The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-06-19

shape, entirely unlike bullets intended
for ordinary pistols.
The fatal missile was transferred from
hand to hand and viewed with interest
by all.
Paxton, the detective, particularly ex-
amined it minutely, and, after he had
whispered to the coroner for a moment,
ne was permitted to retain possession of
the singular, death-dealinc ball. He
carefully deposited it in his pocketbook,
as though he regarded its preservation
as q matter of the utmost Importance.
There is no possibility of suicide IN
this case, presume, said the coroner,
. addressing the surgeon.
NO, sir. Suicide may be positively
exclud ed. The position of the fatal
wouna, the direction taken by the bull
let, and the nature OF the lndentatlons
at the margin Of the orltice Where the
bell entered, all serve to prove that the
shot was not fired by the dead man him.
self. The wound clearly shows to
practiced observer that the bullet came
from distance of probably in the neigh
oorhood Of twenty feet" answered the
surgeon.
Paxton paced the distance from the
body Of the murdered man, which lay
where it had fallen, to the door leading
to the hall.
1T is eighteen feet from the door to
the body" said the detective.
"Indeedl Judging, then, from the po-
5ition of the body and the relative loca-
ton Of the wound, ! should say that he
was shot by some one who stood at the
door and who discharged his weapon
while his victims back was turned. The
shot entered at the base Of the skull, !"
answered the surgeon.
1.-The impossibility Of suicide may be
regarded as positively established" he
added.
The police sergeant was now sworn,
and he related what discoveries had re-
suited from the investigation which he
had made the preceding night, in COM
pany with Paxton.
He did not fail to dwell upon the cir
:umstance of Stuart Harland's disap-
pearance from the house, a few moments
before the discovery of the crime, ac-
cording to the statement Of Judith
Kredge.
To hear him one would have supposed
that he had taken the lead in the inves-
tigation of the preceding night, and
that he deserved all the credit for the
discoveries then made; Paxton said
| aothing, however, but a sarcastic smile
played upon his lips as he listened.
Mr.. Garrison was next sworn, and he
testified that John Oakburn was an ex-
ceedingly eccentric man, excessively
frugal and economical. That he sup
nosed in the course Of the years he had
been in his service, the old cashier must
have accumulated modest competency,
though he was never known to specu-
late, and that Oakburn was always ex-
tremely reticent regarding his personal
affairs.
The broker further stated that the
| aged cashier had hobby for collecting
ancient coins and weapons, which he
kept in his little safe. Also that the de-
ceased was precise and very method
lcal man in all he did, that he kept his
correspondence and papers carefully
fled away in his safe with his collection
Of ancient coins and weapons.
When Mr.. GarriSon's testimony was
concluded the coroner summoned Marion
Oakburn and Judith Kredge, and the
two women entered the Office q few
moments subsequently.
Marion's face was lividly pale, and
there was an expression Of mental suffer
Ing and anxiety upon her features.
The coroner addressed the cashiers
daughter, stating that he deemed it
oecessary to examine her fathers private
sats aRa Marion ssseR!ed, saying IN
Il a mink You viii And ny fathers safe
key on his person."
The pockets Of the victim Of the mys-
terious tragedy were accordingly
searched, and the key, Of which he was
In quest, was found by the coroner, who
forthwith opened John Oakburn's safe.
All present inspected the contents oi
the dead man g private "strong-boX" with
considerable curiosity.
It contained large, and no doubt
valuable, collection Of ancient coins OF
all nations, arranged in admirable order
and numbered and labeled with an ex-
actitude which told Of the owners pre-
else and methodical ways. There was
also in the safe collection Of small
weapons. There we're pistols, poniards,
stilettos, yataghans, Maylay creeses,
and the like. Besides all this, y COM
partment contained the private papers
Of the deceased, letters, papers OF busi-
ness, bills receipted and other cocu-
mentS.
There was no money In the safe.
The coroner examined the papers and
then submitted them to Marion, who
also looked them over carefully.
Among all the documents no certif-
cate of stocks, no deposit receipts, or
hot n inHinQfn nr0va
that John Oakburn possessed any money
or property was discovered.
Paxton was on the alert and nothing
escaped him.
He made a mental memorandum Of
the contents Of the murdered man s safe,
and, when Marion had concluded the ex-
animation Of the letters and papers it
contained, he came to her side and said
In q low tone:
II am very much interested in this
case, Miss Oakburn, and mean to sus-
tain my opinion that Stuart Harland ia
innocent, which you heard me assert
last night. know you share my opin-
lon, and II you will permit me to look
over these papers and letters you will
perhaps enable me to make some ad-
vantageous discovery"
You are at liberty to examine my
fathers papers, though I do not think
you will find any clew to the assassin
here. But I trust you may prove Mr..
Garland's innocence, Of which there can
be no doubt" replied Marion, and she
surrendered the letters and papers from
the safe to the detective.
The documents were spread out upon
q desk In the rear Office and the coroner
was examining one Of Mr.. Garrison's