Part 20 (2/2)
Munson?”
”Oh, very well, your Honor,” said Mr. Munson, ”if you think that it is unnecessary to the case of the people, I will withdraw it. We only seek for justice, despite the aspersions of counsel.”
”I have no doubt whatever of your conscientiousness,” said the Recorder, to mollify the rising anger of Mr. Munson. The examination then proceeded.
”You told us yesterday, that you had received a letter whilst in Europe, in which Miss Sloane wrote that Dr. Meredith was persecuting her with his attentions. Of course you have that letter?”
”No! It has been lost, unfortunately!”
”Unfortunately lost! I should say most unfortunately lost, since it is the only corroboration you had of your remarkable statement. How did you happen to lose this precious doc.u.ment?”
”I think that it was stolen when my office was searched by detectives, who were accompanied by Dr. Meredith.”
The insinuation deftly concealed in this statement, that either Dr.
Meredith had taken the paper, or that the District Attorney had suppressed it, had a visible effect upon the jury, who looked from one to the other significantly. Mr. Munson was chagrined to find what he had thought a good point in his favor, thus turned against him so quickly. He attempted to repair the damage.
”You say you think this. Do you not know, that what a man thinks is not admissible in evidence?”
”I did the best that I could to answer your question.” This reply, in the humblest of tones, caused a smile.
”You have no positive knowledge that it was stolen, have you?”
”I know that it was locked in my desk, that during my absence the desk was forced open, and that upon my return the paper was gone. Whether it was stolen, or whether it forced its way out of my desk, you may decide for yourself.”
”You have no evidence, beyond your own word, that Dr. Meredith acted as you have charged?”
”None!”
”You never told any friend, before the death of this girl, that Dr.
Meredith had persecuted her?”
”No. I had no confidants.”
”Not even when you found that he had been called in to attend Miss Sloane? You did not explain this to Dr. Fisher?”
”No. Dr. Fisher was comparatively a stranger to me. I knew him by a.s.sociation in societies only.”
”You could have spoken to him however, and so have had Dr. Meredith dismissed from the case.”
”I considered the matter, and decided not to do so.”
”Why did you come to so singular a conclusion?”
”Because, as I have already testified, despite my animosity, I concurred with Dr. Fisher's estimate of his skill. I thought him the most valuable consulting physician to be had, and, in a case of life and death, I believed that personal antagonisms should be forgotten.”
”You say Dr. Meredith was the most valuable consulting physician to be had. Do you mean that he is the most skilled expert that you know?”
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