the Court had
ruled wearily many times during the trial.
the prosecutor will proceed"
And upon such occasions Graham Thorne,
from the counsel's table in the front had
flashed triumphant glance at Peter Brod-
erick; and Peter Broderick in turn from
his seat In the rear of the courtroom would
return the gaze with a smile, the brilliancy
of which was outshone only by the big
dlamond that blazed from where 1t rested
comfortably on his highly colored shirt
front. To these two-not in the least inter.
ested In the outcome of the trial. so far as
Chaloner was commemorative case was
highly satisfactory. There was no crevice
in the mystery Of Cradlebaugh's in which
Murgatroyd could insert the thin edge of a
wedge; its foundation still remained un-
shaken after the impact of his battering
ram: the Challoner case was to be the
Challoner case and nothing more.
That's all. Mr.. Pemmican" were the
words with which the prosecutor had con-
cluded the examination Of his principal wit
ness.
on Pemmcan Of the low brow leaving
the witness stand, he had glanced expec-
family toward the counsel for the defense
| Throughout the trial there was his man.
ner peculiar Difference tow. I'd Thorne
which had been there from the first day
Under Murgatroyd's sharp interrogation he
had seemed quite at ease, but his attitude
toward Thorne had always appeared TO be
that of a man whose hand was constantly
kept raised to ward off blows.
| However, notwithstanding that he had
been recalled at least five times Pemmican
on the whole apparently was well satisfied
with his performance. Unq"estionably he
has been loyal and wary, and had confined
his testimony as to motive to the woman in
| the case-a row over a lady-keeping that
| portentous game of cards we'll into the back
ground-out of sight
surely you're not going to detain me any
longer?" whispered Pemmcan to the officers
who had placed themselves on either side of
him. What! You're not going to let me
gu?"
Not on your lifer remarked one of them
genially; and showing to the prisoner a
slip of paper which he drew from his pocket
There's warrant for your arrest"
Pemmcan for moment looked bewil-
dered and murmured incredulousy:
| " my arrest"'
Sure" replied the officer. "The chiefs
begun his raid on Cradlebaugh's, and you're
one of the main guys
Pemmcan wiped his forehead and STAN.
mered sulkily
"And--and the prosecutors goin' to lock
me up after all I've done for him7"
That's what" replied the officer, and
moment later added complacently, unless
you can get bail
"Confound 'em!" exclaimed Pemmican
"They won't go my bal"
The detective placed his ear quite close to
Pemmican.
who won't go your bail?" he queried in
,erestedly.
Pemmican smiled.
They" he returned, not for an instant off
his guard,
IF Prosecutor Murgatroyd only knew
who they are" went on the detective IF he
, knew who backed you up, there'd be some
interesting goings on round here"
"He won't find out from me-" replied
Pemmican. doggedly. Il play straight
, game with the men who hand out my bread
and butter. You can lay your bets oil
that"
, "Sk-h-h-! The prosecutors talkin' over
, there" whispered the detective, raising his
hand ard he hustled the prisoner out of the
! room, as Murgatroyd, rising once more.
bowed toward the bench and announced: \
, The State rests, II the Court please"
, And then Thorne. at his end of the table
also rose TO his feet and declared;
'"rhe defense rests"
Presently he began TO address the jury
/ During the trial his line of defense had
, been insanfty-the defense of the defense.
less, the forlorn hope of the hopeless. The
q Bench had frowned at il; the jury had
, | shaken its head as one man: insanity to
r iuries in the metropolis had become as a
red rag TO a bull But the crowd In the
y courtroom had leaned forward with huge
. | expectation--waitng for the hidden places
1 ! to be revealed with much the same antici.
. | patton and interest one experiences IN
waiting for the denouement OF a stage
drama.
. Before turning TO the jury, however. foI
his last effort Thorne stopped down 10,
q | an instant and whispered to Mrs Challoner
I'm sorry. Mrs, Challoner, that w.
couldn't do better with our facts. II seem,
2 | TO me to be the weakest defense have eve,
ssen put up In any case. Indeed, II seem,
. 70 me we have no defense At sll''
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