| 161 | 162 | 163 | 164 | 165 |
| 1 | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 |
|
www.freeclassicebooks.com
On the afternoon of July 17th, continued Counsel, immediately after the
quarrel with her son, Mrs. Inglethorp made a new will. This will was found
destroyed in the grate of her bedroom the following morning, but evidence
had come to light which showed that it had been drawn up in favour of her
husband. Deceased had already made a will in his favour before her
marriage, but--and Mr. Philips wagged an expressive forefinger--the prisoner
was not aware of that. What had induced the deceased to make a fresh will,
with the old one still extant, he could not say. She was an old lady, and
might possibly have forgotten the former one; or--this seemed to him more
likely--she may have had an idea that it was revoked by her marriage, as
there had been some conversation on the subject. Ladies were not always
very well versed in legal knowledge. She had, about a year before, executed a
will in favour of the prisoner. He would call evidence to show that it was the
prisoner who ultimately handed his stepmother her coffee on the fatal night.
Later in the evening, he had sought admission to her room, on which
occasion, no doubt, he found an opportunity of destroying the will which, as
far as he knew, would render the one in his favour valid.
The prisoner had been arrested in consequence of the discovery, in his
room, by Detective Inspector Japp--a most brilliant officer--of the identical
phial of strychnine which had been sold at the village chemist's to the
supposed Mr. Inglethorp on the day before the murder. It would be for the
jury to decide whether or not these damning facts constituted an
overwhelming proof of the prisoner's guilt.
And, subtly implying that a jury which did not so decide, was quite
unthinkable, Mr. Philips sat down and wiped his forehead.
The first witnesses for the prosecution were mostly those who had been
called at the inquest, the medical evidence being again taken first.
Sir Ernest Heavywether, who was famous all over England for the
unscrupulous manner in which he bullied witnesses, only asked two
questions.
"
"
"
I take it, Dr. Bauerstein, that strychnine, as a drug, acts quickly?"
Yes."
And that you are unable to account for the delay in this case?"
163
Page
Quick Jump
|