The Old Man in the Corner
CHAPTER XV
A TERRIBLE PLIGHT
"Little more than a fortnight after that, Edith Crawford was dulycommitted to stand her trial before the High Court of Justiciary. Shehad pleaded 'Not Guilty' at the pleading diet, and her defence wasentrusted to Sir James Fenwick, one of the most eminent advocates at theCriminal Bar.
"Strange to say," continued the man in the corner after a while, "publicopinion from the first went dead against the accused. The public isabsolutely like a child, perfectly irresponsible and wholly illogical;it argued that since Miss Crawford had been ready to contract a marriagewith a half-demented, deformed creature for the sake of his L100,000 shemust have been equally ready to murder and rob an old lady for the sakeof L50,000 worth of jewellery, without the encumbrance of so undesirablea husband.
"Perhaps the great sympathy aroused in the popular mind for David Grahamhad much to do with this ill-feeling against the accused. David Grahamhad, by this cruel and dastardly murder, lost the best--if not theonly--friend he possessed. He had also lost at one fell swoop the largefortune which Lady Donaldson had been about to assign to him.
"The deed of gift had never been signed, and the old lady's vast wealth,instead of enriching her favourite nephew, was distributed--since shehad made no will--amongst her heirs-at-law. And now to crown this longchapter of sorrow David Graham saw the girl he loved accused of theawful crime which had robbed him of friend and fortune.
"It was, therefore, with an unmistakable thrill of righteoussatisfaction that Edinburgh society saw this 'mercenary girl' in soterrible a plight.
"I was immensely interested in the case, and journeyed down to Edinburghin order to get a good view of the chief actors in the thrilling dramawhich was about to be unfolded there.
"I succeeded--I generally do--in securing one of the front seats amongthe audience, and was already comfortably installed in my place in courtwhen through the trap door I saw the head of the prisoner emerge. Shewas very becomingly dressed in deep black, and, led by two policemen,she took her place in the dock. Sir James Fenwick shook hands with hervery warmly, and I could almost hear him instilling words of comfortinto her.
"The trial lasted six clear days, during which time more than fortypersons were examined for the prosecution, and as many for the defence.But the most interesting witnesses were certainly the two doctors, themaid Tremlett, Campbell, the High Street jeweller, and David Graham.
"There was, of course, a great deal of medical evidence to go through.Poor Lady Donaldson had been found with a silk scarf tied tightly roundher neck, her face showing even to the inexperienced eye every symptomof strangulation.
"Then Tremlett, Lady Donaldson's confidential maid, was called. Closelyexamined by Crown Counsel, she gave an account of the ball at CharlotteSquare on the 23rd, and the wearing of the jewels by Miss Crawford onthat occasion.
"'I helped Miss Crawford on with the tiara over her hair,' she said;'and my lady put the two necklaces round Miss Crawford's neck herself.There were also some beautiful brooches, bracelets, and earrings. Atfour o'clock in the morning when the ball was over, Miss Crawfordbrought the jewels back to my lady's room. My lady had already gone tobed, and I had put out the electric light, as I was going, too. Therewas only one candle left in the room, close to the bed.
"'Miss Crawford took all the jewels off, and asked Lady Donaldson forthe key of the safe, so that she might put them away. My lady gave herthe key and said to me, "You can go to bed, Tremlett, you must be deadtired." I was glad to go, for I could hardly stand up--I was so tired. Isaid "Good night!" to my lady and also to Miss Crawford, who was busyputting the jewels away. As I was going out of the room I heard LadyDonaldson saying: "Have you managed it, my dear?" Miss Crawford said: "Ihave put everything away very nicely."'
"In answer to Sir James Fenwick, Tremlett said that Lady Donaldsonalways carried the key of her jewel safe on a ribbon round her neck, andhad done so the whole day preceding her death.
"'On the night of the 24th,' she continued, 'Lady Donaldson still seemedrather tired, and went up to her room directly after dinner, and whilethe family were still sitting in the dining-room. She made me dress herhair, then she slipped on her dressing-gown and sat in the arm-chairwith a book. She told me that she then felt strangely uncomfortable andnervous, and could not account for it.
"'However, she did not want me to sit with her, so I thought that thebest thing I could do was to tell Mr. David Graham that her ladyship didnot seem very cheerful. Her ladyship was so fond of Mr. David; it alwaysmade her happy to have him with her. I then went to my room, and athalf-past eight Mr. David called me. He said: "Your mistress does seem alittle restless to-night. If I were you I would just go and listen ather door in about an hour's time, and if she has not gone to bed I wouldgo in and stay with her until she has." At about ten o'clock I did asMr. David suggested, and listened at her ladyship's door. However, allwas quiet in the room, and, thinking her ladyship had gone to sleep, Iwent back to bed.
"'The next morning at eight o'clock, when I took in my mistress's cup oftea, I saw her lying on the floor, her poor dear face all purple anddistorted. I screamed, and the other servants came rushing along. ThenMr. Graham had the door locked and sent for the doctor and the police.'
"The poor woman seemed to find it very difficult not to break down. Shewas closely questioned by Sir James Fenwick, but had nothing further tosay. She had last seen her mistress alive at eight o'clock on theevening of the 24th.
"'And when you listened at her door at ten o'clock,' asked Sir James,'did you try to open it?'
"'I did, but it was locked,' she replied.
"'Did Lady Donaldson usually lock her bedroom at night?'
"'Nearly always.'
"'And in the morning when you took in the tea?'
"'The door was open. I walked straight in.'
"'You are quite sure?' insisted Sir James.
"'I swear it,' solemnly asserted the woman.
"After that we were informed by several members of Mr. Graham'sestablishment that Miss Crawford had been in to tea at Charlotte Squarein the afternoon of the 24th, that she told every one she was going toLondon by the night mail, as she had some special shopping she wished todo there. It appears that Mr. Graham and David both tried to persuadeher to stay to dinner, and then to go by the 9.10 p.m. from theCaledonian Station. Miss Crawford however had refused, saying she alwayspreferred to go from the Waverley Station. It was nearer to her ownrooms, and she still had a good deal of writing to do.
"In spite of this, two witnesses saw the accused in Charlotte Squarelater on in the evening. She was carrying a bag which seemed heavy, andwas walking towards the Caledonian Railway Station.
"But the most thrilling moment in that sensational trial was reached onthe second day, when David Graham, looking wretchedly ill, unkempt, andhaggard, stepped into the witness-box. A murmur of sympathy went roundthe audience at sight of him, who was the second, perhaps, most deeplystricken victim of the Charlotte Square tragedy.
"David Graham, in answer to Crown Counsel, gave an account of his lastinterview with Lady Donaldson.
"'Tremlett had told me that she seemed anxious and upset, and I went tohave a chat with her; she soon cheered up and....'
"There the unfortunate young man hesitated visibly, but after a whileresumed with an obvious effort.
"'She spoke of my marriage, and of the gift she was about to bestow uponme. She said the diamonds would be for my wife, and after that for mydaughter, if I had one. She also complained that Mr. Macfinlay had beenso punctilious about preparing the deed of gift, and that it was a greatpity the L100,000 could not just pass from her hands to mine without somuch fuss.
"'I stayed talking with her for about half an hour; then I left her, asshe seemed ready to go to bed; but I told her maid to listen at the doorin about an hour's time.'
"There was deep silence in the court for a few moments, a silence whichto me seemed almost electrical. It was as if, some time before it wasuttered, the nex
t question put by Crown Counsel to the witness hadhovered in the air.
"'You were engaged to Miss Edith Crawford at one time, were you not?'
"One felt, rather than heard, the almost inaudible 'Yes' which escapedfrom David Graham's compressed lips.
"'Under what circumstances was that engagement broken off?'
"Sir James Fenwick had already risen in protest, but David Graham hadbeen the first to speak.
"'I do not think that I need answer that question.'
"'I will put it in a different form, then,' said Crown Counselurbanely--'one to which my learned friend cannot possibly takeexception. Did you or did you not on October 27th receive a letter fromthe accused, in which she desired to be released from her promise ofmarriage to you?'
"Again David Graham would have refused to answer, and he certainly gaveno audible reply to the learned counsel's question; but every one in theaudience there present--aye, every member of the jury and of thebar--read upon David Graham's pale countenance and large, sorrowful eyesthat ominous 'Yes!' which had failed to reach his trembling lips."