An American Tragedy Page #4

and I'll take the other 2 boys.

What's that?

I'll be back in a minute.

I want to get some cigarettes.

You won't be long, will you?

- No.

Hold on there, mister.

We're looking for you.

Come here, son!

Come on!

Your name don't happen to be

Clyde Griffiths, does it?

Yes, sir. That's my name.

You're with a camping party here,

aren't you?

Yes sir, I am.

Alright, Mr. Griffiths.

My name is Kraut.

I'm Deputy Sheriff of this county.

I've got a warrant here

for your arrest.

I suppose you know what it's for

and will come along peaceably?

Why no sir, I don't know what it is for!

But if you have a warrant,

I'll go with you.

I don't understand why

you want to arrest me!

You don't, huh?

Well, Mr. Griffiths,

that's all I got to say!

All I'm supposed to do is to arrest you

for the murder of Roberta Alden!

Don't put those on me, mister!

I go with you without them!

Alright then, come on!

So you're Clyde Griffiths?

Yes, sir!

- My name is Orville Mason...

District Attorney of the county in which

Roberta Alden was drowned.

Do you know what you're charged with?

- Yes, sir. I heard from this man.

And you admit it?

- No, of course I don't admit it!

Do you deny being at Grass Lake at

Big Bittern last Wednesday and Thursday?

Yes, sir!

Come here.

Sit down.

Is this your tripod?

No, sir.

- Have you got a camera?

No, sir. I never had a camera.

I suppose you're going to deny

knowing Roberta Alden?

Are that these are letters from Roberta

and Miss Finchley found in your trunk?

My name's Clyde Griffiths, but...

the rest of this isn't true! I don't

know anything about the rest of it!

I suppose we should take him over to

that camp and see what his friends know.

Oh please, no!

Please don't!

You don't want to go? That would

hurt your pride, wouldn't it?

Then you better talk and quickly

or off you go!

Of course, I knew Roberta Alden!

Of course, I did!

Sure, those letters show that but...

I'll go over to the camp and join you

later. Take him along.

Come on! We're going to take

you for a nice, long walk!

Can you tell me where

Mr. Griffiths tent is?

This is it. Why do you want to know?

My name is Mason, District Attorney.

I'm here to take possession

of his property.

What?

Are you Miss Finchley?

- Yes, I'm Sondra Finchley.

I'm sorry, Miss Finchley.

Clyde Griffiths is under arrest.

Under arrest?

What's he done?

He's charged with drowning a girl

named Roberta Alden.

He admits having been

in the boat with her.

She was drowned.

Her letters were found in his room.

I'm sorry to be the bearer

of this news.

He couldn't have done anything

like that. It isn't true!

Let's hope it isn't.

Well, I hope he isn't guilty!

I want every proper step taken

to find out whether he is or not!

If he isn't, to defend him to the limit

of the law, but no more than that!

Not even if he is my nephew!

If the boy's guilty,

he'll take the consequences!

Mrs. Griffiths, we're from the press!

Are they right about your son?

- No!

Please go away! - Have you seen this

paper? Are you going to the trial?

I haven't seen anything!

Please go away!

What's this in your hand?

- Are you going to the trial or not?

I don't know. I want to go to him,

but his lawyers won't let me.

I understand my brother-in-law

doesn't want me!

He's rich, isn't he?

I give thanks to thee...

Have you any other children?

I have another son and 2 daughters.

What does your husband do?

- He helps me with the mission.

He's upstairs.

He isn't strong.

Is it true your son used to go with you

when you preached on the street?

If he's done anything wrong,

I am to blame.

Steady!

I'm amazed, my dear!

Accused of murder!

And with letters in your own handwriting

in his possession!

Your mother's been talking to me

for months about this!

And I've been taking your word

against hers!

Why couldn't you have talked

this over with me before going so far?

Did you say you loved him?

You've been very foolish, Sondra!

Very foolish!

I thought you had better sense.

A murder case!

And you connected with it!

Let's keep those letters

out of the papers...

and out of the trial too

if we can!

I'll call Attleberry.

He'll be able to fix it, I'm sure!

Dad, you've got to help him!

You've got to!

I'll be lucky if I can help you!

And for that reason, we've invented this

other story about a change of heart.

It's not quite as true as yours...

but it is true that you experienced

a change of heart in that boat!

And that's our justification!

We merely bring that change of heart

up a little, see?

You're not guilty!

You've sworn to me that you did not

intend to strike her there at the last...

whatever you might have been provoked

to do at first!

That's enough for me!

You're not guilty!

Leave it to us.

We'll get you out of this.

Full house, isn't it?

Order in the court.

Everybody please rise!

All persons having business before

the honorable court,...

State of New York,

County of Cataraqui...

Come and give attention!

This court is now in session!

The State of New York against

Clyde Griffiths!

The People are ready.

The defendant is ready.

Simeon Dinsmore.

How old are you, Mr. Dinsmore?

- 51.

Do you believe in capital punishment?

- I do.

For some people.

Get the story of Clyde Griffiths here!

With all the letters of Roberta Alden!

25 cents here!

No doubt many of you have been wearied

during the past week...

by the exceeding care with which

the lawyers in this case...

have passed upon the panels from which

you 12 men have been chosen.

But let us proceed to the facts.

There are two women in this action.

One is dead.

The other, by agreement between

the prosecution and the defense,

is to be nameless...

since no good can come from inflicting

unnecessary injury.

Let us call her, "Miss X".

The people of the State of New York

charge that the crime of murder...

in the 1st degree has been committed

by the prisoner, Clyde Griffiths.

They charge that he willfully and with

malice, cruelty and deception...

murdered and then sought to conceal

forever from the knowledge...

and justice of the world,

the body of Roberta Alden.

The daughter of a farmer who has for

years resided in Mimico County.

They charge that this same

Clyde Griffiths...

before this crime was committed,

had for weeks...

plotted the plan and then in cold blood,

executed it!

Gentlemen...

it will not take me long to picture

the type of girl this was...

whose life was so cruelly

blotted out!

All the 20 years of her life...

She was not 20 years old, your honor!

She was 23 years old!

Older than this defendant!

Have the District Attorney note!

- I resent this interruption!

Counsel will please not interrupt.

All the 20 years of her life...

no person who knew her

criticized her character!

Over a year ago, she went to

the city of Lycurgus.

In order that by working

with her own hands...

she might help her family!

There was a rule of the company

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