St. Well, he said that all the rich people and all the shopkeepers (glancing at the Jury) should be disemboweled and flayed alive, and that all arrangements had been made for doing it, if only the workingmen would combine. He then went into details as to where various detachments were to meet in order to take the Bank of England and capture the Queen. He also threatened to smash Mr. Justice Nupkins’ “Rent-of-Ability,” by which I understood him to mean his skull.
J. N. His—my brains, you mean!
St. No, my lord; for he said that you—that he—hadn’t any brains.
Mr. H. Did you find any documents or papers on him when he was arrested?
St. Yes; he had a bundle of papers with him.
Mr. H. Like this? (showing a number of “Commonweal”)
St. Yes.
J. F. (Aside: Two quires that I couldn’t sell, damn it!)
Mr. H. We put this paper in, my lord. Your lordship will notice the vileness of the incendiarism contained in it. I specially draw your attention to this article by one Bax, who as you will see, is familiar with the use of dynamite to a fearful extent. (J. N. reads, muttering “Curse of Civilisation.”) Gentlemen of the Jury that is our case.
J. N. (looking up from “Commonweal”). Prisoner at the bar, what have you to say? Do you call witnesses?