The After House
Page 87The cross-examination confined itself to one detail of Charlie
Jones's testimony.
"Did you, between midnight and 3 A.M., see any one in the chart-room
besides the mate?"
"Yes--Mr. Turner."
"You say you cannot see into the chart-room from the wheel at night.
How did you see him?"
"He turned on the light. He seemed to be looking for something."
"Was he dressed?"
"Yes, sir."
"Can you describe what he wore?"
"Yes, sir. His coat was off. He had a white shirt and a white vest."
"Were the shirt and vest similar to these I show you?"
"Most of them things look alike to me. Yes, sir."
The defense had scored again. But it suffered at the hands of Burns,
Turner at this time; but, after a whispered conference with Turner's
attorneys, they made a change. Turner, indeed, was in no condition
to go on the stand. He was pallid and twitching, and his face was
covered with sweat.
Burns corroborated the testimony against Singleton--his surly
temper, his outbursts of rage, his threats against the captain.
And he brought out a new point: that Jones, the helmsman, had been
afraid of Singleton that night, and had asked not to be left alone
at the wheel.
During this examination the prosecution for the first time made
clear their position: that the captain was murdered first; that Vail
interfered, and, pursued by Singleton, took refuge in his bunk,
where he was slaughtered; that the murderer, bending to inspect his
horrid work, had unwittingly touched the bell that roused Karen
as she opened the door.
The prosecution questioned Burns about the axe and its disappearance.
"Who suggested that the axe be kept in the captain's cabin?"
"Leslie, acting as captain."
"Who had the key?"
"I carried it on a strong line around my neck."
"Whose arrangement was that?"
"Leslie's. He had the key to Mr. Singleton's cabin, and I carried
this one. We divided the responsibility."
"Did you ever give the key to any one?"
"No, sir."
"Did it ever leave you?"
"Not until it was taken away."
"When was that?"
"Tell what happened."
"I was knocked down from behind, while I was standing at the port
forward corner of the after house. The key was taken from me while
I was unconscious."
"Did you ever see the white object that has been spoken of by the
crew?"
"No, sir. I searched the deck one night when Adams, the lookout,
raised an alarm. We found nothing except--"
"Go on."
"He threw down a marlinespike at something moving in the bow. The
spike disappeared. We couldn't find it, although we could see where
it had struck the deck. Afterwards we found a marlinespike hanging
over the ship's side by a lanyard. It might have been the one we
looked for."