judged that they were there in an unofficial capacity in Rao-Singh's interest. Lawyers with no good purpose probably.
David Banning was right in his element. He had observed with satisfaction the large and well-groomed audience and the extensive array of reporters. He always cultivated reporters. He tried to arrange his conduct of cases so as to provide a "big punch" for both the morning and afternoon editions. He always talked freely and confidently to the newspapers. They had already printed his statement that this case was an open and shut affair and that Dudley Drake would be on his way to the penitentiary for a long sentence by the following evening at the latest.
There had been little trouble in getting a jury. The talesmen called had been about equally divided between transplanted New York commuters and native Long Islanders, ordinary people with ordinary intelligence. Many admitted they had read about the case already in the papers and formed opinions in advance, and Kendall found that this was practically the only ground upon which he could exercise his challenging right. He had determined upon a defense that admitted Dudley had done the shooting but maintained that it had occurred through a combination of accident and self-defense.
