"Now, Michael, listen to me. If there's anything really wrong in the
affidavit, stop me; but, if it's unimportant, don't let's waste time on
it. Now, where were we? Here it is:--'_had been in the employ of said
Company for nine years_----'"
"Av coorse, thot's moindin' what Oi do be afther tellin' you, Sorr."
"Good lord, man! For _nearly_ nine years then. Will that satisfy you?
We'll never finish if you keep this up!"
"'Tis dumb Oi am, Sorr."
Clancy's big hands waved off further reproaches in a little gesture half
soothing, half disclaiming.
Then all intelligence faded from his face, and he sat with closed eyes,
punctuating my sentences with nodding head, as I continued from the text
of the affidavit.
"_During those nine years_" (Clancy winced, but kept
silent), "_he was engaged as a porter in the Company's main
office, in Fulton Street. On the morning of May 15, 1896,
while engaged in sorting merchandise on the fourth floor of
said building, a shelf on the north side of the room gave
way, and a keg of nails fell upon his spine, inflicting
serious injuries_.
"_Deponent did not erect said shelf, nor was the same
erected under his direction, nor was the merchandise upon it
placed there by deponent or deponent's orders._
"_Deponent further avers that he never knew the said shelf
was unsafe, although the Superintendent had been told that
one of its brackets needed repairing._"
I continued reading the rest of the long statement without interruption
from Clancy. Even when I finished he made no comment, and I thought him
depressed in spite of his smile, so I spoke up cheerfully.
"That's the story, Michael. It all comes back clearly enough now,
doesn't it? There's nothing like having these affidavits made out at the
time, so one can recall all the facts. Now there's very little more work
to be done. You remember I had diagrams made of the room where you were
working, so we have those, and the Doctor's sent me word that he's ready
at any time. There were no other witnesses, you say? Well, then, let me
hear you tell the story in your own way, without any prompting from me.
Begin by describing the place. Now, go on."
Clancy smiled contentedly, leaned forward in his chair and slowly rubbed
his knees with the palms of his hands.
"Beyant th' dure," he began, "there do be a laarge room, with foive
windows in ut, an' a stairkase ter th' left hand soide goin' upstairs.
In th' cintre av this room they do hov two rows av stoof an' th' same is
on shilves foreninst an' behoind thim----"
The picture was not entirely clear, but I spoke up hopefully:
"Yes; and in this room you worked?"
"Oi niver did, Sorr."
"Then describe the room where you did work," I answered, wearily. "No
other room is of any importance."
"Will you leave me tell ut in my own way, Sorr?"
"Yes."
"Well, Sorr, 'twas this way ut wuz. There do be a gang av min on th'
fourth flure handlin' stoof thot's afther comin' outer th' elevaytor.
Th' elevaytor do be nixt th' stairkase, an' th' min stand in loine an'
roll th' barruls wan to anither clane acrost th' flure. Th' furst feller
do be called 'the guide,' an'----"
"And you worked with these men?" I interposed.
"Shure Oi niver had onythin' at all to do with thim. But minny a toime
Oi've seen thim----"
"Wait," I said, "this won't do. I'll start at the beginning, and ask you
questions just as though you were in Court, and you answer them."
Clancy looked a bit troubled, but he shifted himself in his chair and
said, "Yiz, Sorr," brightly enough.
"Mr. Clancy," I began in my best jury manner, "where do you reside?"
A light gleamed in the witness's eyes.
"City an' County av New York--SS!" he burst out proudly.
I dropped the paper on my desk and groaned aloud. But when I saw the
look of crushing disappointment on Clancy's face I forced a smile and
said,
"Try to forget that, Michael. It has nothing whatever to do with your
testimony. Now let's begin again--Where do you reside?"
"Shure you know, Sorr."
"Yes, I know, Clancy, but the jury doesn't and we're supposed to be in
Court. Answer just as you would before the jury. Now--who employed you
in May, 1896?"
"A boonch av scuts--no less!"