The sentry denies the charge (interrupting), and stating that his name
is T T T and not K K. Consul requests him to keep silence--that he can
speak later.
Y Y is called and questioned by Consul through the interpreters. After
being exhorted to speak the truth without fear or favour, he states:
“The sentry before us cut off I I’s hand.”
Consul: “Did you yourself witness the act?”
Answer: “Yes.”
Several of the Headmen of the town called upon by the Consul to testify.
To the first of these, who gave his name as Z Z, Consul asked, pointing
to I I’s mutilated wrist-bone: “Who cut off this boy’s hand?”
Z Z (pointing to the sentry): “That man did it.”
The second, who gave his name as A A A, asked by Consul: “Who cut off
this boy’s hand?”
Answers: “K K.”
The third, giving his name as B B B, asked by Consul: “Who cut off this
boy’s hand?”
Answers: “This man here, the sentry.”
Z Z (re-questioned): “Did you yourself see this sentry cut off this
boy’s hand?”
Answer: “Yes, I saw it.”
A A A (re-questioned): “Did you yourself see this sentry cut off this
boy’s hand?”
Answers: “I should think so. Did I not get this wound here” (pointing to
a cut by the tendon Achilles on the left heel) “the same day, when
running away in fright? My own knife wounded me. I let it fall when I
ran away.”
Consul questions I I: “How long ago was it your hand was cut off?”
Answer: “He is not sure.”
Two fellow-villagers--young men, named C C C and D D D--step out and
state that they remember. The act occurred when the clay was being dug
over at C D, when the slip-place for the steamers was begun.
E E E, of E*, another section of the village of R**, questioned by
Consul: “Did you see this lad’s hand cut off?”
Answer: “Yes. I did not actually see it being cut off. I came up and saw
the severed hand and the blood lying on the ground. The people had run
away in all directions.”
Consul asked interpreters to ask if there were others who had seen the
crime and charged K K with it.
Nearly all those present, about forty persons, nearly all men, shouted
out with one voice that it was K K who did it.
Consul: “They are all sure it was K K here?”
Universal response: “Yes; he did it.”
Consul asked the accused K K: “Did you cut off this boy’s hand?”
This question was put in the plainest language, and repeated six times,
with the request that a plain answer--“yes” or “no”--should be given.
The accused failed to answer the question, beginning to talk of other
things not relevant to the question, such as that his name was T T and
not K K and that the people of R** had done bad things to him.
He was told to confine himself to the question put to him, that he could
talk of other things later, but that now it was his place to answer the
questions put, just as simply and plainly as the others had answered. He
had heard those answers and the charge they levied against him, and he
should answer the Consul’s questions in just the same way.
The accused continued to speak of irrelevant subjects, and refused or
failed to give any answer to the question put to him.
After repeated attempts to obtain answer to the question: “Did you or
did you not cut off this boy I I’s hand?”
Consul states: “You are charged with this crime. You refuse to answer
the questions I put to you plainly and straightforwardly as your
accusers have done. You have heard their accusation. Your refusal to
reply as you should reply--viz., yes or no--to a direct and simple
question leaves me convinced that you cannot deny the charge. You have
heard what has been charged against you by all these people. Since you
decline to answer as they did, you may tell your story your own way. I
shall listen to it.”
Accused began to speak, but before his remarks could be translated to me
through X X first, to whom he spoke direct, and then through W W, a
young man stepped out of the crowd and interrupted.