The Case of Jennie Brice
Page 12
CHAPTER XII
The slipper, the rope, the towel, and the knife and blade wereproduced in court, and I identified them all. They made a noticeableimpression on the jury. Then Mr. Llewellyn, the lawyer for thedefense, cross-examined me.
"Is it not true, Mrs. Pitman," he said, "that many articles,particularly shoes and slippers, are found floating around during aflood?"
"Yes," I admitted.
"Now, you say the dog found this slipper floating in the hall andbrought it to you. Are you sure this slipper belonged to JennieBrice?"
"She wore it. I presume it belonged to her."
"Ahem. Now, Mrs. Pitman, after the Ladleys had been moved to theupper floor, did you search their bedroom and the connecting roomdown-stairs?"
"No, sir."
"Ah. Then, how do you know that this slipper was not left on the flooror in a closet?"
"It is possible, but not likely. Anyhow, it was not the slipper alone.It was the other things _and_ the slipper. It was--"
"Exactly. Now, Mrs. Pitman, this knife. Can you identify itpositively?"
"I can."
"But isn't it true that this is a very common sort of knife? One thatnearly every housewife has in her possession?"
"Yes, sir. But that knife handle has three notches in it. I put thenotches there myself."
"Before this presumed crime?"
"Yes, sir."
"For what purpose?"
"My neighbors were constantly borrowing things. It was a means ofidentification."
"Then this knife is yours?"
"Yes."
"Tell again where you left it the night before it was found floatingdown-stairs."
"On a shelf over the stove."
"Could the dog have reached it there?"
"Not without standing on a hot stove."
"Is it not possible that Mr. Ladley, unable to untie the boat,borrowed your knife to cut the boat's painter?"
"No painter was cut that I heard about The paper-hanger--"
"No, no. The boat's painter--the rope."
"Oh! Well, he might have. He never said."
"Now then, this towel, Mrs. Pitman. Did not the prisoner, on thefollowing day, tell you that he had cut his wrist in freeing the boat,and ask you for some court-plaster?"
"He did not," I said firmly.
"You have not seen a scar on his wrist?"
"No." I glanced at Mr. Ladley: he was smiling, as if amused. It mademe angry. "And what's more," I flashed, "if he has a cut on his wrist,he put it there himself, to account for the towel."
I was sorry the next moment that I had said it, but it was too late.The counsel for the defense moved to exclude the answer and I receiveda caution that I deserved. Then:
"You saw Mr. Ladley when he brought your boat back?"
"Yes."
"What time was that?"
"A quarter after four Monday morning."
"Did he come in quietly, like a man trying to avoid attention?"
"Not particularly. It would have been of no use. The dog was barking."
"What did he say?"
"That he had been out for medicine. That his wife was sick."
"Do you know a pharmacist named Alexander--Jonathan Alexander?"
"There is such a one, but I don't know him."
I was excused, and Mr. Reynolds was called. He had heard no quarrelingthat Sunday night; had even heard Mrs. Ladley laughing. This wasabout nine o'clock. Yes, they had fought in the afternoon. He had notoverheard any words, but their voices were quarrelsome, and once heheard a chair or some article of furniture overthrown. Was awakenedabout two by footsteps on the stairs, followed by the sound of oarsin the lower hall. He told his story plainly and simply. Undercross-examination admitted that he was fond of detective stories andhad tried to write one himself; that he had said at the store thathe would like to see that "conceited ass" swing, referring to theprisoner; that he had sent flowers to Jennie Brice at the theater, andhad made a few advances to her, without success.
My head was going round. I don't know yet how the police learned itall, but by the time poor Mr. Reynolds left the stand, half the peoplethere believed that he had been in love with Jennie Brice, that shehad spurned his advances, and that there was more to the story thanany of them had suspected.
Miss Hope's story held without any alteration under thecross-examination. She was perfectly at ease, looked handsome and welldressed, and could not be shaken. She told how Jennie Brice had beenin fear of her life, and had asked her, only the week before shedisappeared, to allow her to go home with her--Miss Hope. She toldof the attack of hysteria in her dressing-room, and that the missingwoman had said that her husband would kill her some day. There wasmuch wrangling over her testimony, and I believe at least a part of itwas not allowed to go to the jury. But I am not a lawyer, and I repeatwhat I recall.
"Did she say that he had attacked her?"
"Yes, more than once. She was a large woman, fairly muscular, and hadalways held her own."
"Did she say that these attacks came when he had been drinking?"
"I believe he was worse then."
"Did she give any reason for her husband's attitude to her?"
"She said he wanted to marry another woman."
There was a small sensation at this. If proved, it established amotive.
"Did she know who the other woman was?"
"I believe not. She was away most of the day, and he put in his timeas he liked."
"Did Miss Brice ever mention the nature of the threats he made againsther?"
"No, I think not."
"Have you examined the body washed ashore at Sewickley?"
"Yes--" in a low voice.
"Is it the body of Jennie Brice?"
"I can not say."
"Does the remaining hand look like the hand of Jennie Brice?"
"Very much. The nails are filed to points, as she wore hers."
"Did you ever know of Jennie Brice having a scar on her breast?"
"No, but that would be easily concealed."
"Just what do you mean?"
"Many actresses conceal defects. She could have worn flesh-coloredplaster and covered it with powder. Also, such a scar would notnecessarily be seen."
"Explain that."
"Most of Jennie Brice's decollete gowns were cut to a point. Thiswould conceal such a scar."
Miss Hope was excused, and Jennie Brice's sister from Olean wascalled. She was a smaller woman than Jennie Brice had been, verylady-like in her manner. She said she was married and living in Olean;she had not seen her sister for several years, but had heard from heroften. The witness had discouraged the marriage to the prisoner.
"Why?"
"She had had bad luck before."
"She had been married before?"
"Yes, to a man named John Bellows. They were in vaudeville together,on the Keith Circuit. They were known as The Pair of Bellows."
I sat up at this for John Bellows had boarded at my house.
"Mr. Bellows is dead?"
"I think not. She divorced him."
"Did you know of any scar on your sister's body?"
"I never heard of one."
"Have you seen the body found at Sewickley?"
"Yes"--faintly.
"Can you identify it?"
"No, sir."
A flurry was caused during the afternoon by Timothy Senft. Hetestified to what I already knew--that between three and four onMonday morning, during the height of the flood, he had seen from hisshanty-boat a small skiff caught in the current near the Ninth Streetbridge. He had shouted encouragingly to the man in the boat, runningout a way on the ice to make him hear. He had told him to row with thecurrent, and to try to steer in toward shore. He had followed close tothe river bank in his own boat. Below Sixth Street the other boat waswithin rope-throwing distance. He had pulled it in, and had towed itwell back out of the current. The man in the boat was the prisoner.Asked if the prisoner gave any explanation--yes, he said he couldn
'tsleep, and had thought to tire himself rowing. Had been caught in thecurrent before he knew it. Saw nothing suspicious in or about theboat. As they passed the police patrol boat, prisoner had called toask if there was much distress, and expressed regret when told therewas.
Tim was excused. He had made a profound impression. I would not havegiven a dollar for Mr. Ladley's chance with the jury, at that time.