Detective and mystery stories, English; Private investigators -- Fiction
_Mr. James Vidler_, surgeon, had been called by the first witness
between seven and eight on Wednesday morning. He found the deceased
lying on his face on the floor of the smoking-room, his feet being about
eighteen inches from the window, and his head lying in the direction of
the fireplace. He found three large contused wounds on the head, any one
of which would probably have caused death. The wounds had all been
inflicted, apparently, with the same blunt instrument--probably a club
or life preserver, or other similar weapon. They could not have been
done with the poker. Death was due to concussion of the brain, and
deceased had probably been dead seven or eight hours when witness saw
him. He had since examined the body more closely, but found no marks at
all indicative of a struggle having taken place; indeed, from the
position of the wounds and their severity, he should judge that the
deceased had been attacked unawares from behind, and had died at once.
The body appeared to be perfectly healthy.
Then there was police evidence, which showed that all the doors and
windows were found shut and completely fastened, except the front door,
which, although shut, was not bolted. There were shutters behind the
French windows in the smoking-room, and these were found fastened. No
money was found in the bureau, nor in any of the opened drawers, so that
if any had been there, it had been stolen. The pockets were entirely
empty, except for a small pair of nail scissors, and there was no watch
upon the body, nor a ring. Certain footprints were found on the garden
beds, which had led the police to take certain steps. No footprints
were to be seen on the garden path, which was hard gravel.
_Mr. Alexander Campbell_, stockbroker, stated that he had known deceased
for some few years, and had done business for him. He and Mr. Kingscote
frequently called on one another, and on Tuesday evening they dined
together at Ivy Cottage. They sat smoking and chatting till nearly
twelve o'clock, when Mr. Kingscote himself let him out, the servants
having gone to bed. Here the witness proceeded rather excitedly: "That
is all I know of this horrible business, and I can say nothing else.
What the police mean by following and watching me----"
_The Coroner_: "Pray be calm, Mr. Campbell. The police must do what
seems best to them in a case of this sort. I am sure you would not have
them neglect any means of getting at the truth."
_Witness_: "Certainly not. But if they suspect me, why don't they say
so? It is intolerable that I should be----"
_The Coroner_: "Order, order, Mr. Campbell. You are here to give
evidence."
The witness then, in answer to questions, stated that the French windows
of the smoking-room had been left open during the evening, the weather
being very warm. He could not recollect whether or not deceased closed
them before he left, but he certainly did not close the shutters.
Witness saw nobody near the house when he left.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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