Donohue monologue (Act 2) — The Thirteenth Chair: A Play in Three Acts

The police know that some woman killed Spencer Lee. Something was taken from the inside pocket of his coat. We think it was a package of letters. This woman left traces. We have her finger-prints--many of them. Eventually we'll find her. For three or four weeks Mr. Wales has been working among the people who knew Lee. His theory was that this woman wanted to get back her letters--in fact, did get them back. He felt reasonably sure that he had found the woman--that one of you ladies here to-night is probably the woman we are hunting. He thought that he could play on her superstitious fears, and that when her name seemingly came from the spirit of the dead man she would confess. He told Madame la Grange the name, explained to her just what he wanted, and together he and I worked out the exact wording of the messages that were supposed to come from Spencer Lee's spirit. (_He turns suddenly to_ ROSALIE, _who is down_ L.C.) You agreed to all this; why didn't you speak the name?