Many were
laughing.
"Why did you not tell this story at first?" Bill Brown demanded.
"Because . . . because . . ."
"Well?"
"Because I might have helped."
There was more laughter at this, and Bill Brown turned away from him.
"Gentlemen, you have heard this pipe dream. It is a wilder fairy story
than his first. At the beginning of the trial we promised to show that
the truth was not in him. That we succeeded, your verdict is ample
testimony. But that he should likewise succeed, and more brilliantly,
we did not expect. That he has, you cannot doubt. What do you think
of him? Lie upon lie he has given us; he has been proven a chronic
liar; are you to believe this last and fearfully impossible lie?
Gentlemen, I can only ask that you reaffirm your judgment. And to
those who may doubt his mendacity,--surely there are but few,--let me
state, that if his story is true; if he broke salt with this man, John
Borg, and lay in his blankets while murder was done; if he did hear,
unmoved, the voice of the man calling to him for help; if he did lie
there and watch that carnival of butchery without his manhood prompting
him,--let me state, gentlemen, I say, let me state that he is none the
less deserveful of hanging. We cannot make a mistake. What shall it
be?"
"Death!" "String him up!" "Stretch 'm!" were the cries.
Pages:
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351