Page:H.M. The Patrioteer.djvu/357

Rh : "It is a pity. In that case he will never sit on another board of directors."

With this idea every one went to the trial. The witnesses who appeared could remember nothing. Klusing had long since spoken to every one about the sale of the factory. Did he specially mention the site? And had he mentioned old Buck as the go-between? All this remained doubtful. In municipal circles it was known that the site was under discussion for the then projected Infant Asylum. Had Buck been in favour of it? Certainly, he had not opposed it. Several people had been struck by his lively interest in that site. Klusing himself, who was still ill, had declared in his affidavit that his friend Buck had been in and out a good deal a short while before. If Buck had spoken to him about an option on the ground he had certainly not understood it in any sense detrimental to Buck's honour. &hellip; The plaintiff, Buck, wished to establish the fact that it was the late Kühlemann who had negotiated with Klüsing: Kühlemann himself, the donor of the money, but the point was not proven. In this also Klüsing's testimony was indecisive. That Cohn said so was immaterial, as Cohn was interested in proving that his own visit to Gausenfeld was innocent. Diederich remained as the most important witness. Klüsing had written to him and immediately afterwards had had a conversation with him. Was any name mentioned on that occasion? Diederich testified:

"I had no wish to learn one name or another. I declare, as all the witnesses can confirm, that I have never publicly mentioned the name of Herr Buck. My sole interest in the matter was that of the town, which must not be injured by the actions of individuals. I intervened on behalf of political morality: I bear no personal malice whatever, and I should be sorry if the plaintiff did not leave this court without a stain on his character."

A murmur of approval greeted his words. Only Buck seemed dissatisfied. He jumped up, red in the face &hellip;