The Unknown Man Page #5

He's as guilty as Cain

and he'll go to the chair.

"The case of the people

versus Rudi Wallchek."

"His Honor, judge Holbrook presiding."

Be seated.

"For the people:

Joseph Bucknor, District Attorney."

"For the defendant:

Dwight Bradley Masen."

"The case looked solid."

"One night in his father's

shop on Cedar Street

"Young Johnny Hulderman

had come to a sudden end."

"It took the doctor from the Coroner's

office an hour to explain to the jury."

"In medical language that

Johnny was stabbed to death."

"Stabbed, said the medic by a

6" dagger, triangular shaped."

"Sure we'd frisked Wallchek's

place without finding it."

"But dagger or no dagger, that

young man's goose was cooked."

"A plain clothes man saw him come out

of the shop at the time of the murder."

"No ifs or buts."

"And old man Hulderman,

Johnny's father."

"Sure as there are cops and

robbers, he'd seen him come in."

"The motive?"

"Robbery."

And 26 dollars were gone from the till?

Is that right?

Is that correct, Mr Hulderman?

And 45 cents.

How was that?

Louder please, Mr Hulderman.

Oh .. and forty-five cents!

Alright.

Now with the court's permission I'd like

you to go back to the beginning, please.

Tell us in your own words what happened

that night after you went to bed.

Johnny was working late in the shop.

And I was in bed, just nodding off.

My room was at the back, like I said.

When I heard a knock on the door.

Which door was that?

The front door, sir.

Johnny had locked and

bolted it an hour before.

Well .. like I told you.

I saw Johnny go to the door and ..

How did you see him?

Through the glass door, from my bed.

Mr Hulderman, what

kind of glass is that?

Just plain window glass.

Alright.

What happened then?

What did you see next?

I saw Johnny let the man in.

I know the man.

I know him well, because ..

Because three weeks ago I fixed

a new lock on the door of his place.

I'm a locksmith you see, and ..

Talk into the microphone, please.

Oh yes, sir.

Well .. it was the same man.

I'd know him anywhere.

I'd know him for sure.

Right, you recognised the man.

Did you get out of bed?

No, I laid there watching

him and Johnny talk for a bit.

I figured he'd come about

another repair job.

Strike that out.

The conclusion of a

witness is not evidence.

The court allows for the fact ..

That the counsel for the defence is a

stranger to our procedures here, but ..

There are limits.

I am deeply obliged Your Honor.

Thank you, I should have objected.

Proceed.

I must have dozed off.

You mean you fell asleep?

Yes, sir. I had taken a

pill when I went to bed.

I had not been sleeping

well and the Doc, he ..

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