"Do you believe it was Winters?" he asked sharply.
"I don't know," he was answered evasively.
"But was not Mr. White always very candid in speaking to you about Winters?" Littell insisted.
"Yes," he replied; "he was."
"Then if it had been Winters, do you not think he would have spoken of him by name?" and Littell's tone was almost angry.
"Yes," Benton answered reluctantly.
"Then you do not believe it was Winters?" Littell concluded.
"No, I do not," he admitted finally.
Next Littell secured from Miles the torn piece of a letter we had found in White's sitting-room, and with the consent of the State submitted it to the witness and had him read its broken sentences to the jury, and after he had done so, asked him if he had any idea to what it referred or for whom it was intended, but the witness denied any knowledge on the subject.
The defence having concluded, the prosecution endeavored upon re-direct examination to restore the force of the direct testimony, but without much success; the damage was done, and the witness was no longer capable of assisting in its repair.