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156 / THE ALGER HISS TRIAL
it. X did it. Y did. Anybody but me." Isn't that the action of a coward, who is cornered, pointing frantically and accusing people? This is standard Communist party practice, isn't it? Accuse the other guy, accuse the judge, accuse everybody.
The defense says that somebody wearing overall and a hat with "Woodstock Repair" written on it went to the Catletts. He asks innocent Mrs. Catlett, "I am the repair man. Where is the machine?" Mrs. Catlett asks which machine he wants. He says the Woodstock. She tells him where it is. Then switch to the next scene. It's the middle of one of those dances the Catletts gave. Chambers sneaks into the house, mingles with the dancers, and then types the stuff. Oh, Mr. Cross, you have to do better than that.
And why would Chambers lie? Why should he leave a $30,000 job, accuse Hiss unjustly, and risk his future?
When you go into the jury room, I want you to look at these typewritten documents. I found some common typing errors in the documents. You will also see similar mistakes in them and in letters typed by Mrs. Hiss. You will see the same mistakes on both: The following combinations: r for /', / for g, f for d. Each of the typewritten documents and the handwritten memos has the same message: "Alger Hiss, you were the traitor."
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