Part 26 (1/2)
”I do not recall his exact words.”
”Perhaps I can refresh your mind. With the permission of the court, I shall read from the s.h.i.+p's log this woman's statement, recorded by the man who was in charge of the vessel, and therefore competent to make such record, and signed by the witness as having been read and approved by her:--
”'Mr. Singleton said that he hoped the captain would come, as he and Mr. Turner only wanted a chance to get at him.... There was a sound outside, and Karen thought it was Mr. Turner falling over something, and said that she hoped she would not meet him. Once or twice, when he had been drinking, he had made overtures to her, and she detested him.... She opened the door and came back into the room, touching me on the arm. ”That beast is out there,” she said, ”sitting on the companion steps. If he tries to stop me, I'll call you.”'”
The reading made a profound impression. The prosecution, having succeeded in having the log admitted as evidence, had put a trump card in the hands of the defense.
”What were the relations between Mr. Turner and the captain?”
”I don't know what you mean.”
”Were they friendly?”
”No--not very.”
”Did you overhear, on the night of August 9, a conversation between Mr.
Turner and Mr. Vail?”
”Yes.”
”What was its nature?”
”They were quarreling.”
”What did Williams, the butler, give you to hide, that night?”
”Mr. Turner's revolver.”
”What did he say when he gave it to you?”
”He--said to throw it overboard or there would be trouble.”
”Mrs. Sloane, do you recognize these two garments?”
He held up a man's dinner s.h.i.+rt and a white waistcoat. The stewardess, who had been calm enough, started and paled.
”I cannot tell without examining them.” (They were given to her, and she looked at them.) ”Yes, I have seen them.”
”What are they?”
”A s.h.i.+rt and waistcoat of Mr. Turner's.”
”When did you see them last?”
”I packed them in my trunk when we left the boat. They had been forgotten when the other trunks were packed.”
”Had you washed them?”
”No.”