Native Son (42 page)

“Do you believe in social equality for Negroes?”

The room stirred.

“I believe all races are equal….” Jan began.

“Answer
yes
or
no
, Mr. Erlone! You’re not on a soap box.
Do
you believe in social equality for Negroes?”

“Yes.”

“Are you a member of the Communist Party?”

“Yes.”

“In what condition was Miss Dalton when you left her last Sunday morning?”

“What do you mean?”

“Was she drunk?”

“I would not say she was drunk. She had had a few drinks.”

“What time did you leave her?”

“It was about one-thirty, I think.”

“Was she in the front seat of the car?”

“Yes; she was in the front seat.”

“Had she been in the front seat all along?”

“No.”

“Was she in the front seat when you left the café?”

“No.”

“Did you put her in the front seat when you left the car?”

“No; she said she wanted to sit up front.”

“You didn’t
ask
her to?”

“No.”

“When you left her, was she able to get out of the car alone?”

“I think so.”

“Had you had any relations with her while in the back seat that would have tended to make her, let us say, stunned, too weak to have gotten out alone?”

“No!”

“Is it not true, Mr. Erlone, that Miss Dalton was in no condition to protect herself and you lifted her into that front seat?”

“No! I didn’t lift her into the front seat!”

Jan’s voice sounded throughout the room. There was a quick buzzing of conversation.

“Why did you leave an unprotected white girl alone in a car with a drunken Negro?”

“I was not aware that Bigger was drunk and I did not consider Mary as being unprotected.”

“Had you at any time in the past left Miss Dalton alone in the company of Negroes?”

“No.”

“You had never used Miss Dalton as bait before, had you?”

Bigger was startled by a noise behind him. He turned his head; Max was on his feet.

“Mr. Coroner, I realize that this is not a trial. But the questions being asked now have no earthly relation to the cause and manner of the death of the deceased.”

“Mr. Max, we are allowing plenty of latitude here. The Grand Jury will determine whether the testimony offered here has any relation or not.”

“But questions of this sort inflame the public mind….”

“Now, listen, Mr. Max. No question asked in this room will inflame the public mind any more than has the death of Mary Dalton, and you know it. You have the right to question any of these witnesses, but I will not tolerate any publicity-seeking by your kind here!”

“But Mr. Erlone is not on trial here, Mr. Coroner!”

“He is suspected of being implicated in this murder! And we’re after the one who killed this girl and the reasons for it! If you think these questions have the wrong construction, you may question the witness when we’re through. But you cannot regulate the questions asked here!”

Max sat down. The room was quiet. The coroner paced to and fro a few seconds before he spoke again; his face was red and his lips were pressed tight.

“Mr. Erlone, didn’t you give that Negro material relating to the Communist Party?”

“Yes.”

“What was the nature of that material?”

“I gave him some pamphlets on the Negro question.”

“Material advocating the equality of whites and blacks?”

“It was material which explained….”

“Did that material contain a plea for ‘unity of whites and blacks’?”

“Why, yes.”

“Did you, in your agitation of that drunken Negro, tell him that it was all right for him to have sexual relations with white women?”

“No!”

“Did you advise Miss Dalton to have sexual relations with him?”

“No!”

“Did you
shake hands
with that Negro?”

“Yes.”

“Did you
offer
to shake hands with him?”

“Yes. It is what any decent person….”

“Confine yourself to answering the questions, please, Mr. Erlone. We want none of your Communist explanations here. Tell me, did you
eat
with that Negro?”

“Why, yes.”

“You
invited
, him to eat?”

“Yes.”

“Miss Dalton was at the table when you
invited
him to sit down?”

“Yes.”

“How many times have you
eaten
with Negroes before?”

“I don’t know. Many times.”

“You
like
Negroes?”

“I make no distinctions….”

“Do you
like
Negroes, Mr. Erlone?”

“I object!” Max shouted. “How on earth is that related to this case!”

“You cannot regulate these questions!” the coroner shouted.
“I’ve told you that before! A woman has been foully murdered. This witness brought the deceased into contact with the last person who saw her alive. We have the right to determine what this witness’ attitude was toward that girl and that Negro!” The coroner turned back to Jan. “Now, Mr. Erlone, didn’t you ask that Negro to sit in the front seat of the car,
between
you and Miss Dalton?”

“No; he was already in the front seat.”

“But you
didn’t
ask him to get into the
back
seat, did you?”

“No.”

“Why
didn’t
you?”

“My God! The man is human! Why don’t you ask me…?”

“I’m asking these questions and you’re answering them. Now, tell me, Mr. Erlone, would you have invited that Negro to sleep with you?”

“I refuse to answer that question!”

“But you didn’t refuse that drunken Negro the right to sleep with that girl, did you?”

“His right to associate with her or anybody else was not in question….”

“Did you try to keep that Negro
from
Miss Dalton?”

“I didn’t….”

“Answer yes or no!”

“No!”

“Have you a sister?”

“Why, yes.”

“Where is she?”

“In New York.”

“Is she married?”

“No.”

“Would you consent for her to marry a Negro?”

“I have nothing to do with whom she marries.”

“Didn’t you tell that drunken Negro to call you Jan instead of Mr. Erlone?”

“Yes; but,….”

“Confine yourself to answering the questions!”

“But, Mr. Coroner, you imply….”

“I’m trying to establish a motive for the murder of that innocent girl!”

“No; you’re not! You’re trying to indict a race of people and a political party!”

“We want no statements! Tell me, was Miss Dalton in a condition to say good-bye to you when you left her in that car with the drunken Negro?”

“Yes. She said good-bye.”

“Tell me, how much liquor did you give Miss Dalton that night?”

“I don’t know.”

“What kind of liquor was it?”

“Rum.”

“Why did you prefer rum?”

“I don’t know. I just bought rum.”

“Was it to stimulate the body to a great extent?”

“No.”

“How much was bought?”

“A fifth of a gallon.”

“Who paid for it?”

“I did.”

“Did that money come from the treasury of the Communist Party?”

“No!”

“Don’t they allow you a budget for recruiting expenses?”

“No!”

“How much was drunk before you bought the fifth of rum?”

“We had a few beers.”

“How many?”

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t remember much about what happened that night, do you?”

“I’m telling you all I remember.”

“
All
you remember?”

“Yes.”

“Is it possible that you don’t remember some things?”

“I’m telling you all I remember.”

“Were you too drunk to remember everything that happened?”

“No.”

“You knew what you were doing?”

“Yes.”

“You deliberately left the girl in that condition?”

“She was in no
condition
!”

“Just how drunk was she after the beers and rum?”

“She seemed to know what she was doing.”

“Did you have any fears about her being able to defend herself?”

“No.”

“Did you care?”

“Of course, I did.”

“You thought that whatever would happen would be all right?”

“I thought she was all right.”

“Just tell me, Mr. Erlone, how drunk was Miss Dalton?”

“Well, she was a little high, if you know what I mean.”

“Feeling good?”

“Yes; you could say that.”

“Receptive?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Were you satisfied when you left her?”

“What do you mean?”

“You had enjoyed her company?”

“Why, yes.”

“And after enjoying a woman like that, isn’t there a let-down?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“It was late, wasn’t it, Mr. Erlone? You wanted to go home?”

“Yes.”

“You did not want to remain with her any longer?”

“No; I was tired.”

“So you left her to the Negro?”

“I left her in the car. I didn’t leave her to anybody.”

“But the Negro was in the car?”

“Yes.”

“And she got in the front seat with him?”

“Yes.”

“And you did not try to stop her?”

“No.”

“And all three of you had been drinking?”

“Yes.”

“And you were satisfied to leave her like that, with a drunken Negro?”

“What do you
mean
?”

“You had no fear for her?”

“Why, no.”

“You felt that she, being drunk, would be as satisfied with anyone else as she had been with you?”

“No; no…. Not that way. You’re leading….”

“Just answer the questions. Had Miss Dalton, to your knowledge, ever had sex relations with a Negro before?”

“No.”

“Did you think that that would be as good a time as any for her to learn?”

“No; no….”

“Didn’t you promise to contact the Negro to see if he was grateful enough to join the Communist Party?”

“I didn’t say I’d contact him.”

“Didn’t you tell him you’d contact him within two or three days?”

“No.”

“Mr. Erlone, are you sure you didn’t say that?”

“Oh, yes! But it was not with the construction you are putting upon it….”

“Mr. Erlone, were you surprised when you heard of the death of Miss Dalton?”

“Yes. At first I was too stunned to believe it. I thought surely there was some mistake.”

“You hadn’t expected that drunken Negro to go that far, had you?”

“I hadn’t expected anything.”

“But you told that Negro to read those Communist pamphlets, didn’t you?”

“I gave them to him.”

“You told him to
read
them?”

“Yes.”

“But you didn’t expect him to go so far as to rape and kill the girl?”

“I didn’t expect anything in that direction at all.”

“That’s all, Mr. Erlone.”

Bigger watched Jan go back to his seat. He knew how Jan felt. He knew what the man had been trying to do in asking the questions. He was not the only object of hate here. What did the Reds want that made the coroner hate Jan so?

“Will Mr. Henry Dalton please come forward?” the coroner asked.

Bigger listened as Mr. Dalton told how the Dalton family always hired Negro boys as chauffeurs, especially when those Negro boys were handicapped by poverty, lack of education, misfortune, or bodily injury. Mr. Dalton said that this was to give them a chance to support their families and go to school. He told how Bigger had come to the house, how timid and frightened he had acted, and how moved and touched the family had been for him. He told how he had not thought that Bigger had had anything to do with the disappearance of Mary, and how he had told Britten not to question him. He then told of receiving the kidnap note, and of how shocked he had been when he was informed that Bigger had fled his home, thereby indicating his guilt.

When the coroner’s questioning was over, Bigger heard Max ask,

“May I direct a few questions?”

“Certainly. Go right ahead,” the coroner said.

Max went forward and stood directly in front of Mr. Dalton.

“You are the president of the Dalton Real Estate Company, are you not?”

“Yes.”

“Your company owns the building in which the Thomas family has lived for the past three years, does it not?”

“Well, no. My company owns the stock in a company that owns the house.”

“I see. What is the name of
that
company?”

“The South Side Real Estate Company.”

“Now, Mr. Dalton, the Thomas family paid you….”

“Not to
me
! They pay rent to the South Side Real Estate Company.”

“You own the controlling stock in the Dalton Real Estate Company, don’t you?”

“Why, yes.”

“And that company in turn owns the stock that controls the South Side Real Estate Company, doesn’t it?”

“Why, yes.”

“I think I can say that the Thomas family pays rent to
you
?”

“Indirectly, yes.”

“Who formulates the policies of these two companies?”

“Why, I do.”

“Why is it that you charge the Thomas family and other Negro families more rent for the same kind of houses than you charge whites?”

“I don’t fix the rent scales,” Mr. Dalton said.

“Who does?”

“Why, the law of supply and demand regulates the price of houses.”

“Now, Mr. Dalton, it has been said that you donate millions of dollars to educate Negroes. Why is it that you exact an exorbitant rent of eight dollars per week from the Thomas family for one unventilated, rat-infested room in which four people eat and sleep?”

The coroner leaped to his feet.

“I’ll not tolerate your brow-beating this witness! Have you no sense of decency? This man is one of the most respected men in this city! And your questions have no bearing….”

“They
do
have a bearing!” Max shouted. “You said we could question with latitude here! I’m trying to find the guilty person, too! Jan Erlone is not the only man who’s influenced Bigger
Thomas! There were many others
before
him. I have as much right to determine what effect their attitude has had upon his conduct as you had to determine what Jan Erlone’s had!”