Part 36 (2/2)
”Why, I haven't said a word.” Turning to his sergeant, he asked, ”Have I, Maloney?”
”But these sensation-mongers have!” cried the judge angrily. ”You are the only source from whom they could obtain the information.”
”But what do I gain?” demanded the captain with affected innocence.
”Advertis.e.m.e.nt--promotion,” replied the judge sternly. ”These same papers speak of you as the greatest living chief--the greatest public official--oh, you know the political value of that sort of thing as well as I do.”
The captain shrugged his shoulders.
”I can't help what they say about me,” he growled.
”They might add that you are also the richest,” added the judge quickly, ”but I won't go into that.”
Again Captain Clinton reddened and s.h.i.+fted restlessly on his chair. He did not relish the trend of the conversation.
”I don't like all this, Judge Brewster--'tain't fair--I ain't on trial.”
Judge Brewster picked up some papers from his desk and read from one of them.
”Captain, in the case of the People against Creedon--after plying the defendant with questions for six hours, you obtained a confession from him?”
”Yes, he told me he set the place on fire.”
”Exactly--but it afterward developed that he was never near the place.”
”Well, he told me.”
”Yes. He told you, but it turned out that he was mistaken.”
”Yes,” admitted the captain reluctantly.
The judge took another doc.u.ment, and read:
”In the case of the People against Bentley.”
”That was Bentley's own fault--I didn't ask him,” interrupted the captain. ”He owned up himself.” Turning to the sergeant, he said, ”You were there, Maloney.”
”But you believed him guilty,” interposed Judge Brewster quickly.
”Yes.”
”You thought him guilty and after a five-hour session you impressed this thought on his mind and he--he confessed.”
”I didn't impress anything--I just simply----”
”You just simply convinced him that he was guilty--though as it turned out he was in prison at the time he was supposed to have committed the burglary----”
<script>