stories by modern american authors-第18节

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Victor　Ancona；　the　newspapers　published　long　sensational　articles；

denounced　him　as　a　fiend；　and　convicted　him。　　The　grand　jury；　as　it

happened；　was　in　session。　　The　preliminaries　were　soon　arranged　and

the　case　was　railroaded　into　trial。　　The　indictment　contained　a

great　many　counts；　and　charged　the　prisoner　with　the　murder　of　Nina

San　Croix　by　striking；　stabbing；　choking；　poisoning；　and　so　forth。



The　trial　had　continued　for　three　days　and　had　appeared　so

overwhelmingly　one…sided　that　the　spectators　who　were　crowded　in

the　court　room　had　grown　to　be　violent　and　bitter　partisans；　to

such　an　extent　that　the　police　watched　them　closely。　　The　attorneys

for　the　People　were　dramatic　and　denunciatory；　and　forced　their

case　with　arrogant　confidence。　　Mason；　as　counsel　for　the　prisoner；

was　indifferent　and　listless。　　Throughout　the　entire　trial　he　had

sat　almost　motionless　at　the　table；　his　gaunt　form　bent　over；　his

long　legs　drawn　up　under　his　chair；　and　his　weary；　heavy…muscled

face；　with　its　restless　eyes；　fixed　and　staring　out　over　the　heads

of　the　jury；　was　like　a　tragic　mask。　　The　bar；　and　even　the　judge；

believed　that　the　prisoner's　counsel　had　abandoned　his　case。



The　evidence　was　all　in　and　the　People　rested。　　It　had　been　shown

that　Nina　San　Croix　had　resided　for　many　years　in　the　house　in

which　the　prisoner　was　arrested；　that　she　had　lived　by　herself；

with　no　other　companion　than　an　old　negro　servant；　that　her　past

was　unknown；　and　that　she　received　no　visitors；　save　the　Mexican

sailor；　who　came　to　her　house　at　long　intervals。　　Nothing　whatever

was　shown　tending　to　explain　who　the　prisoner　was　or　whence　he　had

come。　　It　was　shown　that　on　Tuesday　preceding　the　killing　the

Archbishop　had　received　a　communication　from　Nina　San　Croix；　in

which　she　said　she　desired　to　make　a　statement　of　the　greatest

import；　and　asking　for　an　audience。　　To　this　the　Archbishop　replied

that　he　would　willingly　grant　her　a　hearing　if　she　would　come　to

him　at　eleven　o'clock　on　Friday　morning。　　Two　policemen　testified

that　about　eight　o'clock　on　the　night　of　Thursday　they　had　noticed

the　prisoner　slip　into　the　gate　of　Nina　San　Croix's　residence　and

go　down　to　the　side　of　the　house；　where　he　was　admitted；　that　his

appearance　and　seeming　haste　had　attracted　their　attention；　that

they　had　concluded　that　it　was　some　clandestine　amour；　and　out　of

curiosity　had　both　slipped　down　to　the　house　and　endeavored　to　find

a　position　from　which　they　could　see　into　the　room；　but　were　unable

to　do　so；　and　were　about　to　go　back　to　the　street　when　they　heard　a

woman's　voice　cry　out　in；　great　anger：　〃I　know　that　you　love　her

and　that　you　want　to　get　rid　of　me；　but　you　shall　not　do　it！　　You

murdered　him；　but　you　shall　not　murder　me！　　I　have　all　the　evidence

to　convict　you　of　murdering　him！　　The　Archbishop　will　have　it　to…

morrow！　　They　shall　hang　you！　　Do　you　hear　me？　　They　shall　hang　you

for　this　murder！〃　that　thereupon　one　of　the　policemen　proposed　that

they　should　break　into　the　house　and　see　what　was　wrong；　but　the

other　had　urged　that　it　was　only　the　usual　lovers'　quarrel　and　if

they　should　interfere　they　would　find　nothing　upon　which　a　charge

could　be　based　and　would　only　be　laughed　at　by　the　chief；　that　they

had　waited　and　listened　for　a　time；　but　hearing　nothing　further　had

gone　back　to　the　street　and　contented　themselves　with　keeping　a

strict　watch　on　the　house。



The　People　proved　further；　that　on　Thursday　evening　Nina　San　Croix

had　given　the　old　negro　domestic　a　sum　of　money　and　dismissed　her；

with　the　instruction　that　she　was　not　to　return　until　sent　for。

The　old　woman　testified　that　she　had　gone　directly　to　the　house　of

her　son；　and　later　had　discovered　that　she　had　forgotten　some

articles　of　clothing　which　she　needed；　that　thereupon　she　had

returned　to　the　house　and　had　gone　up　the　back　way　to　her　room；

this　was　about　eight　o'clock；　that　while　there　she　had　heard　Nina

San　Croix's　voice　in　great　passion　and　remembered　that　she　had　used

the　words　stated　by　the　policemen；　that　these　sudden；　violent　cries

had　frightened　her　greatly　and　she　had　bolted　the　door　and　been

afraid　to　leave　the　room；　shortly　thereafter；　she　had　heard　heavy

footsteps　ascending　the　stairs；　slowly　and　with　great　difficulty；

as　though　some　one　were　carrying　a　heavy　burden；　that　therefore　her

fear　had　increased　and　that　she　had　put　out　the　light　and　hidden

under　the　bed。　　She　remembered　hearing　the　footsteps　moving　about

upstairs　for　many　hours；　how　long　she　could　not　tell。　　Finally；

about　half…past　four　in　the　morning；　she　crept　out；　opened　the

door；　slipped　downstairs；　and　ran　out　into　the　street。　　There　she

had　found　the　policemen　and　requested　them　to　search　the　house。



The　two　officers　had　gone　to　the　house　with　the　woman。　　She　had

opened　the　door　and　they　had　had　just　time　to　step　back　into　the

shadow　when　the　prisoner　entered。　　When　arrested；　Victor　Ancona　had

screamed　with　terror；　and　cried　out；　〃It　was　no　use！　it　was　no　use

to　do　it！〃



The　Chief　of　Police　had　come　to　the　house　and　instituted　a　careful

search。　　In　the　room　below；　from　which　the　cries　had　come；　he　found

a　dress　which　was　identified　as　belonging　to　Nina　San　Croix　and

which　she　was　wearing　when　last　seen　by　the　domestic；　about　six

o'clock　that　evening。　　This　dress　was　covered　with　blood；　and　had　a

slit　about　two　inches　long　in　the　left　side　of　the　bosom；　into

which　the　Mexican　knife；　found　on　the　prisoner；　fitted　perfectly。

These　articles　were　introduced　in　evidence；　and　it　was　shown　that

the　slit　would　be　exactly　over　the　heart　of　the　wearer；　and　that

such　a　wound　would　certainly　result　in　death。　　There　was　much　blood

on　one　of　the　chairs　and　on　the　floor。　　There　was　also　blood　on　the

prisoner's　coat　and　the　leg　of　his　trousers；　and　the　heavy　Mexican

knife　was　also　bloody。　　The　blood　was　shown　by　the　experts　to　be

human　blood。



The　body　of　the　woman　was　not　found；　and　the　most　rigid　and

tireless　search　failed　to　develop　the　slightest　trace　of　the

corpse；　or　the　manner　of　its　disposal。　　The　body　of　the　woman　had

disappeared　as　completely　as　though　it　had　vanished　into　the　air。



When　counsel　announced　that　he　had　closed　for　the　People；　the　judge

turned　and　looked　gravely　down　at　Mason。　　〃Sir；〃　he　said；　〃the

evidence　for　the　defense　may　now　be　introduced。〃



Randolph　Mason　arose　slowly　and　faced　the　judge。



〃If　your　Honor　please；〃　he　said；　speaking　slowly　and　distinctly；

〃the　defendant　has　no　evidence　to　offer。〃　　He　paused　while　a　murmur

of　astonishment　ran　over　the　court　room。　　〃But；　if　your　Honor

please；〃　he　continued；　〃I　move　that　the　jury　be　directed　to　find

the　prisoner　not　guilty。〃



The　crowd　stirred。　　The　counsel　for　the　People　smiled。　　The　judge

looked　sharply　at　the　speaker　over　his　glasses。　　〃On　what　ground？〃

he　said　curtly。



〃On　the　ground；〃　replied　Mason；　〃that　the　corpus　delicti　has　not

been　proven。〃



〃Ah！〃　said　the　judge；　for　once　losing　his　judicial　gravity。　　Mason

sat　down　abruptly。　　The　senior　counsel　for　the　prosecution　was　on

his　feet　in　a　moment。



〃What！〃　he　said；　〃the　gentleman　bases　his　motion　on　a　failure　to

establish　the　corpus　delicti？　　Does　he　jest；　or　has　he　forgotten

the　evidence？　　The　term　'corpus　delicti'　is　technical；　and　means

the　body　of　the　crime；　or　the　substantial　fact　that　a　crime　has

been　committed。　　Does　anyone　doubt　it　in　this　case？　　It　is　true

that　no　one　actually　saw　the　prisoner　kill　the　decedent；　and　that

he　has　so　successfully　hidden　the　body　that　it　has　not　been　found；

but　the　powerful　chain　of　circumstances；　clear　and　close…linked；

proving　motive；　the　criminal　agency；　and　the　criminal　act；　is

overwhelming。



〃The　victim　in　this　case　is　on　the　eve　of　making　a　statement　that

would　prove　fatal　to　the　prisoner。　　The　night　before　the　statement

is　to　be　made　he　goes　to　her　residence。　　They　quarrel。　　Her　voice

is　heard；　raised　high　in　the　greatest　passion；　denouncing　him；　and

charging　that　he　is　a　murderer；　that　she　has　the　evidence　and　will

reveal　it；　that　he　shall　be　hanged；　and　that　he　shall　not　be　rid　of

her。　　Here　is　the　motive　for　the　crime；　clear　as　light。　　Are　not

the　bloody　knife；　the　bloody　dress；　the　bloody　clothes　of　the

prisoner；　unimpeachable　witnesses　to　the　criminal　act？　　The

criminal　agency　of　the　prisoner　has　not　the　shadow　of　a　possibility

to　obscure　it。　　His　motive　is　gigantic。　　The　blood　on　him；　and　his

despair　when　arrested；　cry　'Murder！　murder！'　with　a　thousand

tongues。



〃Men　may　lie；　but　circumstances　cannot。　　The　thousand　hopes　and

fears　and　passions　of　men　may　delude；　or　bias　the　witness。　　Yet　it

is　beyond　the　human　mind　to　conceive　that　a　clear；　complete　chain

of　concatenated　circumstances　can　be　in　error。　　Hence　it　is　that

the　greatest　jurists　have　declared　that　such　evidence；　being　rarely

liable　to　delusion　or　fraud；　is　safest　and　most　powerful。　　The

machinery　of　human　justice　cannot　guard　against　the　remot