“What are you accusing me of?” cried Gibbons.
“Like yourself, I am making no accusations. Did you send such a letter or not?”
“As leader of the strike I may——”
“No, no. Answer, yes or no.”
“Let me explain. I say——”
“First answer the question, Gibbons.”
“I refuse to be coerced in this manner. I am willing to answer anything, but I must be allowed to answer in my own way.”
“No man is bound to incriminate himself, Gibbons, as you remarked a while ago. Since we cannot get an answer to that question, I will ask another. Will you give me permission to read your Sartwell letter to this meeting?”
Gibbons was dumbfounded, and forgot entirely, in his agitation, that the letter had been returned to him, remembering only that its contents were not for the general public. His attitude was that of conscious guilt.
“Read it, read it!” cried the crowd, and the shouts seemed to rouse Gibbons to a sense of the situation.