The Winslow Boy Page #5

Then I went to get permission

to go to the post office.

Then I went back to the locker room...

...got my money and went down

to the post office.

Yes, go on.

-I bought my postal order.

-For 1 5 and 6?

Yes, sir. Then I went back to college.

Then I met Elliot minor.

He said, " lsn't it rot?

Someone broke into my locker...

...and pinched a postal order.

I've reported it."

And those were Elliot minor's

exact words?

He might have used

another word for " rot."

I see. Continue.

Just before prep, I was told

to go see Commander Flower.

The post office woman was there.

The commander said, " ls this the boy?"

She said, " It might be. I can't

be sure, they all look alike."

She couldn't identify him.

Go on.

She said, " I know that the boy who

bought a postal order for 1 5 and 6...

...was the one who cashed one

for 5 shillings."

So the commander said, " Did you buy a

postal order for 1 5 and 6?"

And I said, "Yes."

He made me write Elliot's name...

...and compared it to the signature

on the postal order.

Then 1 0 days later I was sacked.

I mean, expelled.

I see.

Did you cash Elliot minor's

postal order for 5 shillings?

No, sir.

Did you steal it from his locker?

No, sir.

That is the truth, the whole truth

and nothing but the truth?

Yes, sir.

Right.

The files, please.

This has just come down

from Ridgeley Pierce.

Thank you.

When the commander asked you

to write Elliot's name...

...did you write the

Christian name or initials?

I wrote " Charles K. Elliot."

Did you see the forged postal order

in the commander's office?

Yes, sir. The commander

showed it to me.

Before or after you

wrote Elliot's name?

After.

Did you see how Elliot's

name was written on it?

-Yes, sir. The same.

-The same.

-Charles K. Elliot.

-Yes.

When you wrote, what made you

choose that particular form?

-That was the way he signed his name.

-How did you know?

He was a great friend.

How did you know?

-I saw him sign things.

-What things?

Ordinary things.

I repeat. What things?

Bits of paper.

Bits of paper? Why did he

sign bits of paper?

-He was practising his signature.

-And you saw him?

He knew you saw him?

Well, yes.

He showed you exactly

how he wrote his signature?

Yes, I suppose he did.

Did you practise writing it yourself?

I might have.

What do you mean?

Did you or not?

You never told me that.

-It was only a joke.

-Even if it was a joke...

...you practised forging

Elliot's signature.

It wasn't forging.

-What is it then?

-Writing.

Whoever stole and cashed the postal

order also wrote Elliot's signature.

Oddly enough, in the exact form in

which you had practised his signature.

Which side are you on?

Are you aware...

...the Admiralty sent the forged

postal order to Mr. Ridgeley Pierce?

The greatest handwriting

expert in England?

-Yes.

-You're aware of that?

Mr. Ridgeley Pierce affirmed

there was no doubt...

...the signature on the postal order

and the one you wrote...

...were by one and the same hand?

You say you didn't

forge that signature?

Yes, I do.

Mr. Ridgeley Pierce

doesn't know his job?

Well, he's wrong, anyway.

Is he indeed?

Are you aware the government has 1 7

examples of your handwriting?

And a board of experts

identified them as identical...

...with the signature

of Charles K. Elliot?

When you went into

the locker room, were you alone?

I don't remember.

I think you do. Were you alone?

You knew Elliot's locker?

Yes, of course.

-Why did you go in there?

-To put my money away.

-Why?

-I thought it safer.

Why safer than your pocket?

I don't know.

What time did Elliot put his

postal order in his locker?

I didn't know he had a postal order.

When did you go

to the locker room?

I don't remember.

-Directly after dinner?

-I think so.

What did you do afterwards?

I went to get permission

to go to the post office.

-At what time?

-A quarter past 2.

Dinner was over. You were

in the locker room for 1 l2 an hour.

I wasn't in there all that time.

-How long were you there?

-About five minutes.

-And for the other 25?

-I don't remember.

-Perhaps I was at the C.O.'s office.

-No one saw you there either?

I remember someone did see me there.

A chap called Casey.

I spoke to him.

What did you say?

" Come to the post office with me

to cash a postal order."

" Cash" a postal order?

I mean, get.

You said, "cash."

Why say "cash" if you meant "get"?

I don't know.

I suggest "cash" was the truth.

You're muddling me.

You're easily muddled.

How many lies have you told?

None. Really, I haven't.

I suggest your testimony's a lie.

No, it's the truth!

I suggest there is barely any

truth in what you said...

...to me, the judge

or the commander.

I suggest you broke into Elliot's

locker and stole the postal order.

-You cashed it by forging his name.

-I didn't!

You did it as a joke,

meaning to give the money back.

But when he reported it,

you decided to keep quiet.

It isn't true! It isn't true!

None of it's true!

By denying your guilt, you're

causing hardship to your family...

...and annoyance to important

persons in this country.

That's a disgraceful thing to say.

The time has come for you to undo

the misery you've caused...

...by confessing to us all that you're

a forger, a liar and a thief!

I'm not, I'm not! I didn't do it!

This is outrageous, sir.

-I didn't do any of it.

-It's all right, now.

Curry, can I drop you anywhere?

No, l....

Send all his files

by tomorrow morning.

Will you need them now?

Yes. The boy is plainly innocent.

I accept the brief.

Get this to the First Lord, will you?

The chief point of criticism

against the Admiralty...

...appears to centre

in the purely legal question...

...of the Petition of Right

brought by a member.

A citizen seeking redress

of the Petition of Right...

-...and the demurrer thereto.

-Nonsense!

This member has made

great play of this boy...

...with his eloquence and address.

And I was moved, as any

honourable member opposite...

...by his resonant use of the words,

" Let right be done."

The time-honoured phrase with which,

in his opinion...

...the attorney general

should have supported...

...Mr. Winslow's Petition of Right.

All right. Let's break it down

into its essentials.

Do we have enough votes

to put the question?

How important is it, Bobby?

How important is it?

It's only important to win.

Shouldn't you be in the House?

Looks like he's repeating

himself forever.

Give me a piece of paper.

Am I missing something here?

-The thing is, the votes.

-Well, yes, well.

Do you say we have the votes?

Say? Do we have votes?

Do we have the money?

The answer's perhaps. Do you

really want to spend it on this?

Let me just have a quick look, miss.

Can you get a vote?

-Can you, Tony?

-Perhaps I can.

End of the day,

it's a 1 2-year-old boy.

-You sure you want to fight it?

-Of course.

Before we start

calling in markers.

Dick's saying to choose your ground.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes