An American Tragedy Page #5

for which he worked...

that no head of any department

was to have anything to do...

with any of the girls working

for the factory.

But did that deter him?

Not in the least!

Nothing deterred him from anything!

Gentlemen of the jury...

Roberta Alden loved this defendant

with all the strength of her soul!

She loved him with that love which is

the crowning mystery of the human brain...

and the human heart!

It transcends in all its strength

and its weakness...

all fear of shame...

or punishment even from the

immortal throne above!

And so loving him...

in the end she gave him all any woman

can give the man she loves.

Friends, this has happened millions of

times in this world of ours.

And it will happen millions of times

in the days to come.

It is not new,

and it will never be old.

But, in January last...

this girl, who is now dead

in her grave...

was compelled

to come to this defendant...

and tell him she was about

to become a mother.

We shall prove to you

that then and later...

she begged him to go away with her

and make her his wife.

But did he?

Would he?

Oh, no!

For by now a change had come over

the dreams and affections...

of Clyde Griffiths!

For he had found another girl.

To whom because of her beauty,

wealth and her position,

he had become

enormously attached!

And beside her, a little factory girl,

in the pathetically shabby room...

to which he had assigned her,

looked poor indeed!

Good enough to betray...

but not good enough to marry!

Gentlemen...

Clyde Griffiths killed Roberta Alden

before he ever put her in that lake!

He beat her over the head and face

with a camera!

With this camera!

And he believed that no eyes saw him!

Don't worry.

We'll get you off.

With 20 years at the worst.

Gentlemen of the jury...

the individual who is on trial here

for his life...

is a mental as well as a moral coward.

Not a criminal...

of a crime so product of the

darkest vomiting of Hell...

that the District Attorney

would have you believe.

Do you slay a man because he's

a victim of fear?

It was mental and moral cowardice...

that prevented him

once the waters of the lake...

accidently closed over her...

from making public her death.

Mental and moral cowardice...

and nothing more and nothing less!

He was only thinking

of his wealthy relatives.

And besides...

there was Miss X.

The brightest star

in the brightest constellation...

of all his dreams.

Did he kill Roberta Alden?

No!

The prosecution has no one

to prove that!

But we can prove that he did not

kill Roberta Alden!

We have an eyewitness!

Clyde Griffiths,

take the witness chair!

Raise your right hand.

Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth,

the whole truth, so help you God?

I do!

Clyde, the first thing we want to do

is to make sure...

that the jury understands you and

the kind of character you have.

You're going to begin with your life

as you remember it.

Where you were born,

where you came from...

Why did you leave Kansas City?

On account of an accident.

- What kind of an accident?

I was working in the Green Davidson

Hotel as a bellboy.

Another bellboy asked me out on a ride

in a car that a friend of his borrowed.

We were hurrying back to work, and

he ran over and killed...

a little girl and...

then he got frightened

and kept on going and...

the car got smashed and....

after that I was afraid

to stay in Kansas City, so I ran away.

Do you mean to tell me that you ran away

even though you were not responsible?

Yes, sir!

I was afraid I might be arrested!

In other words, you were a mental and

moral coward as previously stated!

I object to that interpretation

of the defendant's testimony.

This defendant's testimony needs

no interpretation!

It's very plain and honest

as anyone can see!

Objection sustained.

Proceed.

Then you went to Peoria, Bloomington,

Milwaukee, Chicago!

Hiding away in small rooms!

Living in back streets!

Working as dishwashers, soda fountain

men or drivers! Didn't you?

Yes, sir! I did.

You really loved Roberta Alden

at first, didn't you?

Yes, sir.

You must have known that she was

a good, innocent and religious girl.

Yes, sir.

That's the way I felt about her.

If you felt so highly of her at first...

how is it that so soon you could descend

into this evil relationship?

Didn't you know that all men and women

view it as wrong?

And outside of marriage, unforgivable!

A crime!

Yes sir, I suppose I did.

Certainly.

But I was in love with her

- You were in love with her!

Yes, sir!

Very much?

- Very much!

And was she as much in love with you?

Yes, sir. She was.

Now Clyde, we'll have to go into this

matter of Miss X.

You met her in Lycurgus sometime in

November or December last year.

Is that correct?

- Yes, sir.

And at once you fell very much

in love with her?

Yes, sir. That's true.

She was rich.

Yes, sir.

Beautiful!

Yes, sir.

And had you two...

yourself and Miss Alden, I mean...

at the time you met this Miss X...

already become intimate?

Yes, sir.

And what were your plans

or your future with Miss Alden?

I mean before you met this Miss X?

You must have thought of that?

Well, not exactly.

You see, I never had any real plans

to do anything.

Did you ever tell her

that you would marry her?

No, sir.

I don't recall that I did.

Not in so many words.

But once Roberta got into trouble,

did you or did you not...

feel that it was your duty

under the circumstances to marry her?

No, not if I could get her out of it.

And why not?

I thought it would be fair enough

if I helped her and then...

told her I didn't love her

as I once did.

Couldn't you help her out of it?

- No, sir.

You went to that druggist

who testified here?

Yes, sir.

Did you got to the haberdasher

who testified here?

Yes, sir.

Did he give you the name of a doctor?

- Yes, sir.

And did you send Miss Alden

to that doctor? - Yes, sir.

Did she go alone or did you go with her?

- I went with her...to the door.

And why only the door?

I didn't have too much money

and I thought...

he might be willing

to help her for less....

if she went by herself.

And now from there on,

just what happened?

Don't try to make yourself any better

or any worse...

she is dead and you may be

eventually....

if these 12 gentlemen so decide.

The truth for the peace

of your own soul is the best!

After she got into trouble

and you couldn't help her, then what?

What was it you did?

How did you act?

What was your salary at that time?

$25.00 a week.

No other source of income?

- No, sir.

Exactly. I wish you'd stop leading

this parrot here!

I wish the honorable District Attorney

would mind his own business!

I'm examining this defendant!

As for parrots, we've heard quite a few

the last few weeks!

Coached like schoolboys

by the District Attorney!

That's a lie!

I demand an apology!

The apology is to me and this defendant

if your Honor pleases!

And it would be exacted quickly if Court

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