The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1922-10-29

aged man with bony. siDootb face
and a neutral, sandy saliow com.
plerlon. lie sat crosslsgged In what
might have been called the bar. His
lawyer. astute Abe Truman, sat
near him. but not next 20 him. The
chair between Hatch and Truman
was occupied by man whom Dona.
van had never seen before, but
whom the assistant states attorney
knew 10 be cousin u Hatch. Sit.
ting side by side, the cousins dii
not look strikingly alike, yet both
were gangling, middle aged. with
smooth shaver, bony. saliow faces.
seen Feparately. one might be mis-.
taken for the othy~. Seeing the
cousin. Mangler had no doubt what
the trick wag going TO be. nor that
the cousin could prove Individually
hoidup and murder occurred. After
tho first look Donovan carefully
kept his eyes away from that pair.
There were some preliminary mat.
ters.-tesfinony Of the physician
who had examined the body, indenti.
fcatlon Of the deceased. statement
Of the first policeman on the scene.
Then Donayan took tho witness
stand and the oath. mechanically
gave his name and residence, briefly
described the situation IN his ONCE
just before he heard the shot.
And something happened without
his being aware OF IL. lie had gone
up To the witness chair In strange
kind OF inner palsy, which permitted
him to walk steadily, yet set up q
trembling all through his body. The
scene blurred before his oyeA. At
the first answer hB voice faltcred
and he wetted his dry lips. Then.
without his really knowing II, all
tortured spirit. which had been
ceaselcasly wrung for hours,
escaped the rack and foated at ease
on a full, steady current. 80.
Yes. sir. recognized him." he
answered readily. ut was Handy
Andy Hatch"
The assistant states attorney,
combing one wing OF his curly mus.
tache between thumb and forefn.
ger, noted that the young man was
playing his part smoothly.
DO you see him here now?" came
the question.
Yes. SIR" said the witness; there
he u.s." and stretched out his arm.
leyeling a forefinger.
Astuto Abe Truman stared. scan.
dalized, like stage manager when
an actor speaks the wrong lines.
Hatch's cousin turned an indig.
nantly questioning look upon Tru.
man. Hatch himself opened his
lips as though to utter an abjurga.
ton and protest. Mangier. In real
surprise, ceased cotnbing his mus.
tache. The fore0nger ~ the wit
ness was pointing straight at Handy
Andy Hatch-not at the cousin.
A subtle sensation peryaded the
room. Then Donavan smiled
slightly. A good Judge Of facial ex
preston might have said that the
faint movement of his lips was
weak, or even foolish. In fact, there
was surprise in his own mind. When
he arose TO take the witness chair
he had vaguely supposed that he
was going TO adopt Uncle Franks
realistic view Of the situation Then
that something inside him had cried
out 10 be let free. The rest had
simply happened Of itself.
A little later outraged Abe Tru-
man was on his feet asking per1nis.
sion to cross.examine. The cross
examination was long. ruthless, and
insulting. Adroit questions some
times confused the witness: he
stumbled now and then. and twice
was led into contradictions on minor
points. But always when ii came to
the main question he answered with
modest. patient, invincible stub
bornness.
Yes. Sir; that's the man: I'm
sure OF it."
Nothing could shake him from
that. and his patient, invincibls
stubbornness carried conviction. II
had the individually yeracious air
OF bulldog with teeth set In
leg. Astute Abe Truman present.
ly perceived that he was damaging
his case by pursuing the youn block
head. and gave II up. Such was tho
IMPRESSION prostuesd Inv Doua.
vans testimony that Hatch was
held to answer charge of muir
der.
Donsvan did not so back 10 the
paymsster's office after the In
quest. or NO home. Something had
happened TO him. ana he wanted
10 be alone. lie held the private
opinion that his wife was very pref,
" and slim and youthful for the