Evening star., 1938-10-09


IL filled all the requirements of
both woman and juror: age, men,
tality, judgment. impartiality, etc :.
But there was simple youthfulness
that she had, direct girlish quality
that went with pigtails and freckles,
and that made the jury box of tired
middle-aged men look like an octo-
genarian wearing baby-blue bonnet.
1t was the first time that woman
juror had ever been selected for
criminal case in the state, and there
were thousands of women who would
have given up their silver fox capes, if
they had them, to be in Lucy Lanes
seat. But at least fifty of them had
been called and rejected, not because
they weren't as smart as Lucy, or as
willing to serve, and not because they
weren't fully impressed with the i'm
portance of the case. Rather, it was
because they we're too smart or too
willing or too impressed.
The District Attorney and the
counsel for the defense had been very
careful in their selection of jurors.
They had consumed two weary days
choosing the eleven men and Lucy
Lane. Two days in which they fine
combed each name and personality
drawn out of the revolving drum in the
legal lottery game. Lucy, who didn't
have silver-fox cape or a dream
lover, was finally selected as the only
woman juror.
No, she wasn't impressed by the
defendant, Simon Steinmetz. the
famous criminal lawyer who had never
given a client of his to the electric
chair. No, his being a millionaire
didn't mean anything either. And all
his notorious publicity and his polit-
ical connections were nil too - Lucy
never read the newspapers, they were
too sensational . His two chill
dren? Well. that might be
little hard, but it would be better for
them to have no father rather than a
numbering one
Nothing meant anything to Lucy;
if Steinmetz was guilty of killing his
wife, then she would find him so. She
was a perfect instrument of justice.
which was more than could be said
for the Judge, the District Attorney
and the lawyers. These gentlemen
were awed by Steinmetz No case had
ever been too impossible for him, and
no case had ever been lost by him.
With his gifts he might easily have
been the chief defender of justice in
the state, but he chose the more
glamorous and lucrative role of being
the chief defeater of justice in the
state.
Simon Steinmetz had killed his
wife. In a jealous passion he had
choked the life out of her throat with
his thick fingers and left her dead in
their bedroom. Then he had calmly
dressed himself, and yielding to the
years of habit. had left his house and
ridden on the subway to his Office.
He had no thought of consequences.
He did not want to run away, he did
not even think of it. There was no
idea of the police or the courts or a
trial. He knew that he had committed
murder, but he didn't want to shield
himself or cover up any clues - if
there were any - because he had had
too much experience with criminals
who knew all about covering up clues
but who always left some anyhow . .. =.
Steinmetz didn't care. Whatever
would happen would happen.
He called his first assistant into his
private Office, and said to him. MAX.
just killed Rose"
Max Waxton told him that he was
walking. in his sleep. Then. when
Steinmetz insisted, Waxton told him
he was crazy, that he had been deal
ing with so many murderers that he
thought he was one himself. Then
Waxton smelled his breath. Then
Waxtcn thought that he. himself, was