Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

24 "Yc-yos." Jackie fidgeted restlessly ivitli his watchchain. "But I—I see now I made a mistake. This is not the same man as the one who did the shooting." Whitlock gritted his teeth. In that moment it was on the tip of his tongue to tell the youngster that he was yellow —scared to do liis duty as an honour- nble and law-abiding citizen because he feared the i^owcr of Campo's gang. But he suppressed the feeling, and, in- dicating that the witness should be allowed to .stand down, he called upon Jackie's sister, Sue. "JNIiss Leeds." Whitlock's voice was pleading as the girl took her stand in the witness-box. "You did not see the shooting, I know, but you can estab- lish one fact. The killer and his diabolical companions entered your liouse tliat night as they made their getawaj-. You saw them as you re- turned from the cellar, where you had gone for a pot of jam. Was the prisoner the man in the raincoat?" Sue shuddered as she stole a glance ill Maxey Campo, saw the evil glitter in his eye. " Well, I—er—well he looks somc- tliing like him," she said lamely. "But, really, I wouldn't swear to it." As the district attorney shrugged his shoulders helplessly, Maxey Campo let out a loud guffaw and winked at his counsel, «a crook lawyer who was in his pay. "Silence in court!" came the deep- throated voice of the usher. "Your honour." Campo's coun.sel was now on his feet. "I demand that tlic case against my client bo dismissed on the ground of insufficient evidence." Campo shot the discomfited Whit- lock a triumphant glance, then turned hts sinister eyes on the judge's dis- ajjpointed face. "Mr. Wliitlock, I need not tell you the law." The judge experienced a twinge of pain that he should be com- pelled to .speak thus to the district eittorney. Like all law-abiding citizens lie had hoped that Whitlock would have a clear case—tliat at the end of the trial he would be able to pro- nounce the death .sentence on the pri- soner. But his hopes were now dashed ti the ground. " You have produced no evidence to warrant me holding the defendant, therefore " He paused as he noticed that Whit- lock's assistant, Thorpe, had come hur- riedly into the courtroom and was v.hispcring in his chief's ear. Next nioinent «nd the district attorney, tin eager gleam in those fine blue eyes of III*, was facing him again. "Your honour," Whitlock cried in a voice \ ibraiit with excitement, "may I ask tlie indulgence of this court for just a few moments oti a matter of groat imf'ortance in this case?" "Granted." The judge hesitated not a moment in giving his reply. But as Whitlock swung about with the intention of hastening into an ad- joining room, where he had been told by Tliorjie he was wanted on the tele- phone l)y the i-'tanton Street Police Station, Maxey Campo's counsel leaped hastily to his feet Shrewd that he was, lie shared tne judge's susjncion that this interruption in the proceedings meant fresh evidence against his client— perhaps vital evidence that would con- demn him. "Your honour, I object \" he cried \Tarmly. "Objection overruled," announced the iiidf;e promptly. ( Tfie district attorney, with a triumph- November 2Ist, 1931. BOY'S CINEMA ant smile, bowed to the judge, then hurried quickly from the court. A few minutes' absence, and then he was back again. But even as he took up his stand once more, a police officer ap- proached and spoke "to him in . a whisper. "Yes, yes, officer. Bring tliem right in." His face beaming, Whitlock went over to Mrs. Leeds and her family, who sat in the .seats reserved for wit- ne.'-ses. llis shining eyes took in them all, including the father who rested com- fortably on his stretcher on the floor, but. it was to Mrs. Leeds that he addressed himself. "Mrs. Leeds, I've real good news for you. Your boy is safe. I just had word to that effect from the Stanton Police Station." "Oh, thank Heaven for that!" The mother clasped her hands thankfully and gave the district attorney a grate- ful glance. "Donny safe! Oh, how wonderfid !" "They're bringing him here now," Whitlock went on. "And his grand- father's with him. It appears that JNIr. Summerill was searching for the boy and " But his words were drowned in a bedlam of sound that suddenly welled up in the Court. All faces turned in- stantly towards the door at the far end of the crowded room where, surrounded by half a dozen police-officers, there had appeared the aged form of Grandpa Summerill and the small figure of little Donny. "One moment, your Honour!" Whit- lock faced the judge with the air of a man who has already tasted the fruits of victory. "Some additional witnesses arrived to testify." The judge nodded, experiencing a thrill of elation at the district attorney's words. Instantly Whitlock swooped clown on Grandpa Summerill as he and Donny joined their family, and the small boy was embraced passionatelv by the greatly relieved Mrs. Leeds. "Do you want to take the stand now, Mr. Summerill?" the district attorney eagerly inquired. But as the old stager swung i-ound on him, and as he saw that he was breath- ing heavily, that his eyes looked heavy as if from lack of sleep, Whitlock re- membered what the police chief at the Stanton Street Station had told him over the telephone. Grandpa Summerill had been tramping the streets since he had disappeared the previous da}% in the hope that he would be able to trace his kidnapped grandson. It was clear that he must be very tirwl—almost at the end of his tether. And humane that ho was, Whitlock felt he could not pos- sibl.v tax the old man further yet awhile. "No, Mr. Summerill." he said, squeez- ing grandjia's arm. "You'd better wait a little while. You must be tired. I'll got an adjournment while you snatch a little rest." "Adjournment nothing!" The fight- ing light was back in grandpa's eyes. Rest when he had his duty to the State to do ? Not he! Hadn't he once been in battle for the better part of a week with little more than two hours' sleep the whole while? Shoulders squared as if he were on parade, he looked at Whit- lock determinedly. "Of course I'm going to take my stand now, and, by lieck, they're going to hear a darned jiretty tune!" Iinportantly, he shuffled forward, making straight for the judge's bench. Arrived there he blinked uj) into tlie stern face, bowed somewhat awkwardly, [ Every Tuesday then, with surprising suddenness, turned quickly about. "Ah, ha, that's the fellow that did the shootin'!" Eyes gleaming fiercely, he raised a hand, pointed his finger straight at Maxey Campo, wlio scowled at him. But the ferocious look in no way perturbed the old warrior. Quickly he turned to the judge again, while ever5'one in the court-room strained their eare to catch his words. "Yes, he's the fellow, judge. Now let ma tell you and the whole darned Court something. These skunks ain't so tougli as they think they are. The trouble with us is that we're too weak-kneed with 'em. I ask you, what would the founders of our country have done witli scum like them? What would Abraham Lincoln have done ? Why, he'd liave risen up and flung them slap into the ocean. And it's time we was a-doin' tha same thing. Yes, siree!"' The judge could only blink at him. so taken aback was he with this irre- verent outburst. But his Honour was not the only one in the court who waj utterly astoimded by Grandpa Sum- merill's passion-inflamed words. Every single person present was flabbergasted —as for Maxey Campo, he felt suddenly weak and helpless, without a spark ot - fight left in him. »■; Watched by hundreds of pairs of fas- cinated eyes. Grandpa suddenly shuffled forward and confronted the prisoner aj he leaned limply against the dock. "You low-down dirty rat, shoot men in the back, would you, huh? Kidnap little Donnj', beat up his father, huh ? Well, I'm going to give you a dose of clean medicine, not the rotten stuff that you like to dish up." Eyes flashing fire, he brought up his ' fist and smashed it with all his force to the point of Campo's jaw. With a grunt the gang.ster tottered sideways, but grandpa only grinned ferociously, then with another quick movement he kicked Campo's feet from under hiiuj and brought him crashing to the floor, j " And that's one I owe you for lam-j ming me on the head with that gun.^ How do you like it, huh? Tell me, how do jou like it ?" Whitlock came darting forward, tha first in all the Court to recover from the effects of the startling scene that had been enacted before their eyes. Quickly lie gripped giandpa's arm, but the old fellow pushed him aside, theaj scanned the court with his "fiercely gleam- ing eyes. "Now where's that infernal witne; stand?" he shrilled. "I'll .show 'em I'll testify that it was this dirty thu_ who did the shooting on Western Street Fond of taking folk for a ride, is hcf'^: Well, it's his turn to take such a ti'ip-*] a trip to the Chair, and. by heck, it'P* going to be warm for him!" Words that sounded the death-knell for Maxey Campo. for, inspired by the pluck and grit of Grandpa Summerill, star witness in the trial, the wliole of the Leeds family went into the witm-ss- stand and swore that it was he who li.id shot Jim Preston and Greener Kaufniau in Western Street that fatal night. And so Maxey Campo went to the Chair, and his demise did much to lesseo the gang atrocities in the city, for the czars of the underworld were compelled to realise that the Law was a jiower, after all, and was not to be 1 defied. llr„i light^ (By permission of Warner Bros. Pie* tures, Ltd., starring Charles (Clue) Salf . and Walter Huston.) *i