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“Stick to the prisoner,” cried the court.
“I bow to correction, sir,” went on Burder. “I say again, this is no time for half-measures; and I say that Sunflower Bay will be a better place to live in without Mr. Billy. I leave it to the honourable court, with every confidence, to vindicate justice in these islands by condemning the prisoner to the extreme penalty of the law. The case for the Queen is closed, gentlemen.”
“I believe you appear for the defence, Mr. Facey?” said Casement, as the Queen’s prosecutor took his seat.
“I do, sir,” returned the first lieutenant, nervously.
“I should like to say, first of all,” he began, “that I will not cross-examine these dirty old savages who have given evidence against my client. I quite agree with everything my honourable friend has said regarding them, and I cannot think that the court will attach undue importance to any evidence they may have given. We’ve been told that the Kanakas are losing all respect for whites, and that if we don’t take some strong measures there will be the deuce to pay in these islands. Perhaps there will be; but is that the British justice we’re so proud of, or is it fair play, gentlemen, to the unfortunate wretch who is trembling before you? From what I’ve seen of the whites in this group, I can say emphatically that I’m in a line with the Kanakas. Now, as to this Billy: What is there against him but his own confession? and that, I beg leave to point out, ought not to be taken as conclusive. As like as not he is the scapegoat for the whole bay, and has been coached up to tell this story under the screw. Just look one moment at old Jib there, and see how his friends wither when his eyes fall their way. For all we know to the contrary, his gibberish and click-click may be to the tune of ‘Billy, you son of a gun, I’ll cut you into forty pieces, or flay you alive if you don’t stick to what I’ve told you.’ After all, what have we learned from Billy? Nothing more than this: ‘White fellow no good; I kill him.’ Is that what anybody would call a full confession? Does it give any clew or any details as to the motive or the carrying out of this murder? It may be, indeed, that Billy is a monomaniac with a confirmed delusion that he has killed Biggar; the court may smile, but I think I am right in stating that such things have occurred and have even led to miscarriages of justice in the past. I tell you, gentlemen, I believe it was the whole blooming bay that killed Biggar, and that Billy was just as guilty or just as innocent as the rest. And there is one thing I feel mortal sure about: that if we take the prisoner outside the heads we will soon get the gag off his mouth, and learn a good deal more about this ugly business. Under old Jib’s search-light he’s got to keep a close lip; but take him out to sea, and I answer for it he won’t be so reticent. In conclusion, gentlemen, I say again that the evidence in this case is inconclusive; that the honourable gentleman who has appeared for the Queen has failed to make out a convincing case against my client; that Billy’s confession in itself is not a sufficient proof that he committed the crime charged against him; and that we cannot take the life of a human being on such flimsy and unsupported evidence.”