Belief, though it be as ample as the ocean, does not always
similarly swell in crystallising. It has, however, its point of
maximum density, but this, not infrequently, is also ifs point
of minimum knowledge.
During all these days Gwen was gaining rapidly. Maitland came to visit
us almost every night, and he told Gwen that he did not feel altogether
certain that, in arresting M. Latour, the law had secured her father’s
real assassin. It would be necessary to account for, he told her, some
very singular errors in his early calculations if M. Latour was the man.
“When first I took up my abode under the same roof with him,” he said,
“I had no doubt that we had at last run down our man. Now, although
another detective has come to the same conclusion, I myself have many
misgivings, and you may be assured, Miss Darrow, that I shall lose no
time in getting these doubts answered one way or the other. At present
you may say to your friend Jeannette that I am straining every nerve in
her father’s behalf.”
Why all this should so please Gwen I was at a loss to comprehend, but I
could not fail to see that it did please her greatly. She had been the
most anxious of us all to see her father’s murderer brought to justice,
and now, when through the efforts of M. Godin, a man stood all but
convicted of the crime, she was pleased to hear Maitland, whose efforts
to track Latour she had applauded in no equivocal way, say that he
should spare no pains to give the suspect every possible chance to prove
his innocence. There was certainly a reason, whatever it might have
been, for Gwen’s attitude in this matter, for that young woman was
exceptionally rational in all things. Nothing of especial moment
occurred between this time and the beginning of the trial. Maitland, for
the most part, kept his own counsel and gave us little information other
than a hint that he still thought there was a chance of clearing M.
Latour.
With this end in view he had become an associate attorney with Jenkins
in order the better to conduct M. Latour’s case along the lines which
seemed to him the most promising. I asked him on one occasion what led
him to entertain a hope that Latour could be cleared and he replied: “A
good many things.” “Well, then,” I rejoined, “what are some of them?”
He hesitated a moment and then replied laughingly: “You see I hate to
acknowledge the falsity of my theories. I said shortly after the murder
was committed that I thought the assassin was short and probably did not
weigh over one hundred and thirty-five pounds; that he most likely had
some especial reason for concealing his footprints, and that he had a
peculiarity in his gait. I felt tolerably sure then of all this, but now
it turns out that M. Latour is six feet tall in his stockings, and thin;
and that, emaciated as he is, he tips the scales at one hundred and
fifty pounds by reason of his large frame. His feet are as commonplace
as--as yours, Doc, and his gait as regular as--mine. Is it to be
expected that I am going to give up all my pet illusions without a
struggle?”
When the hour for the trial arrived Gwen insisted on accompanying us to
the court-room. She had a great deal of confidence in George and felt
sure that, as he expressed a strong doubt of the prisoner’s guilt, he
would triumph in proving him innocent. She determined, therefore, to be
present at the trial, even before her attendance should be required as a
witness.
M. Latour, when he was led into the prisoner’s box, seemed to have aged
greatly during his incarceration. It was with a marked effort that he
arose and straightened himself up as the indictment was read to him.
When the words: “Are you guilty or not guilty?” were addressed to him
every eye was turned upon him and every ear listened to catch the first
sound of his voice, but no sound came. The question was repeated more
loudly, “Are you guilty or not guilty?” Like one suddenly awakened from
a reverie M. Latour started, turned toward his questioner, and in a
full, firm voice replied: “Guilty!” I was so dumfounded that I could
offer Gwen no word of comfort to alleviate this sudden shock. Maitland
and Godin seemed about the only ones in the court-room who were not
taken off their feet, so to speak, by this unexpected plea, and George
was at Gwen’s side in a moment and whispered something to her which I
could not hear, but which I could see had a very beneficial effect upon
her. We had all expected a long, complicated trial, and here the whole
matter was reduced to a mere formality by M. Latour’s simple confession,
“Guilty!” Is it any wonder, therefore, that we were taken aback?
While we were recovering from our surprise at this sudden turn of
affairs, Maitland was engaged in private conversation with the Judge,
with whom, he afterward told me, he had become well acquainted both in
his own cases and in those of other lawyers requiring his services as
an expert chemist. He never told me what passed between them, nor
the substance of any of the brief interviews which followed with
the prosecuting attorney, his associate counsel, and other legal
functionaries. All I know is that when the case was resumed M. Latour’s
senior counsel, Jenkins, kept carefully in the background, leaving the
practical conduct of the case in Maitland’s hands.
If a hazelnut had the shell of a cocoanut, its meat would, in my
opinion, sustain about the same relation to its bulk as the gist of the
usual legal proceeding sustains to the mass of verbiage in which it is
enshrouded. For this reason you will not expect me to give a detailed
account of this trial. I couldn’t if I would, and I wouldn’t if I could.
My knowledge of legal procedure is far from profound, albeit I once
began the study of law. My memories of Blackstone are such as need
prejudice no ambitious aspirant for legal honours. I have a recollection
that somewhere Blackstone says something about eavesdropping,--I mean in
its literal sense--something about the drippings from A’s roof falling
on B’s estate; but for the life of me I couldn’t tell what he says. More
distinctly do I remember this learned lawgiver stated that there could
be no doubt of the evidence of witchcraft, because the Bible was full
of it, and that witches should be punished with death. This made an
impression upon me, because it was an instance, rare to me then, but
common enough now, of how minds, otherwise exceptionally able, may have
a spot so encankered with creed, bigotry, and superstition as to render
their judgments respecting certain classes of phenomena erroneous and
illogical, puerile and ridiculous.
But to return to those points of the trial which I can remember, and
which I think of sufficient interest to put before you. These refer
chiefly to Maitland’s examination of M. Latour, and of the government’s
chief witness, M. Godin. Such portions of their testimony as I shall
put before you I shall quote exactly as it was given and reported by
Maitland’s friend, Simonds.
When Maitland began for the defence he said:
“At about half-past seven on the night of the 22d of April, John Darrow
met his death at his home in Dorchester. He died in the presence of
his daughter, Messrs. Willard, Browne, Herne, and myself. His death was
caused by injecting a virulent poison into his system through a slight
incision in his neck. That wound the prisoner before you confesses he
himself inflicted. I would like to know a little more definitely how he
succeeded in doing it without detection, in the presence, not only of
his victim, but of five other persons sitting close about him. M. Latour
will please take the stand.”
As M. Latour stepped into the witness-box, a wave of suppressed
excitement ran all over the court-room. Every nerve was strained to
its tensest pitch, every ear eager for the slightest syllable he might
utter. What could be done for a man who had confessed, and what would be
the solution of the crime which had so long defied the authorities? The
explanation was now to be made and it is no wonder that the excitement
was intense.
I omit all uninteresting formalities.
Q. Have you ever seen me before to-day?
A. Not to my knowledge.
Q. Have you any reason to believe I have ever seen you before to-day?
A. None whatever--er--that is--unless on the night of the murder.
Q. Were you acquainted with John Darrow?
A. Yes.
Q. How long have you known him?
A. About six months--perhaps seven.
Q. What were your relations?
A. I don’t understand.--We had gambled together.
Q. Where?
A. In this city--Decatur Street.
Q. What motive led you to kill him?
A. He cheated me at cards, and I swore to be even with him.
Q. Had you any other reason?
A. I owed him twelve hundred and thirty-five dollars which I borrowed
of him hoping my luck would change. He won it all back from me by false
play, and when I could not meet it he pressed me over hard.
Q. You say this occurred on Decatur Street. What was the date?
A. I do not remember.
Q. What month was it?
A. It was in March. Early in March.
Q. You are sure it was in March?
A. Yes.
Q. Should you say it was between the 1st and 15th of March?
A. Yes. I am positive it was before the 15th of March.
Q. Have you long known that M. Godin was at work upon this case?
A. No.
Q. When did you first become aware of it?
A. Not until my arrest.
Q. When did you first see M. Godin?
A. When I was arrested.
Q. Did he ever call at your rooms?
A. Never--not to my knowledge--I never saw him till the day of my
arrest.
Q. With what weapon did you kill Mr. Darrow?
A. I made use of a specially constructed hypodermic syringe.
Half-smothered exclamations of surprise were heard from every part
of the room. Even the Judge gave a start at this astounding bit of
testimony. Every person present knew perfectly well that no human being
could have entered or left the Darrow parlour without certain discovery,
yet here was a man, apparently in his right mind, who soberly asserted
that he had used a hypodermic syringe. Maitland and Godin alone seemed
cool and collected. Throughout all Latour’s testimony, M. Godin watched
the witness with a burning concentration. It seemed as if the great
detective meant to bore through Latour’s gaze down to the most secret
depths of his soul. Not for an instant did he take his eyes from Latour.
I said to myself at the time that this power of concentration explained,
in a great measure, this detective’s remarkable success. Nothing was
permitted to escape him, and little movements which another man would
doubtless never notice, had, for M. Godin, I felt sure, a world of
suggestive significance.
Maitland’s calm demeanour, so resourceful in its serenity, caused all
eyes to turn at length to him as if for explanation. He continued with
slow deliberation.
Q. In what particulars was this hypodermic syringe of special
construction?
M. Latour seemed nervous and ill at ease. He shifted from side to side
as if M. Godin’s glance had pierced him like a rapier, and he were
trying vainly to wriggle off of it. He seemed unable to disengage
himself and at length replied in a wearied and spiritless tone:
A. In two particulars only. In the first place, it was very small,
having a capacity of but five or six drops, and, in the second place,
it was provided with an internal spring which, when released, worked the
plunger and ejected the contents with extreme rapidity.
Q. What operated this spring?
A. Around the needle-like point of the syringe, less than a quarter
of an inch from its end, was a tiny, annular bit of metal. This little
metallic collar was forced upward by the pressure of the flesh as
the sharp point entered it, and this movement released the spring and
instantly and forcibly ejected the contents of the cylinder.
Q. Did you use a poison in this syringe?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. What did you use?
M. LATOUR hesitated and shifted helplessly about as if he dreaded to go
farther into these particulars, and fondly hoped someone might come to
his rescue. His gaze seemed to shift about the room without in the least
being able to disentangle itself from that of M. Godin. He remained
silent and the question was repeated.
Q. What did you use?
Again the witness hesitated while everyone, save only Maitland and
Godin, leaned eagerly forward to catch his reply. At length it came in a
voice scarcely above a whisper.
A. Anhydrous hydrocyanic acid.
A long-drawn “Hum!” escaped from Maitland, while M. Godin gave not the
slightest indication of surprise. It was quite evident to us all that
the astute Frenchman had acquired complete control of the case before he
had arrested the assassin. At this juncture the Court said, addressing
Maitland:
“This substance is extremely poisonous, I take it.”
“Your Honour,” Maitland replied, “it is the most fatal of all poisons
known to chemists. It is also called cyanhydric, and, more commonly,
prussic acid. An insignificant amount, when inhaled or brought into
contact with the skin, causes immediate death. If a drop be placed upon
the end of a glass rod and brought toward the nose of a live rabbit he
will be dead before it reaches him.”
A profound silence--the death-like quiet which accompanies an almost
breaking tension--reigned in the court-room as Maitland turned again to
Latour.
Q. I understand you to say you used anhydrous hydrocyanic or cyanhydric
acid.
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Do you sufficiently understand chemistry to use these terms with
accuracy? Might you not have used potassium cyanide or prussiate of
potash?
A. I am a tolerably good chemist, and have spoken understandingly.
Potassium cyanide, KCN, is a white, crystalline compound, and could
hardly be used in a hypodermic syringe save in solution, in which
condition it would not have been sufficiently poisonous to have served
my purpose.
At this reply many of the audience exchanged approving glances. They
believed M. Latour had shown himself quite a match for Maitland in not
falling easily into what they regarded as a neat little trap which
had been set to prove his lack of chemical knowledge. They attributed
Maitland’s failure to further interrogate Latour upon his understanding
of chemistry as evidence that he had met an equal. To be sure, they were
not quite clear in their own minds why Latour’s counsel should be at
such pains to carefully examine a man who had already confessed, but
they believed they knew when a lawyer had met his match, and felt sure
that this was one such instance. Clinton Browne, who sat in one of the
front seats, seemed to find a deal more to amuse him in this incident
than was apparent to me. Some men have such a wonderful sense of humour!
Maitland continued:
Q. When Mr. Darrow was murdered he sat in the centre of his parlour,
surrounded by his daughter and invited guests. Will you tell the Court
how you entered and left this room without detection?
Again the witness hesitated and looked irresolutely, almost tremblingly,
about him, but seemed finally to steady himself, as it were, upon
Godin’s glance. It’s a strange thing how the directness and intense
earnestness of a strong man will pull the vacillation of a weak one into
line with it, even as great ships draw lesser ones into their wakes. The
excited audience hung breathlessly upon Latour’s utterance. At last they
were to know how this miracle of crime had been performed. Every auditor
leaned forward in his seat, and those who were a trifle dull of hearing
placed their hands to their ears, fearful lest some syllable of the
riddle’s solution should escape them. M. Latour remained dumb. The Judge
regarded him sternly and said:
“Answer the question. How did you enter the Darrow parlour?”
A. I--I did--I did not enter it.
Again a half-suppressed exclamation of surprise traversed the room.
Q. If you did not enter the room how did you plunge the hypodermic
syringe into your victim’s neck?
It seemed for a moment as if the witness would utterly collapse, but he
pulled himself together, as with a mighty effort, and fairly took our
breath away with his astounding answer:
A. I--I did not strike Mr. Darrow with the syringe.
The audience literally gasped in open-mouthed amazement, while the Court
turned fiercely upon Latour and said:
“What do you mean by first telling us you killed Mr. Darrow by injecting
poison into his circulation from a specially prepared hypodermic
syringe, and then telling us that you did not strike him with this
syringe. What do you mean, sir? Answer me!”
A sudden change came over M. Latour. All his timidity seemed to vanish
in a moment, as he drew himself up to his full height and faced the
Judge. It seemed to me as if till now he had cherished a hope that he
might not be forced to give the details of his awful crime, but that
he had at last concluded he would be obliged to disclose all the
particulars, and had decided to manfully face the issue.
Every eye was fixed upon him, and every ear strained to its utmost as
he turned slowly toward the Judge and said with a calm dignity which
surprised us all:
A. Your Honour is in error. I said that I made use of a specially
constructed hypodermic syringe. I have not said that I struck Mr. Darrow
with it. There is, therefore, nothing contradictory in my statements.
Again the prisoner had scored, and again the audience exchanged
approving glances which plainly said: “He’s clever enough for them all!”
Then the Court continued the examination.
Q. Were you upon the Darrow estate when Mr. Darrow met his death?
A. Yes, your Honour.
Q. Where?
A. Just outside the eastern parlour-window, your Honour.
Q. Did you strike the blow which caused Mr. Darrow’s death?
A. No, your Honour.
Q. What! Have you not said you are responsible for his murder?
A. Yes, your Honour.
Q. Ah, I see! You had some other person for an accomplice?
A. No, your Honour.
Q. Look here, sir! Do you propose to tell us anything of your own
accord, or must we drag it out of you piecemeal?
A. No power can make me speak if I do not elect to, and I only elect to
answer questions. Commission for contempt will hardly discipline a man
in my position, and may lead me to hold my peace entirely.
The Court turned away with an expression of disgust and engaged Jenkins
and Maitland in a whispered conversation. The prisoner had again scored.
There is enough of the bully in many judges to cause the public to
secretly rejoice when they are worsted. It was plain to be seen that the
audience was pleased with Latour’s defiance.
Maitland now resumed the examination with his accustomed ease. One would
have thought he was addressing a church sociable,--if he judged by his
manner.
Q. You have testified to being responsible for the death of John Darrow.
The instrument with which he was killed was directly or indirectly your
handiwork, yet you did not strike the blow, and you have said you had no
other person for an accomplice. Am I substantially correct in all this?
A. You are quite correct.
Q. Very good. Did John Darrow’s death result from a poisoned wound made
by the instrument you have described?
A. It did.
This reply seemed to nonplus us all with the exception of Maitland and
Godin. These two seemed proof against all surprises. The rest of us
looked helplessly each at his neighbour as if to say, “What next?” and
we all felt,--at least I did and the others certainly looked it,--as if
the solution of the enigma were farther away than ever.
Maitland proceeded in the same methodical strain.
Q. A blow was given, yet neither you nor any person acting as your
accomplice gave it. Did Mr. Darrow himself give the blow?
A. No, sir.
Q. I thought not. Did any person give it?
A. No, sir.
The audience drew a deep inspiration, as if with one accord! They had
ceased to reason. Again and again had we been brought, as we all felt
sure, within a single syllable of the truth, only to find ourselves at
the next word more mystified than ever. It would hardly have surprised
us more if the prisoner had informed us that Mr. Darrow still lived. The
excitement was so intense that thought was impossible, so we could only
listen with bated breath for someone else to solve the thing for our
beleaguered and discouraged minds. After a word with his colleague,
Maitland resumed.
Q. A blow was given, yet no person gave it. Was it given by anything
which is alive?
A. It was not.
You could have heard a pin drop, so silent was the room during the pause
which preceded Maitland’s next question.
Q. Did you arrange some inanimate object or objects outside the eastern
window, or elsewhere, on the Darrow estate so that it or they might
wound Mr. Darrow?
A. No,--no inanimate object other than the hypodermic syringe already
referred to.
Q. To my question: “A blow was given, yet no person gave it. Was it
given by anything which is alive?” you have answered: “It was not.” Let
me now ask: Was it given by anything which was at that time alive?
A. It was.
There was a stir all over the court-room. Here at last was a suggestive
admission. The examination was approaching a crisis!
Q. And you have said it was not a person. Was it not an animal?
A. It was.
“An animal!” we all ejaculated with the unanimity of a Greek chorus.
So audible were the exclamations of incredulity which arose from the
spellbound audience that the crier’s gavel had to be brought into
requisition before Maitland could proceed.
Q. Did you train a little Capucin monkey to strike this blow?
A. I did.
A great sigh, the result of suddenly relieved tension, liberally
interlarded with unconscious exclamations, swept over the court-room and
would not be gavelled into silence until it had duly spent itself.
Even the Judge so far forgot his dignity as to give vent to a
half-stifled exclamation.
Maitland proceeded:
Q. In order that this monkey might not attack the wrong man after you
had armed him, you taught him to obey certain signals given by little
twitches upon the cord by which you held him. A certain signal was to
creep stealthily forward, another to strike, and still another to crawl
quickly back with the weapon. When circumstances seemed most favourable
to the success of your designs,--that is, when Miss Darrow’s voice and
the piano prevented any slight sound from attracting attention,--you
gently dropped the monkey in at the window and signalled him what to do.
When Mr. Darrow sprang to his feet you recalled the monkey and hastened
away. Is not this a fairly correct description of what occurred?
A. It is true to the letter.
Q. And subsequently you killed the monkey lest he should betray you
by exhibiting his little tricks, at an inopportune moment in a way to
compromise you. Is it not so?
A. It is. I killed him, though he was my daughter’s pet.
We were stricken aghast at Maitland’s sudden grasp of the case. Even
Godin was surprised. What could it all mean? Had Maitland known the
facts all along? Had he simply been playing with the witness for reasons
which we could not divine? M. Godin’s face was a study. He ceased boring
holes in Latour with his eyes and turned those wonderful orbs full upon
Maitland, in whom they seemed to sink to the depths of his very soul.
Clearly M. Godin was surprised at this exhibition of Maitland’s power.
Browne, who throughout the trial had glared at Maitland with an
unfriendliness which must have been apparent to everyone, now lowered
blacker than ever, it seemed to me. I wondered what could have occurred
to still further displease him, and finally concluded it must either be
some transient thought which had come uncalled into his mind, or else
a feeling of envy at his rival’s prominence in the case, and the
deservedly good reputation he was making. His general ill-feeling I, of
course, charged to jealousy, for I could not but note his uncontrollable
admiration for Gwen. I fully believed he would have given his own
life--or anyone else’s for that matter--to possess her, and I decided to
speak a word of warning to George. After a short, whispered consultation
with Jenkins and the prosecuting attorney, Maitland turned to the
prisoner and said:
“That will do. M. Latour may leave the stand.”
It seemed to the spectators that the affair was now entirely cleared
up, and they accordingly settled themselves comfortably for the formal
denouement. They were, therefore, much taken aback when Maitland
continued, addressing the jury:
“The evidence against the prisoner would indeed seem overwhelming,
even had we not his confession. Apart from this confession we have
no incriminating evidence save such as has been furnished by the
government’s chief witness, M. Godin. As it is through this gentleman’s
efforts that Latour was brought within reach of justice, it is but
natural that much should be clear to him which may be puzzling to
those who have not made so close a study of the case. I think he will
enlighten us upon a few points. M. Godin will please take the stand.”
At this there was much whispering in the courtroom.. Maitland’s course
seemed decidedly anomalous. Everyone wondered why he should be at such
pains to prove that which had been already admitted and which, moreover,
since he was representing Latour, it would seem he would most naturally
wish to disprove. M. Godin, however, took the stand and Maitland
proceeded to examine him in a way which only added amazement to wonder.
Q. How long have you been at work on this case?
A. Ever since the murder.
Q. When did you first visit M. Latour’s rooms?
A. Do you mean to enter them?
Q. Yes.
A. I did not enter his rooms until the day he was arrested. I went to
other rooms of the same tenement-house on previous occasions.
Q. Have you reason to believe M. Latour ever saw you prior to the day of
his arrest?
A. No. I am sure he did not. I was especially careful to keep out of his
way.
Q. You are certain that on the several occasions when you say you
entered his rooms you were not observed by him while there?
A. I did not say I entered his rooms on several occasions.
Q. What did you say?
A. I said I never was in his rooms but once, and that was upon the day
of his arrest.
Q. I understand. Were you not assisted in your search for Mr. Darrow’s
murderer by certain library books which you discovered M. Latour had
been reading?
A. I--I don’t quite understand.
Q. M. Latour obtained some books from the Public Library for hall use,
giving his name as--as--
A. Weltz. Yes, they did assist me. There were some also taken under the
name of Rizzi.
Q. Exactly. Those are the names, I think. How was your attention called
to these books?
A. I met Latour at the library by accident, and he at once struck me as
a man anxious to avoid observation. This made it my business to watch
him. I saw that he signed his name as “Weltz” on the slips. The next day
I saw him there again, and this time he signed the slips “Rizzi.” This
was long before the murder, and I was not at work upon any case into
which I could fit this “Weltz” or “Rizzi.” I was convinced in my own
mind, however, that he was guilty of some crime, and so put him down in
my memory for future reference. During my work upon this present case
this incident recurred to me, and I followed up the suggestion as one
which might possibly throw some light upon the subject.
Q. Did you peruse the books M. Latour borrowed under the names of Weltz
and Rizzi?
A. I did not.
Q. Did you not look at any of them?
A. No. It did not occur to me to examine their names.
Q. You probably noticed that there were several of them. Among the pile
was one by Alexander Wynter Blyth entitled, “Poisons, Their Effects and
Detection.” Did you notice that?
A. No. I did not notice any of them.
Q. But after you became suspicious of M. Latour, did you not then look
up the slips, find this work, and read it?
A. No. I have never seen the book in my life and did not even know such
a work existed.
Q. Oh! Then the perusal of the books had no part in the tracking of M.
Latour.
A. None whatever.
Q. Do you ever play cards?
A. Yes, sometimes, to pass the time.
Q. Do you play for money?
A. Sometimes for a small stake--just enough to make it interesting.
Q. Are you familiar with the house in which Mr. Darrow was murdered?
A. I have only such knowledge of it as I acquired at the examination
immediately after the murder. You will remember I entered but the one
room.
Q. And the grounds about the house? Surely you examined them?
A. On the contrary, I did not.
Q. Did you not even examine the eastern side of the house?
A. I did not. I have never been within the gate save on the night in
question, and then only to traverse the front walk to and from the house
in company with Messieurs Osborne and Allen. I was convinced that the
solution of the problem was to be found within the room in which the
murder was committed, and that my notes taken the night of the tragedy
contained all the data I could hope to get.
Q. Was not this rather a singular assumption?
A. For many doubtless it would be; but I have my own methods, and I
think I may say they have been measurably successful in most cases.
[This last was said with a good-natured smile and a modest dignity that
completely won the audience.]
At this point Maitland dismissed M. Godin and the court adjourned
for the day. That night M. Godin made his first call upon Gwen. Their
interview was private, and Gwen had nothing to say about it further
than that her caller had not hesitated to inform her that he was aware
a reward had been offered and that he considered he had earned it.
Maitland questioned her as to what he had claimed as his due, but Gwen,
with her face alternately flushed and ashen, begged to be permitted to
keep silence.
This attitude was, of course, not without its significance to Maitland,
and it was easy to see that M. Godin’s visit had much displeased him.
But he was not the only one who was displeased that night. I regret
that my promise of utter candour compels me to bear witness to my own
foolishness; for when Maitland found it necessary to take Jeannette
into the back parlour and to remain there alone with her in earnest
conversation one hour and twelve minutes--I happened to notice the exact
time--it seemed to me he was getting unpleasantly confidential, and it
nettled me. You may fancy that I was jealous, but it was, most likely,
only pique, or, at the worst, envy. I was provoked at the nonchalant
ease with which this fellow did offhand a thing I had been trying to
work myself up to for several days, and had finally abandoned from sheer
lack of courage. Why couldn’t I carelessly say to her, “Miss Jeannette,
a word with you if you please,” and then take her into the parlour and
talk a “whole history.” Oh, it was envy, that’s what it was! And then
the change in Jeannette! If he had not been making love to her--well, I
have often wondered since if it were all envy, after all.
The next morning M. Latour’s trial was resumed, and Maitland again put
M. Godin upon the stand. The object of this did not appear at the time,
though I think the Judge fully understood it. Maitland’s first act was
to show the Judge and Jury a glass negative and a letter, which he asked
them to examine carefully as he held the articles before them. He then
passed the negative to M. Godin, saying:
“Please take this by the lower corner, between your thumb and
forefinger, so that you may be sure not to touch the sight of the
picture; hold it to the light, and tell me if you recognise the face.”
M. Godin did as directed and replied without hesitancy: “It is a picture
of M. Latour.” “Good,” rejoined Maitland, taking back the negative and
passing him the letter; “now tell me if you recognise that signature.”
M. Godin looked sharply at the letter, holding it open between the thumb
and forefinger of each hand, and read the signature, “‘Carl Cazenove.’ I
should say that was M. Latour’s hand.”
“Good again,” replied Maitland, reaching for the paper and appearing
somewhat disconcerted as he glanced at it. “You have smutched the
signature;--however, it doesn’t matter,” and he exhibited the paper to
the Judge and Jury. “The negative must have been oily--yes, that’s where
it came from,” and he quietly examined it with a magnifying glass, to
the wonderment of us all. “That is all, M. Godin; thank you.”
As the celebrated detective left the stand we were all doing our best
to fathom what possible bearing all this could have upon Latour’s
confession. M. Godin for once seemed equally at a loss to comprehend
the trend of affairs, if I may judge by the deep furrows which gathered
between his eyes.
Maitland then proceeded to address the Court and to sum up his case, the
gist of which I shall give you as nearly as possible in his own words,
omitting only such portions as were purely formal, uninteresting, or
unnecessarily verbose.
“Your Honour and Gentlemen of the Jury: John Darrow was murdered and the
prisoner, M. Gustave Latour, has confessed that he did the deed. When
a man denies the commission of a crime we do not feel bound to consider
his testimony of any particular value; but when, on the other hand,
a prisoner accused of so heinous a crime as murder responds to the
indictment, ‘I am guilty,’ we instinctively feel impelled to believe
his testimony. Why is this? Why do we doubt his word when he asserts his
innocence and accept it when he acknowledges his guilt? I will tell
you. It is all a question of motive. Could we see as cogent a motive for
asseverating his guilt as we find for his insisting upon his innocence,
we should lend as much credence to the one as to the other. I propose to
show that M. Latour has what seems to him the strongest of motives for
confessing to the murder of John Darrow. If I am able to do this to
your satisfaction, I shall practically have thrown M. Latour’s entire
testimony out of court, and nothing of importance will then remain but
the evidence of the government’s witness, M. Godin.”
A great wave of excitement swept over the room at these remarks. “What!”
each said to himself, “is it possible that this lawyer will try to prove
that Latour, despite his circumstantial confession, did not commit the
murder after all?” We did not dare let such a thought take hold of us,
yet could not see what else could explain Maitland’s remarks. Is it any
wonder, therefore, that we all waited breathlessly for him to continue?
M. Godin’s face was dark and lowering. It was evident he did not propose
to have his skill as a detective,--and with it the Darrow reward,--set
aside without a struggle--at least so it seemed to me. The room was as
quiet as the grave when Maitland continued.
“I shall show you that M. Godin’s testimony is utterly unreliable, and,
moreover, that it is intentionally so.”
This was a direct accusation, and at it M. Godin’s face became of ashen
pallor. I felt that he was striving to control his anger and saw the
effort that it cost him as he fastened Maitland with a stiletto-like
look that was anything but reassuring. George did not appear to notice
it and continued easily:
“I shall prove to you beyond a doubt that, in the actual murder of John
Darrow, only one person was concerned,--by which I mean, that only one
person was outside the east window when he met his death. I shall also
show that M. Latour was not, and could not by any possibility have been,
that person. [At this juncture Browne arose and walked toward the door.
He was very pale and looked anything but well. I thought he was going to
leave, but he reseated himself at the back of the room near the door.]
I shall convince you that M. Latour’s description of the way the murder
was committed is false.”
All eyes were turned toward Latour, but he made no sign either of
affirmation or dissent. With his eyes closed and his hands falling
listlessly in front of him, he sat in a half-collapsed condition, like
one in a stupor. M. Godin shifted uneasily in his chair, as if he
could not remain silent much longer. Maitland proceeded with calm
deliberation:
“Mr. Clinton Browne--”
But he did not finish the sentence. At the name “Mr. Clinton Browne” he
was interrupted by a sudden commotion at the rear of the room, followed
by a heavy fall which shook the whole apartment. We all turned and
looked toward the door. Several men had gathered about someone lying
upon the floor, and one of them was throwing water in the face of the
prostrate man. Presently he revived a little, and they bore him out into
the cooler air of the corridor. It was Clinton Browne. The great tension
of the trial, his own strong emotions, and the closeness of the room had
doubtless been too much for him. I could not but marvel at it, however.
Here were delicate women with apparently little or no staying power, and
yet this athlete, with the form of a Mars and the fibre of a Hercules,
must be the first to succumb. Verily, even physicians are subject to
surprises!
When quiet had been fully restored Maitland continued:
“I was about to say when the interruption occurred that Mr. Clinton
Browne and Mr. Charles Herne would both testify to the fact that a very
sensible time elapsed between the delivery of the blow and the death
of the victim. You will see, therefore, that I shall prove to your
satisfaction that Mr. Darrow’s death did not result from prussic acid,
as stated by the prisoner. I shall show you that a chemical analysis of
the wound made in my laboratory shortly after the murder gave none of
the well-known prussic-acid reactions. I shall prove to you that John
Darrow sprang to his feet after receiving the blow which caused his
death. That he clutched at his throat, and that, after an effort
consuming several seconds, he spoke disjointedly. I shall convince you
that if he had been poisoned in the manner described he would have been
dead before he could have so much as raised his hand to his throat. We
have been very particular to make sure the exact nature of the poison
which it is claimed was used, so there can be no possible doubt upon
this point. I shall show you further that the little Capucin monkey
which M. Latour says he killed is still alive, and I will produce him,
if necessary, and will challenge M. Latour, or anyone else for that
matter, to put him through the drill which it is claimed he has been
taught. I shall inform you that, since I claim the monkey had no part in
Mr. Darrow’s death, I could not, during my examination of the prisoner,
have been stating anything from knowledge when I spoke of the manner
in which he had trained the animal, and gave details which M. Latour
accepted as those of the murder. My sole effort was to state a plausible
way, in order to see if the prisoner would not adopt it as the actual
course pursued. I also coupled with this the killing of the monkey
(though I knew the animal was still alive), that I might see if M.
Latour would follow my lead in this also. You have seen that he did so;
that he indorsed my guesses where they were purely guesses, and that he
also accepted the one statement I knew to be false. I shall therefore
ask you to consider about what the chances are that a series of guesses
like those which I made would represent the exact facts as M. Latour has
claimed, while at the same time you do not lose sight of the undeniable
fact that upon the only detail regarding which I had positive
information, M. Latour bore false testimony.”
Here Maitland whispered to Jenkins, who in turn spoke to the sheriff
or some other officer of the court. I would have given a good deal just
then to have been able to translate M. Godin’s thoughts. His face was a
study. Maitland immediately resumed:
“It has been positively stated by M. Latour that he gambled with Mr.
Darrow on Decatur Street between the 1st and 15th day of March. This
is false. In the first place it can be shown that while Mr. Darrow
occasionally played cards at his own home, he never gambled, uniformly
refusing to play for even the smallest stake. Furthermore, Mr. Darrow’s
physician will testify that Mr. Darrow was confined to his bed from the
25th day of February to the 18th day of March, and that he visited him
during that time at least once, and oftener twice, every day.
“Again; M. Latour asserts that he never saw M. Godin till the day of
his arrest, and M. Godin asserts that he never entered M. Latour’s rooms
until that day. I have a photograph and here a phonographic record. The
picture shows M. Latour’s rooms with that gentleman and M. Godin sitting
at a table and evidently engaged in earnest conversation. This cylinder
is a record of a very interesting portion of that conversation--M. Godin
will please not leave the room!”
This last was said as M. Godin started toward the door. The officer to
whom Jenkins had recently spoken laid his hand upon the detective and
detained him. “We may need M. Godin,” Maitland continued, “to explain
things to us.
“I invite your attention to the fact that M. Godin has testified that he
was assisted in his search for Mr. Darrow’s murderer by certain library
slips which he saw M. Latour make out in two different names. He has
also testified that he did not know even the names of any of the books
procured on these slips, and that one of them, entitled ‘Poisons, Their
Effects and Detection,’ he not only never read, but never even heard of.
I shall show you that all of these books were procured with M. Godin’s
knowledge, and that most of them were read by him. I shall prove to you
beyond a doubt that he has not only heard of this particular work on
poisons, but that he has read it and placed his unmistakable signature
on page 469 thereof beside the identical paragraph which suggested to
Mr. Darrow’s murderer the manner of his assassination!” M. Godin started
as if he had been stabbed, but quickly regained his self-control as
Maitland continued: “Here is the volume in question. You will please
note the thumb-mark in the margin of page 469. There is but one thumb in
the world that could have made that mark, and that is the thumb you have
seen register itself upon this letter. It is also the thumb that made
this paint smutch upon this slip of glass.”
All eyes were turned upon M. Godin. He was very pale, yet his jaw
was firmly set and something akin to a defiant smile played about his
handsome mouth. To say that the audience was amazed is to convey no
adequate idea of their real condition. We felt prepared for anything.
I almost feared lest some sudden turn in the case might cast suspicion
upon myself, or even Maitland. Without apparently noticing M. Godin’s
discomfiture, George continued:
“M. Godin has testified that he sometimes plays cards, but only for a
small stake--just enough, he says, to make it interesting. I shall show
you that he is a professional gambler as well as a detective.
“The morning after the murder was committed I made a most careful
examination of the premises, particularly of the grounds near the
eastern window. As the result of my observations, I informed Miss Darrow
that I had reason to believe that her father had been murdered by a
person who had some good motive for concealing his footprints, and
who also had a halting gait. The weight of this person I was able to
estimate at not far from one hundred and thirty-five pounds, and his
height as about five feet and five inches. I also stated it as my
opinion that the person who did the deed had the habit of biting his
finger nails, and a particular reason for sparing the nail of the little
finger and permitting it to grow to an abnormal length. This was not
guesswork on my part, for in the soft soil beneath the eastern window
I found a perfect impression of a closed hand. Here is the cast of
that hand. Look well at it. Notice the wart upon the upper joint of the
thumb, and the crook in the third finger where it has evidently been
broken. M. Godin says he never entered the yard of the Darrow estate,
except on the night of the murder in company with Messrs. Osborne and
Allen, and that then he merely passed up and down the front walk on his
way to and from the house, yet the paint-mark on this slip of glass was
made by his thumb, and the glass itself was cut by me from the eastern
window of the Darrow house--the window through which the murder was
committed. This plaster cast was taken from an impression in the soil
beneath the same window on the morning after the murder. The hand is
the hand of M. Godin. You will note that one of this gentleman’s feet is
deformed and that he habitually halts in his walk.”
We all glanced at M. Godin to verify these assertions, but that
gentleman folded his arms in a way to conceal his hands and thrust his
feet out of sight beneath the chair in front of him, while he smiled at
us with the utmost apparent good nature. He would be game to the last,
there was no doubt of that.
Maitland recalled our attention by saying:
“Officer, you will please arrest M. Godin!”
An excited whisper was heard from every corner, and many were the
half-audible comments that were broken off by the imperative fall of the
crier’s gavel. So tense had been the strain that it was some time before
complete order could be restored. When it was again quiet Maitland
continued:
“Your Honour and Gentlemen of the Jury: We will rest our case here
for to-day. To-morrow, or rather on Monday, we shall show the strange
influence which M. Godin exercised over M. Latour, as well as M.
Latour’s reasons for his confession. We shall endeavour to make clear
to you how M. Latour was actually led to believe he had murdered John
Darrow, and how he was bribed to confess a crime committed by another.
Of the hypnotic power of M. Godin over M. Latour I have indisputable
proof, though we shall see that M. Godin by no means relied wholly
upon this power. We shall show you also that sufficient time elapsed
to enable M. Godin, by great skill and celerity, to make away with the
evidences of his guilt in time to enable him to be present with Messrs.
Osborne and Allen at the examination. In short, we shall unravel before
you a crime which, for cleverness of conception and adroitness of
execution, has never been equalled in the history of this community.”
Maitland having thus concluded his remarks by dropping into a courteous
plural in deference to Mr. Jenkins, the court adjourned until Monday,
and I left Gwen in Maitland’s charge while I hurried home, fearful lest
I should not be the first to bring to Jeannette the glad news of her
father’s innocence, for I had not the slightest doubt of Maitland’s
ability to prove conclusively all he had undertaken.
I need not describe to you my interview with Jeannette. There are things
concerning it which, even at this late day, when their roseate hue glows
but dimly in the blue retrospect of the past,--it would seem sacrilege
for me to mention to another. Believe me, I am perfectly aware of your
inquisitive nature, and I know that this omission may nettle you. Charge
it all up, then, to the perversity of a bachelor in the throes of his
first, last, and only love experience. You must see that such
things cannot be conveyed to another with anything like their real
significance. Were I to say I was carried beyond myself by her
protestations of gratitude until, in a delirium of joy, I seized her in
my arms and covered her with kisses, do you for a moment fancy you
could appreciate my feelings? Do you imagine that the little tingle
of sympathy which you might experience were I to say that, instead of
pushing me from her, I felt her clasp tighten about me,--would tell you
anything of the great torrent of hot blood that deluged my heart as
she lay there in my arms, quivering ecstatically at every kiss? No! a
thousand times no! Therefore have I thought best to say nothing about
it. Our love can keep its own secrets.--But alas! this was long ago,
and as I sit here alone writing this to you, I cannot but wonder, with
a heavy sense of ever-present longing, where on this great earth
Jeannette--‘my Jeannette,’ I have learned to call her--is now. You see
a bachelor’s love-affair is a serious thing, and years cannot always
efface it. But to return to the past:
Jeannette, I think, was not more pleased than Gwen at the turn affairs
had taken. Indeed, so exuberant was Gwen in her quiet way that I
marvelled much at the change in her, so much, indeed, that finally I
determined to question Alice about it.
“I can understand,” I said to her, “why Gwen, on account of her sympathy
and love for Jeannette, should be glad that M. Latour is likely to be
acquitted. I can also appreciate the distaste she may have felt at the
prospect of having to deal with M. Godin under the terms of her father’s
will; but even both of these considerations seem to me insufficient
to account for her present almost ecstatic condition. There is an
immediateness to her joy which could hardly result from mere release
from a future disagreeable possibility. How do you account for it,
sis?” Alice’s answer was somewhat enigmatical and didn’t give me the
information I sought. “Ned,” she replied, “I’ll pay for the tickets to
the first circus that comes here, just to see if you can find the trunks
on the elephants.” Do my best, I couldn’t make her enlighten me any
further, for, to every question, she replied with a most provoking
laugh.
Maitland called and spent most of the next day, which was Sunday, with
us, and we all talked matters over. He did not seem either to share or
understand Gwen’s exuberance of spirits, albeit one could easily observe
that he had a measure of that satisfaction which always comes from
success. More than once I saw him glance questioningly at Gwen with a
look which said plainly enough: “What is the meaning of this remarkable
change? Why should it so matter to her whether M. Latour’s or M. Godin’s
death avenges her father’s murder?” When he left us at night I could see
he had not answered that question to his own satisfaction.