When Arthur laughed, especially when he "laughed" uncontrollably from mental strain, it sounded crazed and grating, like a madman.
But when he laughed normally, he was quite sincere. Could someone like that really be considered insane?
In 1884, the barrister defending Dudley and Stephens had cited peril and insanity as grounds for their defense, but the prosecuting barrister, also a barrister, considered the dreadful conditions in the lifeboat and recommended leniency for the defendants.
Cannibalism was indeed easily associated with insanity and even provoked a physical revulsion in many people, but it had once been a widely accepted "custom" among sailors, with its own procedure.
First came drawing lots. On the tenth day of drifting, Dudley and the others had discussed it and decided to draw lots to sacrifice one person and preserve the lives of the rest. At the time, Parker had not yet drunk seawater.
In fact, Stephens was in worse condition than Parker. He was older, while Parker had rapidly weakened after drinking seawater, becoming even frailer than Stephens, who had originally seemed more likely to die.
On the sixteenth day of drifting, Parker fell unconscious. Dudley proposed a "sensible choice" to the adult crewmen who were still conscious. Bruce, who would later become a key witness, refused, while Stephens agreed to Dudley's proposal.
It was precisely because of this maritime custom that Dudley, Stephens, and Bruce were not immediately locked up as "cannibals" after returning to shore. The local police applied to the mayor for arrest warrants on the charge of murder on the high seas. After being held at the police station for a time, the three were released on bail.
The legal fees for Dudley and Stephens were also paid by a public organization—sailors all had to confront this issue. If they were found