And if you are prepared to scrutinize the evidence carefully before accepting the accusations made by Lieutenant Britz, then I believe I can convince you in short order how absolutely baseless his charges are." "I have no desire to commit an innocent man or woman to prison," answered the coroner.

"I am not an agent of the police.

I am a judicial officer and as such I am prepared to protect the innocent to the limit of my powers." Britz had so arranged the chairs in his office as to compel those in the room to resolve themselves into two separate groups, like opposing sides in a judicial proceeding.

Behind the detective's flat-top desk sat the coroner, while about him were ranged Britz, Manning and Greig.

Facing the desk, at a distance of a dozen feet, sat Mrs.Collins, Ward, Beard and Collins, with Luckstone occupying a chair in the middle.
The sincerity of tone in which the coroner expressed his willingness to consider the evidence of both sides, encouraged the lawyer to proceed.
"Mr.Whitmore was found dead in his office at the hour when his clerks prepared to go to lunch," he began, in the tone of an advocate addressing a high tribunal on a question of law, rather than of fact.
"It has been established beyond question that he arrived at his office between nine and ten o'clock, and that he did not leave his office all morning.