Then the formality of asking him if he wished to make a statement being gone through, and having been duly cautioned, George, instructed by the attorney, repeated, “It was an accident,” and in a scrawling, shaky, schoolboy hand signed his statement.
Then Pyle applied that bail should be granted. There was plenty of substantial security available, he added. And at his words at least a dozen men stood up. But the next words that fell from the Bench were even a greater thunderbolt to us than the decision to commit.
“I cannot grant bail, Mr Pyle.”
“Not grant bail, your worship?”
“No. Not in a case of this nature.”
“But there’s no more substantial man in the district than the boy’s father, your worship.”
“I am far from denying it. But—I cannot grant bail.”
Quite an angry murmur ran through the audience at this. But the magistrate merely looked up.
“Several persons here are committing a very distinct contempt of court,” he observed coldly. “Remove the prisoner.”
The poor little chap kept up bravely till he was out of sight. Then he broke down and fairly howled.