Part 38 (1/2)
”Lord, yes! Slit a cannon.”
”Would it be sufficient--I ask your opinion as one having experience in this line--would it be sufficient to cause the mutilation visible in that safe?”
”All that and a sight more.”
”And the accused gave you to understand that he had undertaken the construction of just such a bomb?”
”I took him so.”
”Very well. So much for that. Did you examine the piece of fuse which Mr. McCausland found in the desk occupied by Floyd at the Beacon office?”
”I did.”
”What kind of fuse was it?”
”Same as I sold him.”
At this point a small piece of fuse, some six inches in length, was submitted to the jury for inspection and pa.s.sed along from hand to hand.
”And the powder found in it?”
”Same powder.”
”And the powder in Floyd's coat pockets?”
”Same powder.”
”And the grains on the knees of his trousers, where they may have spilled?”
”Same powder.”
”That's the black side of the s.h.i.+eld,” whispered Ecks, as the district attorney sat down.
”Now for the white,” answered Wye.
”It is not part of your regular business, I presume,” said s.h.a.garach, ”to furnish anarchists with bombs?”
”Oh, no, sir,” answered the witness, making corkscrew curls of his beard points.
”Or incendiaries with igniting material?”
”No, sir; never did it before in my life, sir.”
”Why did Floyd say he wanted this powder and fuse and information as to the construction of bombs?”
”Said he was studying up anarchism.”
”For what purpose?”
”Wanted to write an article on it, he said.”
”And you seem to have believed him?”
”At the time, or I wouldn't have sold him the goods.”
”What made you believe him?”
The witness paused, puzzled and s.h.i.+fted from foot to foot.
”Well, I can't say, sir, as to his credentials.”
”Couldn't he have procured these materials in some less public way if secrecy had been an object with him?”
”Plenty of other ways of getting such things, sir.”
”Yet he walked in openly to your office?”
”Yes, sir.”
”Told you his name?”
”No, sir.”
”Gave you his card?”
”Yes, sir; business card; said he was a reporter.”
”Where is the card?”
”I don't know, sir.”
”Did you notice the name?”
”No, sir; took no particular notice. Thought it was all right at the time.”
”But the young man stated that he was studying up anarchism?”
”And wanted to see for himself just how easy it was to make a bomb.”
”That will do.”
”Rather an eccentric whim,” said Wye. ”Putting up a clever defense, though.”
”Did you notice how the defendant's jaws are set?” answered Ecks.
”Mr. Hero Leander,” called Badger, and the city editor again took the stand.
”Did the Beacon ever give Floyd an a.s.signment to write up anarchy?”
The witness shook his head.