A Whim, and Its Consequences: Collection of British Authors Vol. CXIVJames, G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford)
General
A Whim, and Its Consequences: Collection of British Authors Vol. CXIV
James, G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford)
Fiction
Re-examined.--"James Wilson is usually very accurate. I am sure I did
not intend to say a word against him; but that night he was a little
late. It might be ten minutes, or a quarter-of-an-hour. I cannot say
to a minute. I know it was a good deal after the time."
Edward Taylor was then called, and identified the prisoner as the
person who had served Mr. Tracy in the quality of gardener, under the
name of Acton. He then went on as follows:--"About a quarter-past ten
I was called to speak with Slater, the under-gardener, who seemed in a
great fright. He told me that in going his round, as he always did at
ten, he had found a dead man, lying near the pond of gold-fish. I went
directly down with him, thinking he might be mistaken, and that the
man might only be drunk. We took several of the servants with us and a
lantern. James Wilson was one of the party. We found there the body of
Mr. Roberts, quite dead and stiff, and took it up amongst us, and
carried it to the tool-house in the shrubbery. I sent up at once to
tell Mr. Tracy, who came down directly. We did not do anything to the
corpse, but carry it to the tool-house and lay it on the bench. We did
not examine the pockets till Mr. Tracy came. There was the mark of a
blow just above the temple, and a deep wound a little further back,
with some of the brains smashed upon the hair. There was a great deal
of blood about the corpse: the shirt-collar was all soaked with it.
When Mr. Tracy came he examined the pockets and took out a letter,
which I have delivered to the constable of Northferry, The letter was
addressed to 'Richard Roberts, Esq., Winslow Abbey;' and was signed,
'Chandos Winslow.' Besides the letter, Mr. Tracy took out two or three
papers, a pocket-book, a purse, a watch and seals, and a pair of
spectacles. As soon as he took anything out of the pockets, he handed
it to me, and by his orders I marked it as well as I could with a
pencil. I have delivered the whole to the constable, in whose
possession I believe they still are. He will produce them."
The witness then went on to describe the examination of the spot where
the body had been found, and confirmed, in all respects, the evidence
of the footman.
The next questions were, as to the conduct and demeanour of the
head-gardener when summoned to the tool-house, by Mr. Tracy's order.
To interrogatories upon this subject, the witness replied,--"When he
came into the tool-house, he seemed grieved and sad, but not at all
surprised. He expressed no surprise, but looked at the body very
sadly, and told at once who it was. He acknowledged that the hoe was
his, but said he had left it leaning against the pillar; and, after
looking at it, he said the murder must have been committed with it. He
said, he left the garden immediately after speaking a few words with
Miss Rose, near the fish-pond."
Judge.--"I suppose you call Miss Rose Tracy; but I do not see her name
here."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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