she stands accused(她是被告)-第26章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
74
… Page 75…
SHE STANDS ACCUSED
and call up the watch。 Gehagan ran down； but found difficulty in
opening the door below； and had to return。 Kerrel himself went down
then； and came back with two watchmen。 They found Sarah in the
bedroom at a chest of drawers； in which she was turning over some linen
that she claimed to be hers。 The now completely suspicious Kerrel went
to his closet； and noticed that two or three waistcoats were missing from a
portmanteau。 He asked Sarah where they were； upon which Sarah； with
an eye to the watchmen and to Gehagan； begged to be allowed to speak
with him alone。
Kerrel refused； saying he could have no business with her that was
secret。
Sarah then confessed that she had pawned the missing waistcoats for
two guineas； and begged him not to be angry。 Kerrel asked her why she
had not asked him for money。 He could readily forgive her for pawning
the waistcoats； but； having heard her talk of Mrs Lydia Duncomb； he was
afraid she was concerned with the murder。 A pair of earrings were found
in the drawers； and these Sarah claimed； putting them in her corsage。 An
odd…looking bundle in the closet then attracted Kerrel's attention； and he
kicked it； and asked Sarah what it was。 She said it was merely dirty linen
wrapped up in an old gown。 She did not wish it exposed。 Kerrel made
further search； and found that other things were missing。 He told the
watch to take the woman and hold her strictly。
Sarah was led away。 Kerrel； now thoroughly roused； continued his
search； and he found underneath his bed another bundle。 He also came
upon some bloodstained linen in another place； and in a close…stool a
silver tankard； upon the handle of which was a lot of dried blood。
Kerrel's excitement passed to Gehagan； and the two of them went at
speed downstairs yelling for the watch。 After a little the two watchmen
reappeared； but without Sarah。 They had let her go； they said； because
they had found nothing on her； and； besides； she had not been charged
before a constable。
One here comes upon a recital by the watchmen which reveals the
extraordinary slackness in dealing with suspect persons that characterized
the guardians of the peace in London in those times。 They had let the
75
… Page 76…
SHE STANDS ACCUSED
woman go； but she had come back。 Her home was in Shoreditch； she
said； and rather than walk all that way on a cold and boisterous night she
had wanted to sit up in the watch…house。 The watchmen refused to let
her do this； but ordered her to ‘‘go about her business；'' advising her
sternly at the same time to turn up again by ten o'clock in the morning。
Sarah had given her word； and had gone away。
On hearing this story Kerrel became very angry； threatening the two
watchmen； Hughes and Mastreter； with Newgate if they did not pick her
up again immediately。 Upon this the watchmen scurried off as quickly as
their age and the cumbrous nature of their clothing would let them。 They
found Sarah in the company of two other watchmen at the gate of the
Temple。 Hughes； as a means of persuading her to go with them more
easily； told her that Kerrel wanted to speak with her； and that he was not
angry any longer。 Presently； in Tanfield Court； they came on the two
young men carrying the tankard and the bloodied linen。 This time it was
Gehagan who did the talking。 He accused Sarah furiously； showing her
the tankard。 Sarah attempted to wipe the blood off the tankard handle
with her apron。 Gehagan stopped her。
Sarah said the tankard was her own。 Her mother had given it her； and
she had had it for five years。 It was to get the tankard out of pawn that
she had taken Kerrel's waistcoats； needing thirty shillings。 The blood on
the handle was due to her having pricked a finger。
With this began the series of lies Sarah Malcolm put up in her defence。
She was hauled into the watchman's box and more thoroughly searched。
A green silk purse containing twenty…one guineas was found in the bosom
of her dress。 This purse Sarah declared she had found in the street； and
as an excuse for its cleanliness； unlikely with the streets as foul as they
were at that age and time of year； said she had washed it。 Both bundles
of linen were bloodstained。 There was some doubt as to the identity of
the green purse。 Mrs Rhymer； who； as we have seen； was likelier than
anyone to recognize it； would not swear it was the green purse that had
been in Mrs Duncomb's black box。 There was； however； no doubt at all
about the tankard。 It had the initials ‘‘C。 D。'' engraved upon it； and was
at once identified as Mrs Duncomb's。 The linen which Sarah had been
76
… Page 77…
SHE STANDS ACCUSED
handling in Mr Kerrel's drawer was said to be darned in a way
recognizable as Mrs Duncomb's。 It had lain beside the tankard and the
money in the black box。
％ IV
There was； it will be seen； but very little doubt of Sarah Malcolm's
guilt。 According to the reports of her trial； however； she fought fiercely
for her life； questioning the witnesses closely。 Some of them； such as
could remember small points against her； but who failed in recollection of
the colour of her dress or of the exact number of the coins said to be lost；
she vehemently denounced。
One of the Newgate turnkeys told how some of the missing money
was discovered。 Being brought from the Compter to Newgate； Sarah
happened to see a room in which debtors were confined。 She asked the
turnkey； Roger Johnson； if she could be kept there。 Johnson replied that
it would cost her a guinea； but that from her appearance it did not look to
him as if she could afford so much。 Sarah seems to have bragged then；
saying that if the charge was twice or thrice as much she could send for a
friend who would pay it。 Her attitude probably made the turnkey
suspicious。 At any rate； after Sarah had mixed for some time with the
felons in the prison taproom； Johnson called her out and； lighting the way
by use of a link； led her to an empty room。
‘‘Child；'' he said； ‘‘there is reason to suspect that you are guilty of this
murder； and therefore I have orders to search you。'' He had； he admitted；
no such orders。 He felt under her arms； whereupon she started and threw
back her head。 Johnson clapped his hand on her head and felt something
hard。 He pulled off her cap； and found a bag of money in her hair。
‘‘I asked her；'' Johnson said in the witness…box； ‘‘how she came by it；
and she said it was some of Mrs Duncomb's money。 ‘But； Mr Johnson；'
says she； ‘I'll make you a present of it if you will keep it to yourself； and
let nobo
