Evening star., 1923-10-10

Ihree and half years, sir
1T has been your duty, whenever
/ Sir Robert was at heme. to take into
his study at precisely half-pasf 3
a tray on which were a decanter OF
whisky, a sjphon Of mineral water
and a glass?"
1T has, sir"
Did you do that last night"
81 did, SIR
ITO the exact mfnute?"
ITO the very minute, sir, by the
great clock in the inner hall"
Was Sir Robert in his study"
"Yes, sir
What was he doing?"
Writing at his desk. SIR
Nothing unusual about him."
Nothing, sir"
What did you do after thaf?"
Il went back to the inner hall, sir"
Had Mr.. Quinton arrived then"
Yes, sir"
"Where was he?'
He had gone into the drawing
room with Miss Mannersley, SIR"
Between that time and the time
when Mr.. Quinton raised the alarm
was any one else admitted to the
house?"
yes, sir-Mr Stead"
What time was that?"
Exactly twenty minutes to 10, SIR"
What occurred as regards Mr..
Stead?'
sMr. Dauncey told Mr.. Stead that
Sir Robert. sir. and Mr.. Stead said
he would wait in the library"
Did he go into the library
Yes, sir
rs the library next door to the
study?"
Yes. ss
ana mere IS a communicating
door between themTa
Now, you heard Mr. ouinton raise
the alarm
II did. sir"
What time was that?"
Il should say, sir. as near as pos
sible it was about ten minutes to 10"
Mr.. Stead's arrival?"
Yes, sir
80 that Mr.. Stead for ten minutes
had been in the next room to Sir
Roberto"
Yes. SIR"
THAT will do, Fisher. Call Or.
Whitaker Childe."
The doctor, a middIe-aged man who
was well known in the district as O.
physician and surgeon of great repu-
tation and who was much noted for
the punctilious care which he gave
to all his cases, stepped into the box.
II believe that your residence ad-
joins the castle?" began Stanford.
Yes"
How long would 1t take you to
walk hurriedly from your surgery
into the study at the castle?'
"A minute and a half"
ten minutes TO 10 last night, and
you received a telephone message
asking you to hurry to the castie?"
Yes"
You went at once. and would
therefore be in the Study within the
side?"
Il was certainly there before five
minutes to 10.''
You saw and xamined str Rob
ert's body at once"
Il did,
You ascertainea the cause of
death?"
yes. He had been stabbed though
the heart by blow directed from
behind"
II understand, DR.. Chiide, that you
have great reputation for accuracy.
/ want to put question to you TO
which you cannot give too accurate
! an answer. How long did you con-
slider Sir Robert to have been dead?
DR.. Childe's answer came with a
snap. Eight minutes.
Eight minutes. You can give your
opinion as nearly as that?"
Certainly. He had been dead not
less than eight nor more than nins
minutes" -s~,t 49, "a. 81
That is 10 say, il you saw him at
80 fifty-four he had been stabbed ahou;
or at forty -sfx!. -
Yes"
DO you consider. that death was
Yes; that is, what is called in
stantaneeus." = II. j
which MEANS ss-%sg.s
Which means what we realize b.
instantaneous" said DR.. Childe WITH
smile. You may take it that y
was-instantaneous
! A Stranger Listens,
Very good. Now I want another
of your careful scientific answers to
critical question. When the blow
was struck, what would the physical
result on Sir Robert bef"
You mean-would the blow cause
any action of his body?"
THAT Is my meaning. doctor"
yes, replied DR.. Chflde. eft would,
and 1t did"
I'VE are told that he was found
fallen forward across his desk. Does
that mean that when he was stabbed
he simply collapsed over the desk.
and maintained his sitting positfon?"
sure occurred was this, and base
this on careful observation Of the
position of the body. When Sir Rob
ert was struck he leaped to his feet,
tottered q moment, and then fell face
forward across the desk. He was a
tall man, and the desk is an especi-
ally wide one. otherwise he would
have slipped off it"
Thank you. Now q question or
two more. Would any sound arise
struck
ALMOST certainly. He would utter
a groan:" ,.
"A very loud groan."
Loud enough to be heard in the
next rOom?"
Unless the walls were exception
ally thick-yes.
You know the relative position of
the study and library in this case.
in the library?"
I'm my opinion-yes."
That is, supposing it were ut
tered?"
tain that IL would be uttered"
Thank you, sdoetor-that Is ALL"
said Stanford. He turned to the
bench. II think your worships will
agree that we have heard some deep
ly interesting evidences" he said.
Now I want to hear what is said
on this matter by the man who was
in the next room! Call Mr.. Marshall
Stead"
The man whose name had just been
pronounced by Stanford rose slowly
from a seat which he had occupied
all the morning in the well of the
court, almost under the dock, and
made his way to the witness box
amid a nurmur of excitement from
the spectators.
Although there was not a single
person there who was not as well
acquainted with him as with the
great wheels of the colliery just out
side, they looked at him with new
and absorbing interest, as IL they
had never seen him before. Accord
ing to the evidence which they had
heard, this man had actually been
within few yards-a few feet---ef
the victim at the time the fatal blow
was dealt; while he had waited there