John Hopkinson John Hopkinson was a solicitor who was called to visit Banquo Manor . He became embroiled in events there . Biography . Early life . Hopkinson had a bad ankle , having fractured it early in his life . He was the solicitor for Inspector Ian Stratford during the divorce of his wife . Hopkinson was a good friend of Gordon Seavers . He found his body and took a letter from it . He was aware that Richard Harries had blackmailed Gordon , resulting in his suicide . At Banquo Manor . Experiment . Hopkinson visited Banquo Manor to view Richard Harries ' experiments on brain waves ; he was there to give him legal advice . Richard looked down upon Hopkinson for his lack of scientific knowledge . Although Harries ' experiments amazed Hopkinson , he did not like him . Hopkinson hid behind a curtain , eavesdropping on a conversation between Harries and his fiancée , Susan Seymour . He overheard her telling him the marriage was off . George then told him the history of Banquo Manor and it ' s founder , Robert Dodds . Gordon was expected at the manor but Hopkinson did not tell George of his death . Hopkinson met Dr Friedlander when he came to assist in the experiments with his assistant Herr Kreiner . Hopkinson and Friedlander questioned Harries on his experiment , Hopkinson was not in favour of collective though as he stated " our minds are private property " . Harries merely told him he wasn ' t bothered by the moral implications . After dinner Hopkinson crept into Harries ' lab and sabotaged his experiment . He wanted revenge on him for Gordon ' s death . They all went to witness Harries ' experiments ; he hooked himself and his sister , Catherine Harries , into his machine . It overloaded and Hopkinson managed to take Catherine ' s headpiece off , saving her life ; Harries was killed . Murders . Hopkinson was questioned by Inspector Ian Stratford ; he became nervous but managed to put on a calm air . Stratford questioned him on his decision not to tell George of Seavers ' death ; he lied , saying George had been very ill and he hadn ' t had the chance to tell him . That night Hopkinson dreamed of Harries and awoke to hear one of the escaped rats nearby . Hopkinson befriended Susan ; they discussed the murder of Harries . Harries body was stolen and later found returned . Beryl was found death and in her hand was a piece of paper from Harries ' notes . The note had evidence of Harries ' blackmailing . Stratford was able to deduct that Hopkinson was the murderer but decided not to prove it and hence , prosecute . George and Elizabeth Wallace were found dead . Stratford , Hopkinson and Kreiner then began searching for the killer . They found the Doctor , and then Harries . His corpse was walking , seemingly alive . Ian , Hopkinson , Kreiner and the Doctor then fled from the corpse which then followed them . Harries grabbed Hopkinson ' s ankle ; only with a collective effort was he pulled free . They barricaded themselves in Hopkinson ' s room . Dr Friedlander thought Catherine had linked with Richard while she was unconscious and that the killings were her wish to protect his honour . She agreed and halted Harries by thinking hard . Catherine followed Ian , Hopkinson , Baker and Friedlander when they went to get chain to tie up Richard . She told them she was consciously controlling Harries in the killings , that she was connected to him and that she would now kill them . Baker knocked her over and they barricaded her out . Catherine used Richard to break into the room from outside while she waited in another room . He came through the French window but together they forced him out and barricaded the window . Catherine shot Ian in the shoulder , Hopkinson helped tend to him . Hopkinson and Friedlander moved to the study via a fork in the chimney . They then escaped out the window . Susan and Kreiner abseiled down to them ; Susan fell but Hopkinson caught her . Simpson fell from the top window and seemingly died . Hopkinson and Friedlander then ran , pursued by Harries . Susan and Kreiner returned to the house . They arrived at George ' s shed and collected some dynamite before heading back , all the time followed by Harries . Arriving back at the manor , Ian and Hopkinson pulled aside the barricade to enter . However , Harries broke in and Catherine killed Baker . Hopkinson threw a lamp at Harries , igniting the dynamite attached to him and destroying his body . Hopkinson then wrestled with Catherine for her gun and it went off , killing her . They then left the manor . Hopkinson married Susan Seymour and left his account of events to her after his death . ( PROSE : " The Banquo Legacy " ) Personality . Hopkinson was good friends with Seavers and so took the chance to kill Harries . His guilt made him nervous in confronting Stratford but he soon regained his composure . Hopkinson became good friends with Susan , comforting her in the chaos of events . ( PROSE : " The Banquo Legacy " )