An American Tragedy Page #6

were adjourned for a few minutes!

I'll be able to obtain it

without any judicial aid!

Gentlemen!

You are both in contempt of Court!

Apologize to the Court and to each other

or I'll declare a mistrial...

and confine you both for 10 days

and fine you $500 each!

Under the circumstances,

I apologize.

Under the circumstances, your Honor,

I apologize.

I'm sorry.

- So am I.

Proceed!

You know, Clyde...

some here have the opinion

that it was a bluff on your part...

which originated in your mind

about this time...

to conceal your identity and hers...

and to lure her up to one of those

lonely lakes in the Adirondacks...

and drown her in cold blood!

In order that you might be free

to marry this Miss X!

Any truth in that?

Tell the jury yes or no!

No, I did not plot to kill her!

Clyde, it has been charged here...

that you took Miss Alden

out on that lake...

with the sole, premeditated intent

of killing her...

of finding some quiet

and unobserved spot...

and first striking her

with a camera or an oar...

and then drowning her!

Is that true or isn't it?

No, sir! It is not true!

I only went to the lake to please her!

And had you made up your mind by then

just what you wanted to do?

I was going to tell her the real reason

for changing as I had.

That I was in love with another girl

and couldn't help it!

And that if she still wanted me after

that, I'd quit my job and marry her.

Just what happened in that boat?

Now tell the jury!

Well...

We drifted...

and then I told her

what I had in mind.

Then she began crying and said maybe it

was best for her not to live any longer.

Then I told her I was sorry

and willing to do the right thing!

Then she suddenly became cheerful

and started toward me.

She stumbled and I tried to catch her!

I had my camera in my hand

and I guess her face struck the camera!

Then the boat overturned

and we were in the water!

Now Clyde, you swear you did not strike

Roberta Alden in that boat?

I swear I did not!

- Or throw her into that lake?

I swear I did not!

Or willfully or willingly in any way,

upset that boat?

Or in any other fashion bring

about the death she suffered?

I swear!

- Do you swear it was an accident?

Unpremeditated and undesigned by you?

- I do!

Sit down, my boy.

Prosecution may take the witness.

You had a camera in your hand

when she came toward you in the boat.

Yes, sir.

And she stumbled and fell

and you accidently struck her with it?

Yes.

I don't suppose you remember

in your honest and truthful way...

telling me in the woods

that you never had a camera?

Yes, I remember.

- That was a lie, of course?

Yes.

- And told with all the force...

with which you are telling

this other lie?

I'm not lying!

I explained why I said that!

Because you lied there,

you expect to be believed here?

It's the truth!

You testified that in that boat,

in the center of Big Bittern...

you had in your hand the camera

that you once denied owning.

Yes, sir.

- And that girl, who is now dead...

was in the stern of the boat?

- Yes, sir!

Would you bring in that boat

and the other exhibits also?

Well, Griffiths, here you are!

Here's the boat!

There's the camera

that you never owned!

Which we fished

from the bottom of the lake!

Where you thought it was hidden forever,

like so many other things!

Step down here into the boat.

Take this camera in your hand.

Show the jury just where you sat...

and just where Miss Alden sat....

and exactly how and where

you struck Miss Alden.

I didn't strike her with it!

Yes, we heard you testify that way.

Step into the boat!

Newcomb, will you come

and take Miss Alden's position?

Show Newcomb just how Miss Alden came

towards you and stumbled. Go ahead!

Well, I told her I'd marry her

and she got up and...

she stumbled. I guess over that.

- I object to this!

Objection overruled.

But how will a demonstration

on a man of Mr. Newcomb's build...

going to show what happened in the case

of a girl the size of Miss Alden?

Well, then we'll have a girl

the size and weight of Miss Alden.

Miss Sanders, step into the boat.

And what of that?

- The conditions aren't the same.

This boat isn't on the water!

No two people are alike in their

resistance to accidental blows!

Then you refuse to allow

this demonstration?

Make it if you choose.

It doesn't mean anything

as anyone can see.

Miss Sanders, stand up

and stumble.

And that caused the boat to upset?

- Yes, sir!

Sit down, Mr. Griffiths.

And that caused the boat

to upset, gentlemen.

When the boat was upset after that

accidental blow of yours...

and you and Miss Alden fell into

the water, how far apart were you?

I didn't notice.

- Pretty close, weren't you?

Not more than a foot or two,

the way you stood in the boat.

When I came up, she was some distance

away. - How far exactly?

As far as from here to the jury box,

halfway or what?

About as far as from here to the end,

I guess.

Not really?

This boat turns over and you both

fall into the water close together...

and when you come up,

you're nearly 20 feet apart?

Don't you think your memory's faulty?

That's the way it looked to me

when I came up!

Well now, after the boat turned over

and you came up...

just where were you in relation

to the boat?

As I say, I didn't notice

when I first came up!

About as far as from here

to the railing, I guess.

About 30 to 35 feet then?

Yes sir, about that maybe.

I couldn't be sure.

Well, with you there

and the boat here...

where was Miss Alden at that time?

About half that distance, not more.

Then, not 15 feet from you?

Not more than 15 feet from this boat.

Maybe not. I guess not.

Do you mean that you couldn't have

swum that little distance...

and buoyed her up until you reached

this boat just 15 feet behind her?

I was dazed when I came up and...

besides she was striking about and

screaming so...

Do you mean to say that when you could

swim 500 feet to shore Afterward...

that you couldn't have swum to this

boat and pushed it to her...

in time for her to save herself?

She was struggling to keep herself up,

wasn't she?

Yes sir, but I was rattled besides...

I was afraid to go near her!

- Yes, I know.

A mental and moral coward, eh?

You didn't want her to live!

In spite of your alleged

change of heart, isn't that so?

Isn't that the proof?

She was drowning,

as you wanted her to drown!

And you let her drown!

Isn't that so?

I wanted to save her, but I was dazed...

- Don't you know that you're lying?

That you deliberately

and with cold-hearted cunning...

allowed that poor. tortured girl

to die there...

when you might have rescued her?

- I object, your Honor!

My client is being unfairly prejudiced

in the eyes of the jury!

Objection overruled!

Why not kill the dirty snake now

and be done with it?

Bring that man here!

You will be held with $1000 bail for

your appearance in this court!

Take him away!

When you left Lycurgus to start

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