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Page 72
A. In two particulars only. In the first place, it was very small,
having a capacity of but five or six drops, and, in the second place,
it was provided with an internal spring which, when released, worked
the plunger and ejected the contents with extreme rapidity.
Q. What operated this spring?
A. Around the needle-like point of the syringe, less than a quarter
of an inch from its end, was a tiny, annular bit of metal. This
little metallic collar was forced upward by the pressure of the flesh
as the sharp point entered it, and this movement released the spring
and instantly and forcibly ejected the contents of the cylinder.
Q. Did you use a poison in this syringe?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. What did you use?
M. LATOUR hesitated and shifted helplessly about as if he dreaded to
go farther into these particulars, and fondly hoped someone might
come to his rescue. His gaze seemed to shift about the room without
in the least being able to disentangle itself from that of M. Godin.
He remained silent and the question was repeated.
Q. What did you use?
Again the witness hesitated while everyone, save only Maitland and
Godin, leaned eagerly forward to catch his reply. At length it
came in a voice scarcely above a whisper.
A. Anhydrous hydrocyanic acid.
A long-drawn "Hum!" escaped from Maitland, while M. Godin gave not
the slightest indication of surprise. It was quite evident to us
all that the astute Frenchman had acquired complete control of the
case before he had arrested the assassin. At this juncture the Court
said, addressing Maitland:
"This substance is extremely poisonous, I take it."
"Your Honour," Maitland replied, "it is the most fatal of all poisons
known to chemists. It is also called cyanhydric, and, more commonly,
prussic acid. An insignificant amount, when inhaled or brought into
contact with the skin, causes immediate death. If a drop be placed
upon the end of a glass rod and brought toward the nose of a live
rabbit he will be dead before it reaches him."
A profound silence--the death-like quiet which accompanies an almost
breaking tension--reigned in the court-room as Maitland turned again
to Latour.
Q. I understand you to say you used anhydrous hydrocyanic or
cyanhydric acid.
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Do you sufficiently understand chemistry to use these terms with
accuracy? Might you not have used potassium cyanide or prussiate
of potash?
A. I am a tolerably good chemist, and have spoken understandingly.
Potassium cyanide, KCN, is a white, crystalline compound, and could
hardly be used in a hypodermic syringe save in solution, in which
condition it would not have been sufficiently poisonous to have
served my purpose.
At this reply many of the audience exchanged approving glances.
They believed M. Latour had shown himself quite a match for Maitland
in not falling easily into what they regarded as a neat little trap
which had been set to prove his lack of chemical knowledge. They
attributed Maitland's failure to further interrogate Latour upon
his understanding of chemistry as evidence that he had met an equal.
To be sure, they were not quite clear in their own minds why Latour's
counsel should be at such pains to carefully examine a man who had
already confessed, but they believed they knew when a lawyer had met
his match, and felt sure that this was one such instance. Clinton
Browne, who sat in one of the front seats, seemed to find a deal
more to amuse him in this incident than was apparent to me. Some
men have such a wonderful sense of humour!
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