Page:The Art of Cross-Examination.djvu/233

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THE BELLEVUE HOSPITAL CASE

up the methods of the asylum, but that the paper had repudiated the contract?"

Witness. "No."

Counsel. "Or words to that effect?"

Witness. "No."

Counsel. "I am referring to a time subsequent to your discharge from the asylum, and after you had returned to take away your belongings. Did you, at that time, tell the nurse Gordon that you had expected to be able to write an article for which you could get $140?"

Witness. "I did not."

Counsel. "Did the nurse say to you, 'You got fooled this time, didn't you?' And did you reply, 'Yes, but I will try to write up something and see if I can't get square with them!'"

Witness. "I have no memory of it."

Counsel. "Or words to that effect?"

Witness. "I did not."

All that preceded had served only as a veiled introduction to the next important question.

Counsel (quietly). "At that time, as a matter of fact, did you know anything you could write about when you got back to the Herald office?"

Witness. "I knew there was nothing to write."

Counsel. "Did you know at that time, or have any idea, what you would write when you got out?"

Witness. "Did I at that time know? Why, I knew there was nothing to write."

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