England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction; Families -- Fiction; Murder -- Fiction
“On Wednesday last, the 19th inst., an inquest was held at Campaigne
Park on the body of Langley Holme, Esquire, Justice of the Peace, of
Westerdene House, near Amersham, aged twenty-eight years. The
unfortunate gentleman, as narrated in our last number, was found dead
under circumstances that pointed directly to murder, in a wood not far
from Campaigne Park, where he was staying as the guest of his friend and
brother-in-law, Mr. Algernon Campaigne.
“The cause of death was certified by Dr. Alden. He deposed that it was
caused by a single blow from a heavy club or branch which had probably
been picked up close by. The club was lying on the table--a jagged
branch thick at one end, which was red with blood. The nature of the
wound showed that it was one blow only, and that by a most determined
and resolute hand, which had caused death, and that death must have been
instantaneous.
“Mr. Algernon Campaigne, J.P., of Campaigne Park, deposed that the
deceased, named Langley Holme, his brother-in-law--his wife’s brother,
and his most intimate friend--was staying with them, and that on Tuesday
morning the two started together after breakfast for a walk. They walked
through the park, crossed the road, got over the stile on the other
side, and followed the pathway under the hill. They were entering the
wood in which the body was found when he himself recollected a letter
which had to be written and posted that morning. He therefore stopped
and explained that he must return immediately. Unfortunately, his
brother-in-law chose to continue his walk alone. Mr. Campaigne turned
and walked home as quickly as he could. He saw the deceased no more
until he was brought back dead.
“The Coroner asked him if he had observed anyone in the wood: he said he
had not looked about him carefully, but that he had seen nobody.
“A little boy, who gave the name of Tommy Dadd, and said that he knew
the meaning of an oath, deposed that he was on the hillside scaring
birds all day; that he saw the two gentlemen get over the stile, walk
along the footpath together, talking fast and loud; that they came to
the wood, and that one of them, Mr. Campaigne, turned back; that he
looked up and down the path as if he was expecting somebody, and then
walked away very fast.
“‘Stop!’ said the Coroner. ‘Let us understand these facts quite plainly.
You saw Mr. Campaigne and the deceased get over the stile and walk as
far as the wood?’
“‘Yes.’
“‘And you saw Mr. Campaigne turn back and walk away?’
“‘Yes.’
“‘Go on, then.’
“‘A long time after that I see John Dunning walking from the farm across
the field to the pathway; he was carrying a basket of something over his
shoulder; he wore his smock-frock. He went into the wood, too. Presently
he came out and ran back to the farm-yard, and three other men came and
carried something away.’
“‘Did nobody else go into the wood?’
“‘No; nobody.’
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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