6. The Anonymous Ones.
Neuhow set the Greenwald file aside.
Maryk was curious: "Someone else told you the court was impressed with me being forthright? Do you mean Challee?"
"No. About the only thing that Jack Challee said to me about your credibility was that he didn't catch you in any lies when you testified."
"The members of the court?" Maryk guessed. "Are you saying the members of the court were impressed with my testimony?"
"Yes."
"You talked to them? You knew that they were impressed because you asked them?"
"Yes, exactly. There were seven men on the court. Four of them agreed to talk to me, two declined, and another would only speak to me briefly and only on the condition that I agreed not to make any notes. Now, for the men who spoke with me at some length, my deal with them was: I cannot quote them on anything in my book, and I cannot identify who talked to me and who didn't. So don't ask me any questions about who talked and who didn't. As far as you're concerned, they have to remain anonymous. I also spoke to some of the court staff, the clerks, the stenographer. But those people have to remain anonymous, too. Okay?"
"Okay," Maryk nodded.
"Okay," Keith agreed.
"All I have to say right now is that your straightforward nature held you in good standing with the court, Steve. Barney gave you some good advice."
"Yes, he did."
"The people I talked to also said that, in the honesty department, you won out over Queeg," Neuhow said. "They were far less impressed with him. When I talked to Challee, I asked whether he had talked to Queeg about what to expect on the stand. Challee at first got testy, and reminded me that Queeg wasn't his client. But then he said that he and Queeg had briefly discussed what to expect when Queeg gave his testimony. Challee admonished Queeg to tell the truth, and told him that some of the questions would be difficult to answer, but if he told the truth, he'd be fine."
"And you said Challee was disappointed in Queeg's testimony?" Willie asked.
"Challee expected Queeg to be tougher during Barney's examination. Challee didn't say so plainly, but I think he also thought that some of Queeg's testimony on direct examination could have been better, too."
"In what way?" Maryk asked. "Queeg was very poised when he gave his testimony to Challee. Queeg was not exactly truthful, from my point of view, but I had to admit he was very smooth and gentlemanly and composed."
"Yes, there was general agreement that Queeg was very well composed," Neuhow agreed. "But there were a number of things testified to by others with which Queeg disagreed. Challee tried to get Queeg to explain in more detail why the captain's version of the events was the correct one, but Queeg didn't seem to understand that he needed to be less gentlemanly and more forceful."
"And some of the fellows on the court told you that they weren't impressed with Queeg's honesty?"
"They didn't talk about Queeg's testimony in terms of his 'honesty.' They talked in terms of his 'credibility.' One member of the court said that 'honesty' and 'credibility' don't mean the same thing."
"They don't mean the same thing?" Maryk was puzzled.
"Not according the one of the members of the court. He told me that 'honesty' relates to whether a witness tells the truth or lies; and 'credibility' relates to whether a witness believes he tells the truth, but actually doesn't tell the truth. It's a subtle distinction."
"Yes, it is." Maryk took a deep breath. "Did any members of the court tell you how they came to their decision? Or would it have been out of line to ask them about that?"
Neuhow contemplated his answer before he gave it. "I didn't ask any of them why they decided the way they did. But they told me, without me asking. Steve, I don't know whether you realize how close you came to being convicted."