A master hand : $b The story of a crimeDallas, Richard
General
A master hand : $b The story of a crime
Dallas, Richard
Detective and mystery stories; Murder -- Fiction; New York (N.Y.) -- Fiction
Benton seemed embarrassed, but at length said he supposed he had not
done so because he did not think of them at the time.
Littell waited patiently till the answer was forthcoming, and then
continued:
"Now tell the jury was not the real reason you did not tell these things
at that time because it had not then occurred to you that suspicion
would attach to Winters?"
"Yes," he admitted, after some hesitation, "I expect that was the
reason."
"And," continued Littell, "when you found later that suspicion had
attached to Winters, and that he was arrested for the murder, did you
not then tell these things because you thought they would strengthen the
case against him?"
"Yes," he replied, "I think they are evidence against him."
"And why should you wish to give evidence against him? Do you think him
guilty?" was the next question.
This was a little further than Benton was willing to go, and he answered
that he did not know.
"Well," said Littell; "let us see if we cannot find out what you really
do know about it; you probably have more knowledge of the conditions
surrounding the case than has any one else."
And then, by further interrogation, he elicited the fact that the front
door of the house was fastened and required a latch-key to open it when
Benton arrived the morning of the murder, and also that while he had
frequently admitted Winters to the house, he had never known him to
possess a key to the premises.
"And how, then, do you think he got in on this night?" Littell
continued.
Benton probably recalled his unsuccessful attempt to explain this
problem to me on another occasion, for he made no effort to do so now,
merely acknowledging lamely that he did not understand how he had
obtained admission.
"And yet," continued Littell, "you have said everything you could to the
jury to make it appear that Winters was White's murderer."
Benton did not attempt to answer this charge and seemed anxious to evade
further questions, but Littell showed no disposition to let him off, but
leaving his seat took his stand at Benton's elbow and continued his
questions at close range, emphasizing each one:
"As a matter of fact, don't you know, or at least are you not satisfied,
that Winters had no key to White's house?" he asked.
Accustomed to render obedience to Littell, and by this time thoroughly
cowed, Benton was no longer capable of resistance, and assented
obediently to the question.
"And do you not know also," Littell continued, "that whoever secured
access to White's room that night and killed him, had, in all
probability, a key to the house?" and again Benton assented.
"Then it hardly seems likely that Winters was that man, does it?" he
concluded,--and the witness had nothing to answer.
Littell next questioned him about White's habits and his relations with
other men, and extracted the admission that for some time before his
death White had seemed worried and had talked vaguely about some trouble
and some person.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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