"And yet," continued Littell, "you have said everything you could to the jury to make it appear that Winters was White's murderer."
Benton did not attempt to answer this charge and seemed anxious to evade further questions, but Littell showed no disposition to let him off, but leaving his seat took his stand at Benton's elbow and continued his questions at close range, emphasizing each one:
"As a matter of fact, don't you know, or at least are you not satisfied, that Winters had no key to White's house?" he asked.
Accustomed to render obedience to Littell, and by this time thoroughly cowed, Benton was no longer capable of resistance, and assented obediently to the question.
"And do you not know also," Littell continued, "that whoever secured access to White's room that night and killed him, had, in all probability, a key to the house?" and again Benton assented.
"Then it hardly seems likely that Winters was that man, does it?" he concluded,—and the witness had nothing to answer.
Littell next questioned him about White's habits and his relations with other men, and extracted the admission that for some time before his death White had seemed worried and had talked vaguely about some trouble and some person.
"Do you know what that trouble was?" he was asked.
"I do not," he answered.
Littell hesitated as if doubtful of the expediency of pressing his questions further on this line, till the Judge, observing it, himself asked the witness if he knew who the person was; but the witness replied that he did not, adding, however, as an afterthought, that it might have been Winters. At this Littell took a vigorous hand again.