“I ain’t noticed nothing different.”
“Not at any time since?”
“No, sir.”
“Very well. That will do. Constable Priest.”
The constable, taking the oath briskly, informed the court of his having been called to the scene of action, having communicated with Superintendent Blundell, having assisted at the removal of the body and of having helped to search the clothes of the deceased. He then made way for the Superintendent, who corroborated his evidence and produced a brief list of the dead man’s belongings. These were: a suit of navy-blue serge of poor quality, much deteriorated by its burial in the earth, but apparently purchased fairly recently from a well-known firm of cheap outfitters; much-worn vest and pants, bearing (unexpectedly enough) the name of a French manufacturer; a khaki shirt (British army type); a pair of working-man’s boots, nearly new; a cheap spotted tie. In his pockets they had found a white cotton handkerchief; a packet of Woodbines; twenty-five shillings and eightpence in cash; a pocket-comb; a ten-centime piece; and a short length of stiff wire, bent at one end into a hook. The body had worn no overcoat.
The French money and underclothing and the piece of wire were the only objects which seemed to suggest any kind of clue. Ezra Wilderspin was recalled, but could not bring to mind that Driver had ever said anything about France, beyond mentioning that he had served in the War; and the Superintendent, asked whether he thought the wire could be anything in the nature of a pick-lock, shook his head, and said it didn’t look like anything of that sort to him.
The next witness was Dr. Baines, and his evidence produced the only real sensation of the day. He said:
“I have examined the body of deceased and made an autopsy. I should judge the subject to be a man aged between 45 and 50. He appears to have been well-nourished and healthy. Taking into account the nature of the soil, which tends to retard putrefaction, the position of the body when found, that is, about two feet beneath the level of the churchyard and from three to four feet beneath the actual surface of the mound, I should judge the extent of decomposition found to indicate that deceased had been lying in the grave between three and four months. Decay does not proceed so rapidly in a buried body as in one exposed to the air, or in a clothed body as in a naked body. In this case, the internal organs and the soft tissues generally were all quite distinguishable and fairly well preserved. I made a careful examination and could discover no signs of external injury on any part of the body except upon the head, arms, wrists and ankles. The face had apparently been violently battered in with some blunt instrument, which had practically reduced all the anterior — that is, the front — part of the skull to splinters. I was not able to form any exact estimate of the number of blows inflicted, but they must have been numerous and heavy. On opening the abdomen—”
“One moment, Doctor. I take it we may assume that the deceased died in consequence of one or some of these blows upon the skull?”
“No; I do not think that the blows were the cause of death.”
At this point an excited murmur ran round the little hall, and Lord Peter Wimsey was distinctly observed to rub his finger-tips lightly together with a gratified smile.
“Why do you say that, Dr. Baines?”
“Because, to the best of my judgment and belief, all the blows were inflicted after death. The hands also were removed after death, apparently with a short, heavy knife, such as a jack-knife.”
Further sensation; and Lord Peter Wimsey audibly observed: “Splendid!”
Dr. Baines added a number of technical reasons for his opinion, chiefly connected with the absence of any extravasation of blood and the general appearance of the skin; adding, with proper modesty, that he was, of course, not an expert and could only proffer his opinion for what it was worth.
“But why should anybody inflict such savage injuries on a dead body?”
“That,” said the doctor drily, “is outside my province. I am not a specialist in lunacy or neurosis.”
“That is true. Very well, then. In your opinion, what was the cause of death?”
“I do not know. On opening the abdomen I found the stomach, intestine, liver and spleen considerably decomposed, the kidneys, pancreas and oesophagus in a fairly good state of preservation.” (Here the doctor wandered off into medical detail.) “I could not see,” he resumed, “any superficial signs of disease or injury by poison. I, however, removed certain organs” (he enumerated them) “and placed them in sealed jars” (further technical details) “and propose dispatching them to-day for expert examination by Sir James Lubbock. I should expect to receive his report in about a fortnight’s time — possibly earlier.”
The coroner expressed himself satisfied with this suggestion, and then went on: “You mentioned injuries to the arms and ankles, Doctor; what was the nature of those?”
“The skin of the ankles seemed to have been very much broken and abraded — as though the ankles had been tightly bound with cord or rope which had cut through the socks. The arms also showed the pressure marks of a rope above the elbows. These injuries were undoubtedly inflicted before death.”
“You suggest that somebody tied the deceased up with ropes, and then, by some means or other, brought about his death?”
“I think that the deceased was undoubtedly tied up — either by another person or by himself. You may remember that there was a case in which a young man at one of the universities died in circumstances which suggested that he had himself bound his own wrists and arms.”
“In that case, the cause of death was suffocation, I believe?”
“I believe it was. I do not think that was the case here. l round nothing to indicate it.”
“You do not, I suppose, suggest that the deceased went so far as to bury himself?”
“No; I do not suggest that.”
“I am glad to hear it,” said the coroner, sarcastically. “Can you suggest any reason why, if a man had accidentally or intentionally killed himself by tying himself up—?”
“After tying himself up; the tying of the arms and ankles would not in themselves be likely to cause death.”
“After tying himself up — why somebody else should then come along, smash his face in and then bury him secretly?”
“I could suggest a variety of reasons; but I do not think that is my province.”
“You are very correct. Doctor.”
Dr. Baines bowed. “He might, I suppose, have perished of starvation, if he had tied himself up and been unable to free himself?”
“No doubt. Sir James Lubbock’s report will tell us that.”
“Have you anything further to tell us?”
“Only that, as a possible aid to identification, I have made as careful a note as I can — in view of the extensive mutilation of the jaws — of the number and condition of deceased’s teeth, and of the dental work done upon them at various times. I have handed this note over to Superintendent Blundell in order that he may issue an inquiry.”
“Thank you, Doctor; that will no doubt be very helpful.”
The coroner paused, glanced through his notes and then turned to the Superintendent.