Part 20 (1/2)
”Never mind that,” Hamilton Burger interrupted. ”I'm just trying to trace the gun. You gave it to George Spencer Ranger.”
”That is right.”
”Was it a gift or a loan?”
”It was a loan.”
”And did Mr. Ranger return the gun to you?”
”No, sir, he didn't. He told me that he had given it to--,'
”Never mind what he told you. That's hearsay,” Hamilton Burger said. ”I'm simply asking you if he gave the gun back to you.”
”No, sir, he did not.”
”That's all,” Hamilton Burger said. ”Cross-examine.”
”No questions,” Mason said.
”Call George Spencer Ranger,” Hamilton Burger said.
Once again an officer opened the door of the witness room, and Ranger, a tall, loose-jointed man in his forties with a shock of dark hair and heavy dark eyebrows, entered the courtroom.
”Hold up your right hand and be sworn,” Hamilton Burger said.
The witness was duly sworn, gave his name and address to the court reporter, seated himself on the witness chair, turned to Judge Keyser and said, ”I want it understood that I am here against my will. I have been subpoenaed by an officer who took me into custody and forced me to accompany him here. I am not testifying willingly.”
”That doesn't make any difference at this time,” Judge Keyser said. ”If you were brought here in response to the process of the court, you are here and you are called as a witness. It is your duty to give your testimony.”
”If the Court please,” Hamilton Burger said, ”this is a hostile witness. It will be necessary to ask leading questions.”
”Go ahead with your examination,” Judge Keyser said. ”We will determine the att.i.tude and the necessity for leading questions as we go along and if and when objection is made.”
”You are acquainted with Loring Crowder?”
”I am, yes, sir.”
”Did Loring Crowder lend you a Smith and Wesson revolver some time ago?”
The witness thought for a moment, then said, ”Yes.”
”Did you return that gun to Mr. Crowder?”
”I did not.”
”Where is it now?”
”I don't know.”
”What did you do with it?”
”I . . . I surrendered it.”
”To whom?”
”My attorney told me it would be better to leave it with him.”
”Who was your attorney?”
The witness hesitated.
”Who was it?” Hamilton Burger asked. ”The court records show it. It was Perry Mason, wasn't it?”
”Yes.”
”Now then, I show you a gun marked People's Exhibit B, being a Smith and Wesson revolver, number 133347, and ask you if that is the gun.”
”I don't know,” the witness said, giving the gun only a cursory look.
”Look at it,” Hamilton Burger said. ”Take it in your hand.”
The witness extended his hand, looked at the gun, handed it back to Hamilton Burger, said, ”I still don't know.”
”All right, I'll put it this way,” Hamilton Burger said. ”You got a gun from Loring Crowder?”
”Yes.”
”And whatever that gun was, you gave that gun to Perry Mason?”
”Yes.”
”When?”
”When my case was coming up, something over six months ago.”
”Did Perry Mason at any time ever give that gun back to you?”
”No.”
”That was the last time you saw it, when you gave it to Perry Mason?”
”Yes.”
”And the gun that you gave him was the same gun that you got from Loring Crowder?”
”Yes.”
”Is there anything about this gun which is at all dissimilar to the gun which was given you by Loring Crowder?”
”I can't remember. I can't remember what that gun looked like.”