_Dr. Chisholm_.--"Not absolutely. It is a very difficult thing to tell exactly, by the temperature of the body, what length of time has elapsed since death. After a sudden and violent death, the body often parts with its heat slowly, as I think it has done in this case. Besides, the night was very hot, which would be an additional reason for the body cooling slowly." _Coroner_.--"Was the body rigid when you examined it?" _Dr. Chisholm_.--"Yes; _rigor mortis_ had set in. It generally occurs within six hours of death, but it might occur earlier if there had been violent muscular exertion, as there was in this case. I think that the deceased was awakened from his sleep, and struggled with his murderer till he became exhausted; then the murderer cut his throat with a remarkably sharp knife." _Coroner_.--"And, according to your theory, death took place about midnight?" _Dr. Chisholm_.--"Yes--I think so; but, as I said, before, it is very difficult to tell." The next witness called was Isaiah Jacobs, who gave his evidence in an aggressively shrill voice, but the Coroner was unable to elicit more from him than had already been published in _The Penny Whistle_. After the echo of the young Israelite's shrill voice had died away, Keith Stewart was sworn, and deposed as follows:-- "I was clerk to the deceased, and had occupied the position for some months. On the day previous to the murder, I had received a hundred pounds, in twenty bank notes of five pounds each, which I gave to the deceased, and saw him place them in his safe. He always slept on the premises, and kept his keys under his pillow. He told me that he always had a loaded revolver on the table beside his bed. On the night, or rather morning, of the murder I was passing along Russell Street on my way home. I saw a man standing near the shop. I knew him as Randolph Villiers. I asked him what he was doing, but could get no very decided answer--he was quite intoxicated, and went off down the street." _Coroner_.--"About what time was this?" _Stewart_.--"Two o'clock." _Coroner_.--"You are certain?" _Stewart_.--"Quite--I heard it striking from the Town Hall tower." _Coroner_.--"Was Villiers' intoxication real or feigned?" _Stewart_.--"Real, as far as I could see." _Coroner_.--"It was a moonlight night, I believe?" _Stewart_.--"Yes; the moon was very bright." _Coroner_.--"Did you notice anything peculiar about Villiers? Was he confused? Were his clothes in disorder? Any marks of blood?" _Stewart_.--"No; I saw nothing extraordinary about him. He is generally more or less drunk, so I did not notice him particularly." _Coroner_.--"I believe, Mr. Stewart, you belong to the Skylarks' Club?" _Stewart_.--"I do." _Coroner_.--"And yet you are a clerk in a pawnbroker's office--aren't the two things rather incongruous?"