Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1889-07-06
CHAPTER XVII.
TIE VERDICT.

The hour of the inquest had come, and
all Walmsbury and the adjacent neigh.
borhood was in state of the widest ex-'
citement.
The great criminal lawyer who had
come down from London to watch the
case on behalf of Beautiful Jim had given
him us his cue two words. absolute
silence" and upon that line his client be-
baved
There was a stormy scene with one Pr;'
vatc Leader. who swore and foreswore
himself until he was threatened with con-
tempt of court. and was finally bundled
unccremoniouSly out Of it as witness
who was nothing better than an ioiot;
and his unwilling and confused evidence
was the only evidence which bore in any
way against the character of tho dead
man S friend, James Bcresford.
On tho other hand, there was tho testi-
mony of the officer commanding the regi-
mcnt that since tho time Capt. Owen and
Lieut.. Beresford had been in the service
they had been on terms of unusual init
macy; that. on his oath, ho believed they
had never either quarrcled or had any
approach to quarrel during oil the years
they had been o.Iccrs of his regiment, and
that, SO far as he knew, Lieut.. Deresford
had never had any quarrel or unpleasant
ness with any other of his brother officers.
Then caIno the evidence of the other
officers whose quarters were on the same
landing. namely, the doctor, young Man
ncrs and Tommy Earlc.
The doctor stated that he occupied q
room overlooking the barracl yard. end
next to that of Mr.. Bcresford Ho was,
therefore. tho furthcst away from tho
room in which tho murder had taken
place. 1t was Capt. Owen invariable, or
almost invariablc. custom to spend the
last half hour of the evening in Mr.. Dcrcs
fords room. He frequently joined them
there but on that evening he was very
tired. lie had had dangerous case under
his care for somo days previously, and
had not had much sleep the two nights
before.
"Dut you werc invited to enter Mr..
Beresford's room?"
Certainly"
"And by whom?"
"Wcll-practically by both of them"
"Can you give us tho exact terms Of
the invitation"
"Oh, yes" answered the doctor, quietly.
II went up the stairs with Capt Owen;
Mr.. Deresford was Immediately behind
us. said: We'll I'm off to bed; good
night, oil of you Whercupon Capt
Owen returned: oh! don't GO to bed yet.
como in and smoke Pipe with u.s. Mr..
Eeresford supplemented tho invitation by
taking hold of my arm. Yes, come in
for half an hour; there's good chap he
said"
"But you did not go?"
IL d.d not. ! told them that was
dead tired; that had been up the great er
part of two nights with bad case in
hospital, and wanted to get to bed while
l had the chance" DR.. Foster answered,
80 badc them good night and went into
my own ROOM"
"And that was the last time you saw
Capt. Owcn?"
"Alive." replied the doctor.
"And you heard no quarreling or any
dispute between themY'
mot word"
"Could any such quarrel have taken
place in Lieut.. BcresfOrd's room without
your knowledge"
Il think not"
"Dut, being very tired, did you not fall
asleep immediately Did you 60 to bed ut
onceY"
II did; but not to sleep. In fact,
heard Capt Owen 60 to his own room"
"How long after was thatY'
II should say about half an hour
"And they were apparently on GOOD