XIV
At the Old Bailey
They were privileged people who gained admission to the Old Bailey, people with tickets from sheriffs, reporters, great actors, and very successful authors. The early editions of the evening newspapers announced the arrival of these latter spectators. The crowd outside the court contented themselves with discussing the past and the probable future of the prisoner.
The Megaphone had scored heavily again, for it published in extenso the particulars of the prisonerвАЩs will. It referred to this in its editorial columns variously as вАЬAn Astounding DocumentвАЭ and вАЬAn Extraordinary Fragment.вАЭ It was remarkable alike for the amount bequeathed, and for the generosity of its legacies.
Nearly half a million was the sum disposed of, and of this the astonishing sum of ¬£60,000 was bequeathed to вАЬthe sect known as the вАШRational FaithersвАЩ for the furtherance of their campaign against capital punishment,вАЭ a staggering legacy remembering that the Four Just Men knew only one punishment for the people who came under its ban.
вАЬYou want this kept quiet, of course,вАЭ said the lawyer when the will had been attested.
вАЬNot a bit,вАЭ said Manfred; вАЬin fact I think you had better hand a copy to the Megaphone.вАЭ
вАЬAre you serious?вАЭ asked the dumbfounded lawyer.
вАЬPerfectly so,вАЭ said the other. вАЬWho knows,вАЭ he smiled, вАЬit might influence public opinion inвБ†вАФerвБ†вАФmy favour.вАЭ
So the famous will became public property, and when Manfred, climbing the narrow wooden stairs that led to the dock of the Old Bailey, came before the crowded court, it was this latest freak of his that the humming court discussed.
вАЬSilence!вАЭ
He looked round the big clock curiously, and when a warder pointed out the seat, he nodded, and sat down. He got up when the indictment was read.
вАЬAre you guilty or not guilty?вАЭ he was asked, and replied briefly:
вАЬI enter no plea.вАЭ
He was interested in the procedure. The scarlet-robed judge with his old wise face and his quaint detached air interested him mostly. The businesslike sheriffs in furs, the clergyman who sat with crossed legs, the triple row of wigged barristers, the slaving bench of reporters with their fierce whispers of instructions as they passed their copy to the waiting boys, and the strong force of police that held the court: they had all a special interest for him.
The leader for the Crown was a little man with a keen, strong face and a convincing dramatic delivery. He seemed to be possessed all the time with a desire to deal fairly with the issues, fairly to the Crown and fairly to the prisoner. He was not prepared, he said, to labour certain points which had been brought forward at the police-court inquiry, or to urge the jury that the accused man was wholly without redeeming qualities.
He would not even say that the man who had been killed, and with whose killing Manfred was charged, was a worthy or a desirable citizen of the country. Witnesses who had come forward to attest their knowledge of the deceased, were ominously silent on the point of his moral character. He was quite prepared to accept the statement he was a bad man, an evil influence on his associates, a corrupting influence on the young women whom he employed, a breaker of laws, a blackguard, a debauchée.
вАЬBut, gentlemen of the jury,вАЭ said the counsel impressively, вАЬa civilized community such as ours has accepted a systemвБ†вАФintricate and imperfect though it may beвБ†вАФby which the wicked and the evil-minded are punished. Generation upon generation of wise lawgivers have moulded and amended a scale of punishment to meet every known delinquency. It has established its system laboriously, making great national sacrifices for the principles that system involved. It has wrested with its lifeblood the charters of a great libertyвБ†вАФthe liberty of a law administered by its chosen officers and applied in the spirit of untainted equity.вАЭ
So he went on to speak of the Four Just Men who had founded a machinery for punishment, who had gone outside and had overridden the law; who had condemned and executed their judgment independent and in defiance of the established code.
вАЬAgain I say, that I will not commit myself to the statement that they punished unreasonably: that with the evidence against their victims, such as they possessed, the law officers of the Crown would have hesitated at initiating a prosecution. If it had pleased them to have taken an abstract view of this or that offence, and they had said this or that man is deserving of punishment, we, the representatives of the established law, could not have questioned for one moment the justice of their reasoning. But we have come into conflict on the question of the adequacy of punishment, and upon the more serious question of the right of the individual to inflict that punishment, which results in the appearance of this man in the dock on a charge of murder.вАЭ
Throughout the opening speech, Manfred leant forward, following the counselвАЩs words.
Once or twice he nodded, as though he were in agreement with the speaker, and never once did he show sign of dissent.
The witnesses came in procession. The constable again, and the doctor, and the voluble man with the squint. As he finished with each, the counsel asked whether he had any question to put, but Manfred shook his head.
вАЬHave you ever seen the accused before?вАЭ the judge asked the last witness.
вАЬNo, sar, I haf not,вАЭ said the witness emphatically, вАЬI haf notвАЩing to say against him.вАЭ
As he left the witness-box, he said audibly:
вАЬThere are anoder three yetвБ†вАФI haf no desire to die,вАЭ and amidst the laughter that followed this exhibition of caution, Manfred recalled him sharply.
вАЬIf you have no objection, my lord?вАЭ he said.
вАЬNone whatever,вАЭ replied the judge courteously.
вАЬYou have mentioned something about another three,вАЭ he said. вАЬDo you suggest that they have threatened you?вАЭ
вАЬNo, sarвБ†вАФno!вАЭ said the eager little man.
вАЬI cannot examine counsel,вАЭ said Manfred, smiling; вАЬbut I put it to him, that there has been no suggestion of intimidation of witnesses in this case.вАЭ
вАЬNone whatever,вАЭ counsel hastened to say; вАЬit is due to you to make that statement.вАЭ
вАЬAgainst this manвАЭвБ†вАФthe prisoner pointed to the witness-boxвБ†вАФвАЬwe have nothing that would justify our action. He is a saccharine smuggler, and a dealer in stolen propertyвБ†вАФbut the law will take care of him.вАЭ
вАЬItвАЩs a lie,вАЭ said the little man in the box, white and shaking; вАЬit is libelous!вАЭ
Manfred smiled again and dismissed him with a wave of his hand.
The judge might have reproved the prisoner for his irrelevant accusation, but allowed the incident to pass.
The case for the prosecution was drawing to a close when an official of the court came to the judgeвАЩs side and, bending down, began a whispered conversation with him.
As the final witness withdrew, the judge announced an adjournment and the prosecuting counsel was summoned to his lordshipвАЩs private room.
In the cells beneath the court, Manfred received a hint at what was coming and looked grave.
After the interval, the judge, on taking his seat, addressed the jury:
вАЬIn a case presenting the unusual features that characterize this,вАЭ he said, вАЬit is to be expected that there will occur incidents of an almost unprecedented nature. The circumstances under which the evidence that will be given now, are, however, not entirely without precedent.вАЭ He opened a thick law book before him at a place marked by a slip of paper. вАЬHere in the Queen against Forsythe, and earlier, the Queen against Berander, and earlier still and quoted in all these rulings, the King against Sir Thomas Mandory, we have parallel cases.вАЭ He closed the book.
вАЬAlthough the accused has given no intimation of his desire to call witnesses on his behalf, a gentleman has volunteered his evidence. He desires that his name shall be withheld, and there are peculiar circumstances that compel me to grant his request. You may be assured, gentlemen of the jury, that I am satisfied both as to the identity of the witness, and that he is in every way worthy of credence.вАЭ
He nodded a signal to an officer, and through the judgeвАЩs door to the witness box there walked a young man. He was dressed in a tightly fitting frock coat, and across the upper part of his face was a half mask.
He leant lightly over the rail, looking at Manfred with a little smile on his clean-cut mouth, and ManfredвАЩs eyes challenged him.
вАЬYou come to speak on behalf of the accused?вАЭ asked the judge.
вАЬYes, my lord.вАЭ
It was the next question that sent a gasp of surprise through the crowded court.
вАЬYou claim equal responsibility for his actions?вАЭ
вАЬYes, my lord!вАЭ
вАЬYou are, in fact, a member of the organization known as the Four Just Men?вАЭ
вАЬI am.вАЭ
He spoke calmly, and the thrill that the confession produced, left him unmoved.
вАЬYou claim, too,вАЭ said the judge, consulting a paper before him, вАЬto have participated in their councils?вАЭ
вАЬI claim that.вАЭ
There were long pauses between the questions, for the judge was checking the replies and counsel was writing busily.
вАЬAnd you say you are in accord both with their objects and their methods?вАЭ
вАЬAbsolutely.вАЭ
вАЬYou have helped carry out their judgment?вАЭ
вАЬI have.вАЭ
вАЬAnd have given it the seal of your approval?вАЭ
вАЬYes.вАЭ
вАЬAnd you state that their judgments were animated with a high sense of their duty and responsibility to mankind?вАЭ
вАЬThose were my words.вАЭ
вАЬAnd that the men they killed were worthy of death?вАЭ
вАЬOf that I am satisfied.вАЭ
вАЬYou state this as a result of your personal knowledge and investigation?вАЭ
вАЬI state this from personal knowledge in two instances, and from the investigations of myself and the independent testimony of high legal authority.вАЭ
вАЬWhich brings me to my next question,вАЭ said the judge. вАЬDid you ever appoint a commission to investigate all the circumstances of the known cases in which the Four Just Men have been implicated?вАЭ
вАЬI did.вАЭ
вАЬWas it composed of a Chief Justice of a certain European State, and four eminent criminal lawyers?вАЭ
вАЬIt was.вАЭ
вАЬAnd what you have said is the substance of the finding of that Commission?вАЭ
вАЬYes.вАЭ
The Judge nodded gravely and the public prosecutor rose to cross-examination.
вАЬBefore I ask you any question,вАЭ he said, вАЬI can only express myself as being in complete agreement with his lordship on the policy of allowing your identity to remain hidden.вАЭ The young man bowed.
вАЬNow,вАЭ said the counsel, вАЬlet me ask you this. How long have you been in association with the Four Just Men?вАЭ
вАЬSix months,вАЭ said the other.
вАЬSo that really you are not in a position to give evidence regarding the merits of this caseвБ†вАФwhich is five years old, remember.вАЭ
вАЬSave from the evidence of the Commission.вАЭ
вАЬLet me ask you thisвБ†вАФbut I must tell you that you need not answer unless you wishвБ†вАФare you satisfied that the Four Just Men were responsible for that tragedy?вАЭ
вАЬI do not doubt it,вАЭ said the young man instantly.
вАЬWould anything make you doubt it?вАЭ
вАЬYes,вАЭ said the witness smiling, вАЬif Manfred denied it, I should not only doubt it, but be firmly assured of his innocence.вАЭ
вАЬYou say you approve both of their methods and their objects?вАЭ
вАЬYes.вАЭ
вАЬLet us suppose you were the head of a great business firm controlling a thousand workmen, with rules and regulations for their guidance and a scale of fines and punishments for the preservation of discipline. And suppose you found one of those workmen had set himself up as an arbiter of conduct, and had superimposed upon your rules a code of his own.вАЭ
вАЬWell?вАЭ
вАЬWell, what would be your attitude toward that man?вАЭ
вАЬIf the rules he initiated were wise and needful I would incorporate them in my code.вАЭ
вАЬLet me put another case. Suppose you governed a territory, administering the lawsвБ†вАФвАЭ
вАЬI know what you are going to say,вАЭ interrupted the witness, вАЬand my answer is that the laws of a country are as so many closely-set palings erected for the benefit of the community. Yet try as you will, the interstices exist, and some men will go and come at their pleasure, squeezing through this fissure, or walking boldly through that gap.вАЭ
вАЬAnd you would welcome an unofficial form of justice that acted as a kind of moral stopgap?вАЭ
вАЬI would welcome clean justice.вАЭ
вАЬIf it were put to you as an abstract proposition, would you accept it?вАЭ
The young man paused before he replied.
вАЬIt is difficult to accommodate oneвАЩs mind to the abstract, with such tangible evidence of the efficacy of the Four Just MenвАЩs system before oneвАЩs eyes,вАЭ he said.
вАЬPerhaps it is,вАЭ said the counsel, and signified that he had finished.
The witness hesitated before leaving the box, looking at the prisoner, but Manfred shook his head smilingly, and the straight slim figure of the young man passed out of court by the way he had come.
The unrestrained buzz of conversation that followed his departure was allowed to go unchecked as judge and counsel consulted earnestly across the bench.
Garrett, down amongst the journalists, put into words the vague thought that had been present in every mind in court.
вАЬDo you notice, Jimmy,вАЭ he said to James Sinclair of the Review, вАЬhow blessed unreal this trial is? DonвАЩt you miss the very essence of a murder trial, the mournfulness of it and the horror of it? HereвАЩs a feller been killed and not once has the prosecution talked about вАШthis poor man struck down in the prime of lifeвАЩ or said anything that made you look at the prisoner to see how he takes it. ItвАЩs a philosophical discussion with a hanging at the end of it.вАЭ
вАЬSure,вАЭ said Jimmy.
вАЬBecause,вАЭ said Garrett, вАЬif they find him guilty, heвАЩs got to die. ThereвАЩs no doubt about that; if they donвАЩt hang him, crack! goes the British Constitution, the Magna Charta, the Diet of Worms, and a few other things that Bill Seddon was gassing about.вАЭ
His irreverent reference was to the prosecutorвАЩs opening speech.
Now Sir William Seddon was on his feet again, beginning his closing address to the jury. He applied himself to the evidence that had been given, to the prisonerвАЩs refusal to call that evidence into question, and conventionally traced step by step the points that told against the man in the dock. He touched on the appearance of the masked figure in the witness-box. For what it was worth it deserved their consideration, but it did not affect the issue before the court. The jury were there to formulate a verdict in accordance with the law as it existed, not as if it did not exist at all, to apply the law, not to create itвБ†вАФthat was their duty. The prisoner would be offered an opportunity to speak in his own defence. Counsel for the Crown had waived his right to make the final address. They would, if he spoke, listen attentively to the prisoner, giving him the benefit of any doubt that might be present in their minds. But he could not see, he could not conceivably imagine, how the jury could return any but one verdict.
It seemed for a while that Manfred did not intend availing himself of the opportunity, for he made no sign, then he rose to his feet, and, resting his hands on the inkstand ledge before him:
вАЬMy lord,вАЭ he said, and turned apologetically to the jury, вАЬand gentlemen.вАЭ
The court was so still that he could hear the scratchings of the reportersвАЩ pens, and unexpected noises came from the street outside.
вАЬI doubt either the wisdom or the value of speaking,вАЭ he said, вАЬnot that I suggest that you have settled in your minds the question of my guilt without very excellent and convincing reasons.
вАЬI am under an obligation to Counsel for the Treasury,вАЭ he bowed to the watchful prosecutor, вАЬbecause he spared me those banalities of speech which I feared would mar this trial. He did not attempt to whitewash the man we killed, or to exonerate him from his gross and sordid crimes. Rather, he made plain the exact position of the law in relation to myself, and with all he said I am in complete agreement. The inequalities of the law are notorious, and I recognize the impossibility, as society is constituted, of amending the law so that crimes such as we have dealt with shall be punished as they deserve. I do not rail against the fate that sent me here. When I undertook my mission, I undertook it with my eyes open, for I, too,вАЭ he smiled at the upturned faces at the counselsвАЩ bench, вАЬI too am learned in the lawвБ†вАФand other things.
вАЬThere are those who imagine that I am consumed with a burning desire to alter the laws of this country; that is not so. Set canons, inflexible in their construction, cannot be adapted according to the merits of a case, and particularly is this so when the very question of вАШmeritвАЩ is a contentious point. The laws of England are good laws, wise and just and equitable. What other commendation is necessary than this one fact, that I recognize that my life is forfeit by those laws, and assent to the justice which condemns me?
вАЬNone the less, when I am free again,вАЭ he went on easily, вАЬI shall continue to merit your judgment because there is that within me, which shows clearly which way my path lies, and how best I may serve humanity. If you say that to choose a victim here and a victim there for condemnation, touching only the veriest fringe of the world of rascaldom, I am myself unjustвБ†вАФsince I leave the many and punish the fewвБ†вАФI answer that for every man we slew, a hundred turned at the terror of our name and walked straightly; that the example of one death saved thousands. And if you should seriously ask: Have you helped reform mankind, I answer as seriouslyвБ†вАФYes.вАЭ
He talked all this time to the judge.
вАЬIt would be madness to expect a civilized country to revert to the barbarism of an age in which death was the penalty for every other crime, and I will not insult your intelligence by denying that such a return to the bad days was ever suggested by me. But there has come into existence a spurious form of humanitarianism, the exponents of which have, it would appear, lost their sense of proportion, and have promoted the Fear of Pain to a religion; who have forgotten that the age of Reason is not yet, and that men who are animal in all but human semblance share the animalвАЩs obedience to corrective discipline, share too his blind fear of deathвБ†вАФand are amenable to methods that threaten his comfort or his life.вАЭ
He flung out his hand toward the judge.
вАЬYou, my lord,вАЭ he cried, вАЬcan you order the flogging of a brute who has half killed one of his fellows, without incurring the bleating wrath of men and women, who put everything before physical painвБ†вАФhonour, patriotism, justice? Can you sentence a man to death for a cruel murder without a thousand shrieking products of our time rushing hither and thither like ants, striving to secure his release? Without a chorus of pityвБ†вАФthat was unexcited by the mangled victim of his ferocity? вАШKilling, deliberate, wolfish killing by man,вАЩ say they in effect, вАШis the act of God; but the legal punishment of death, is murder.вАЩ That is why I expect no sympathy for the methods the Four Just Men adopted. We represented a lawвБ†вАФwe executed expeditiously. We murdered if you like. In the spirit and the letter of the laws of England, we did murder. I acknowledge the justice of my condemnation. I do not desire to extenuate the circumstances of my crime. Yet none the less the act I cannot justify to your satisfaction I justify to my own.вАЭ
He sat down.
A barrister, leaning over the public prosecutorвАЩs back, asked:
вАЬWhat do you think of that?вАЭ
Sir William shook his head.
вАЬBewildering,вАЭ he said in despair.
The judgeвАЩs summing up was one of the briefest on record.
The jury had to satisfy their minds that the prisoner committed the crime with which he was charged, and must not trouble themselves with any other aspect of the case but that part plainly before them. Was the man in the dock responsible for the killing of Lipski?
Without leaving the box, the jury returned its verdict.
вАЬGuilty!вАЭ
Those used to such scenes noticed that the judge in passing sentence of death omitted the striking and sombre words that usually accompany the last sentence of the law, and that he spoke, too, without emotion.
вАЬEither heвАЩs going to get a reprieve or else the judge is certain heвАЩll escape,вАЭ said Garrett, вАЬand the last explanation seems ridiculous.вАЭ
вАЬBy the way,вАЭ said his companion as they passed slowly with the crowd into the roadway, вАЬwho was that swell that came late and sat on the bench?вАЭ
вАЬThat was his Highness the Prince of the Escorial,вАЭ said Charles, вАЬheвАЩs in London just now on his honeymoon.вАЭ
вАЬI know all about that,вАЭ said Jimmy, вАЬbut I heard him speaking to the sheriff just before we came out, and it struck me that IвАЩd heard his voice before.вАЭ
вАЬIt seemed to me,вАЭ said the discreet CharlesвБ†вАФso discreet indeed that he never even suggested to his editor that the mysterious mask who gave evidence on behalf of George Manfred was none other than his Royal Highness.