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SEED-HAM'S FAILURE By JOSEPH HATTON. Author of "The Queen of Bohemia," uTh? Three Recruits" Etc. CHAPTER VIII. THE WOLF IN* SHEEP'S CLOTHING.* "No, sir, not very late," said the night porter at the Old Hummuns hotel, as John Heeiboni, having" ring the door-bell, en tered the hall , - "The trains alter their times on Sunday,' said Noedham, "and I had to walk several miles before I could get a cab." "Yes, sir, that's the worst of Sunday traveling-" "Bar closed?" asked Needham, sitting in the porter's choir. "Yes. sir; bat they leaves me out sonu whisky and brandy and soda; which will you tako, sirt" ? "Soda and brandy." "Yes, sir." The porter foraged about in a mysterious corner and produced the liquor. Needham drank it off at a draught. "I was very thirsty," ho said; "can you give me another?" "Yes, sir."' "And a pair of slippers?*1 'There they are, sir," said the porter, placing a bootjack and a pair of dippers at the guest's feet, and then proceeding to open another bottle of soda. i Needham dragged off his boot with some difficulty, and tho porter assisted him to put on the slippors. "Any cigarsf' -i'Yes, sir." "Never mind; I think I have one." He pulled out Joseph Norbury's cigar case, took out a cigar and laid the case on the shelf of the bar window. It was a rather showily embroidered case?a present from his sister. He hoped the porter would recognize it. The porter gave him a light and than handed him tho case. "A pretty thing, is it not?" said Needham. "That's just what I was a-thinking, sir." "A present from my si>t3r." "Yes, sir, and it's very becoming, showy, but not gaudy, as they says." Needham drank his second brandy with only a very small quantity of soda, and then asked for a candle. Taking it from th? porter he hesitated, and then said: "I always forget my num ber; will you not show me the way?" "Oh yes, sir, with pleasure; let mo see now, what is tho number; sitting and bed room, ain't it?" Needham did not answer; he was busy re lighting his cigar. "You come in Thursday night's Midland, of course; I remember the overcoat, of course, Mr. Norbury, No. 13, seeing you in evening dress didn't strike me, and you speaks a little different; got cold, that's what you've got, sir; a walkin' in the wet, stupid of me to forget, and I prides myself in my memory for customers, you goes to Liverpool tomorrow morning, of course, henroot for America, bog your pardon, sir, Pm sure." "Don't mention it," sail Needham, fol lowing the porter, who led the way up two flights of stairs and along a winding pas sage, to what seemed to be the back part of the house. Then pausing, the porter turned the handle of the door. "Locked, sir." "There's tho key," said Needham; "is it unusual to lock one's doorf' 'ires', sir; if gentlemen bave any valu ables thev generallv leaves 'em at tho bar." The porter unlocke I the door; Neodham followed aim into the room. "Havo you no more candles?" "Oh yes, sir; there's two on tho dressing table." '?Light thorn." "Yes, sir." "Any more?" "Candles, sir?" "Yes." "There's two on the sitting room mantel." He opened another door, and went into the sitting room. "Light them" '?Yes, sir." "I havo some writing to do before going to bed." "Yes, sir, what time will you be called, sir?" "My train goe3 at ten, 1 think?'' ? "Euston for Liverpool? Yes, sir." "Call me at seven." "Yes, sir." "Do you got The Observer here?" "The what, sir?" "The Observer newspaper." '?The Sunday raper? Yes, sir." "Ishall want something to read in the train. There's five shidings; get me aU. the different papers you, can that come out on Sundays. Let me havo them wheu I am called. Shall you call inef "Yes, sir. I goes off at eight." "That's all right.*' "Thankee, sir. Gool night, sir." "At last!" Needham exclaimed, flinging himself upon a couch, "at last!" He spoko no more, nor spoko for a long time, but feU into a profound sleep?slept as quietly as an innocent, good man is sup posed to sloop. He was physically fagged and worn out, and nature would no longer be denied. The caudles were nearly burned out when he awoke. He rubbed his eyes and looked around him. Then he got up and shivered. The sunlight wr3 struggling through the whity brown blinds. Ha walked across the room, drew the blind aside, aud poo re 1 out. "Yes, I bave been to sleep," he said; "it is no dream, I bave done it all?all! What energy 1 And I thought I could only lie down and die. What criniel I thought I had waded in it already to my very hps!" He looked at his watch. "Four o'clock?morning. They used to ! talk of Covent Garden as a sight to see at tour o'clock, tho country folk?Coveufc Garden and Billingsgate I" He drew up the bliud, and, standing back from thu window, contemplated the scene. "But it is Sunday,'' he said, "aud all is quiet?awfully quiet, as if everybody had gone to Hanipstead Heath to seo the work of Cam!'' Then, turning his Lack upon tho window, he said: "1 must go to work; first recou- j uoiter, thju action." Ho put out the can lies and roado a care- ' fill survey of the two rooms and tho lug gage. I "Have I any trunks that are not here, I | winder?out) perhaps too large to drag ujv- , stair-.' Havo I placet auy valuables iu tho bar sate? If I have, why did 1 luck the do- r aud put the key in my pocket?'' He opened a largo leather portmanteau; ! the key was in the lock. "Beady packed?need not disturb that.'' "A dispatch box," be remarked, turning to a traveling case upon a chest of drawers; "very like my own, and with my.initialson the lid! Strange! Have I really some work to do iu tho world yet that the other couldu't do? Or is this only smooth ing my way to perdition.' But a truco to philosophizing! Nc more theorizing, John ?I mean Joseph?wt_- must bo practical now?and cunning, devilish cuuning." He turned over tue papers. "Ab! Mr. John Needham's letters of in troduction ! "Wonder if I should keep thein? Yes. He may have shown them to his so licitor, tho family lawyer who arrived so opportunely on Saturday. Saturday! Last night? Why, it seems an age! Ah! letters of credit. ?3,000?good! Portraits! My wife? Yes, no doubt. My sister? Of course. And. her lover? Certainly. A check book! What's this?a memorandum on the cover. '?390 banknotes, in charge of landlord,' and tbe date?yesterday 1 Good. Shall I have to sign my name? Let me see." Ho took up the letters of credit, went loa writing table, upon which thero were pens, ink and paper, and an ornamental pad with J. N. worked upon the corner. "An easy signature," he said, sitting down. "I have found much more difficult ones easy before now?J-o-s-e-p-h N-o-r b-u-r-y." He wrote each letter carefully and slowly. "My hand trembles, eh? No?it is tha position of the elbow." Then he rested the whole of his arm upon the table and began afresh. "Yes, that U better." He tried again iud again, writing the name more quickly each time, and at last dashing it off easily. "That will do." Then he tore up his failures, and leaving his last effort upon the table, went to the fireplace, removed the paper ornamont, tried the damper to see if it wo3 down, ? found it up, and lighting the bits of paper watched them blaze. Next he took off bis coat aud washed and shaved himself. "My traveling clothes arolaid oat read v." Then he rep3atod "laid out," and paused to say "a grim phrase." He changed bis dress clothes, packed them away, examined the dispatch box thoroughly, investigated the dressing case, which contained several rings, a few sov ereigns, some silver, and a miniature por trait of a lady in a locket, and a letter bearing yesterday's London postmark. "Who is this from? My sister? Yes Kate Norbury." He read as follows: "My Dear Joe: Good-by again, my dear. It is already very, very lonely without you, but I can bear it for your sake, and as tho days go on there will be the looking for ward to your coming back, and that will make the time fly. Anl you will take^reat care of yourself, won't you? If ever you are tempted to run any risk", think of me, and Aunt Dorothy, and Dick, and always remember that we are thinking of you. Aunt Dorothy arrived two hours ago, and is full of good spirits, anl she insists that Dick is to come and spend Saturday and Sunday as usual, whereby 1 am writing to him now to say that Aunt Dorothy insists, and that he can come if ho likes. Do you know, Joe, my dear, I think Dick is as fond of you as he is of me, only that I am a woman you know and you are not, and if you were I should be jealous of you, for, if I don't tell Dick that Hove him very much there k no harm in my telling you, is there? Because you know what love is, aud you know how much I lovo you; so much, that I will never marry Dick without your con sent, though Aunt Dorothy says that is nonsense, but she is very much prejudiced in my favor. Tho greyhounds missed you yesterday, anl tho old cob seemed to ask for you when I gave him some oats, and in the village they are all talking of you and wishing you a good voyage aud a safe re turn. I shall expect to hear from you in the morning, and you will send mo a tele. graphic message ?from Liverpool, -won't you? Take care of yourself, and write to me the moment you arrive, and always foel tha't you aro in -all our thoughts, and es pecially in mine. Your most loving and affectionate sister/ KaTe" "Ah," ho said, pondering the character of the writing, "she is a woman of more determination than her brother; she writes a firmer hand, makes :io flourishes; it is a pretty style, too, jauuty; wonder what ho said in reply ? Wonder what ho wroto in .he lettor that probably crossed this? Did he mention me? And if so, how? Did he say 1 was like him in appearance or ho like mof Ho waited to be called, pretended he was :n bed when the porter knocked, told him to leave the hot water and his boots at tbe door. "Aud tbe noosepapers," said tho porter, "two, sir." "AH right," said Needham; and as he quietly unlocked tho door when tho porter had gone away, ho said to himself, "Noose papers, indeed! Not if I know it. If dis covery is possible they will never getw-y bead into a noose!" He locked the door and eagerly scanned the two papers. Tbey contained no refer ence to last night's dark work. One of them had an on dit respecting his coming financial fall; but that did not disturb him. By half-past nino o'clock bo bad break fasted, paid his bill, received tho parcel of money that had been deposited at the bar, and was beiug driven to Euston, the sun shining on him as freely as if he were not the least saint-liko of the thousands of worshippers for whoso behoof mauy church bells were already beginning to cuimo for Sabbath rites and sermons. CHAPTER IX AN UNEXPECTED MEETING. On Sunday morning a bird catcher on the hunt for "feather-headed" warblers who could detect no difference in tho song of the decoy from the fresh wild notes of lib erty, camo upon the dead body of a gentle man not far from the well-knowu hostelry called Jack Straw's Castle. Ffrst he saw a horse browsing in one of the little adjoin discovery OF TUE BODY. tag valleys. Half* a mile farther on he saw a bivugham partly on the bridle path at the back of tho tavern, aud partly in a furze bush: and close by lay the dead body of a gontloijian, cold and stiff. It was in ovening ilr's-. The clothes were wet A crushed hat uu I a buttle lab.dui "essential oil of almonds"" was lying by its side, aud on the bottle was written. "John Neo lham, Esq., M. P., Portland place." Near the brougham was a silver spirit flask with "Johu Need ham" engraved upon it. to gether with a crest It contained essential oil of almonds, and there was still left in the other bottle a considerable quantity of the deadly drug. Tho bird catchor, re linquishing business for the day, went to the iuu and roused tho landlord. It tos a glorious summer morning; The thundor- I storm or nie preceurctg "nrgnr, naJ fresh - ened the earth and cleared tho atmosphere. Hampstead heath was a picture of beauty, the air full of sweat perfumes, and the sun was flooding tho landscape with a soft and tender light. Assistance being procured, and the police duly introduced into the affair, the body was removed to Hampstead workhouse, where it awaitel the coroner's inquest. It lay there'in the doadhouse while tho mur derer was traveling comfortably enough to Liverpool. The train stopped too frequent ly, however, for his perfect satisfaction. It made him feel lonely and strange to sea people greeting each other, coming and going, exchanging Sunday visits. Ho was almost tho only first-class passenger. Ho had brought the dispatch box into his car riage, and for the first two hours of his journey ho road many of tho papers and letters and memoranda which it contained. Then he turned to tho newspapers again and read over tho on dit relating to him self, and for the publication of which ha was glad, seeing that it would help to pre oara the public far the discovery on Hamp stead heath. Had it been discovered? he asked bimsdf, and answering it at the same time. Of course it had. How? By whom? What had they done with it? JJaken it .to Portland place? Would the affair bo in to-morrow's papers? When would he see to-morrow's papers? Had ho left any detail of the l_siness uncon siderod? Did anybody know that Norbury had called on him? Had anybody noticed the likeness between them. Had Norbury told his lawyer that he was to call on Mr. Need ham? What would it matter if be had? Supposing thoy made inquiries about Norbury ? * They would only learn that he came in late, had been in the country, and had gono to Liverpool Was there any thing odd in Norbury's conduct? No. He paid his bill, gave a receipt for the money they had taken care of for him; did not forget bis unpacked trunk in the hall. But they might want him as a witness; they might send to Livorpool after him. Could thby do it in time to stop 1?3 sailing? Yes, that troubled Lim; and as ho alighted from the train towards cveDin ho received a rude shock. "How do you do, Needham?" said a gen tleman on tho platform. "I thought I was the only man who felt obliged to travel on Sundays." "I l>eg your pardon," said Needham, with a real stammer, an exaggeration of h? customary slight hesitation of mnuner, "you have tho advantage of me." "Mr. Need hum, is it not?" said tho other. "Mr. John Needham, surely I cannot bo mistaken." "You are, sir; my name is Norbury." "I beg your pardon," said the other; "my nauio is Grou?Wilfred Green. Iam the member for Harwood, and I could have sworn }-ou were a coll -agu3 of mine." "You honor me," said Neodham; "I have never aspired to a scat in parliament." "I beg your pardon," said the stranger again. Needham smilod, took off his hat anJ moved away. "Curse him!" ho muttered between his teeth; "I always hated him?tho jabbering idiot. What will he say when ho reads the papers to-morrow?'' tVhat did he Bay] Whon he read of the discovery of the body he rubbed his hands with pleasure. Not that he disliked Neei ham, but uecausa he was a spiritualist, an active, talking, and writiug spiritualist; and he believed he had suen Neo.lhain's materialized spirit on its travel*. Ho sud denly remembered that he and Need ham had not niauy weeks; proviously had a long conversation of a psychological and Biblical character, in which Needham had oxpress?d Li3 entiro belief in' the Biblical visions and In chosts, and had confessed that hu saw no reason why tho _S"mo teen tb century should be deprived of spiritual inlurcour.se with those who bad goU3 before them to the spirit land. Mr. Wilfrod Groou, M. P.,' wrote a letter to The Times stating that it might bo more than a coin cidence, the appearance unto him at Liver pool, on Sunday, of John Needham; and lie ( suggested several curious psychological ex planations of the same. It might bav.? been an optical effort of the mind or a communica tion lrom the spirit world; John Noedham's personality might for thj moment have been unconsciously assunvj l by another, for spirit purposes; but he left tho facts to tho learned and scientific, contenting himself ' with setting them forth. And for sevoral days tho learueJ and scientific "gave him j fits," to quote a popular, if vulgar phrase, while one vory imaginative aud sensational i journalist hintod that if Greeu had seen anybody it was really John Needham, and that tho body upon which tho inquest had sat was a "spurious corpse." These and other strange circumstances set up in tho sensitiv.? miud of J_at3 Nor bury a groat and dreadful fear. CHAPTER X. DESCRIBES THE CORONERS INQUEST, THE NATURE OF THE EVIDENCE AND THE RE SULT. Tho inquest was opene 1 on Tuesday morn ing. Tho body had boon idont; fled by the deceased's brother Henry an i by the butlor. Several personal friends wera present, in cluding two members of parliament. There had not b_en the smallost doubt, of course, as to tho suicide, and the evidence of t_3 servants showod how completely Needham had laid his plan3. Some of the jury, while chatting among themselves, had expressel surprise that tho deceased should have taken so much trouble about it, and that he should do such an odd thing as to drive up to Hamp-toad. In answer to this it was suggested that he might have douo these curious things for the purp, se of leading up to a verdict of insanity. Th's was tho nature of the conversation that took place while tho jury was going to view toe body and returning to Jack Straw's Castle, where the inquest was hold. James Rogers was the first witness called. He deposed that he was butler of tho de ceased, and resided .at his master's house, Portland place. Ho had seen and identified the body as that of Mr. John Needham, whom ho had last seen olive at about six o'clock on Saturday evening, at which time ho waited upon him at dinner. Mr. Needham had sent th? footman and the coachman to Leighum ?uzzar 1 an hour or so before. His master tonka very light dinner, and afterwards lie (Rogers) went, with the other servants to the opera. The witness iheu rolntad tho circumstances under which he and the rest had -one to ths oparn, and afterwards to suppir. They did not return hom-i until lw<j in tin morning. Found the hvas:' very much a< it was when ho loft. In the library there were the remains ofsom-3 colTo?, and the spirit bottles and other things were "ii the t ibi". Mr. Noel ham hail, he shonlJ say, had his cup of coffee mi l cigar a* usual The cup had since been washed, nnd so als > had the j coffeepot. Of coursi if h,> had known of the sad business he would have had the things remain as they were. Nobody had been to tin.' house during the day except Mr. Nolan, the solicitor. He came to breakfast, and the master drove him home in the afternoon. Tbr> carriage used was the pair horsj bronghnm, and tho coachman and footman were on tho box Had not observed anything peculiar in his master's manner during the last few mouths. Thought it curious at the time his treating everybody to tho opera an I being so par ?cuTarT' affable, But put it down to a suddeii act of generosity and botng his birthday, though ho must say it astonished him very much.- The parlor maid, however, had said she thought tho master was mad; but it was a way she had." "A way sho had?" the coroner asked ''Yes, sir. Any one a-doing anything she don't quite see, she'u say, 'Oh. he's mad? mad as a hatter.'" (Laughter.) "And she did not quit? 'sea' the master's invitation to the opera, eh?'1 "That was it, sir; anl so sho bounces, as. I understands, into the kitchen and says the master's mad." "Yes, that will do; we don't want to h;ai* "hat you tmjl.;rstaud, but what you k:?ow of your own knowledge." "Ye--, sir; that's what I was a-sayin "That'will do; the next witness." Thomas Bobbins was then called. Ho said he was a bird catcher?"dealt in'em" ?aud lived at Tickheel court, Hampstead. Came across the body at eight o'clock Sun day morning. Saw the horse first; then the body; then the brougham; called to ix chap as ho see near tho castie to come af ore bo touched it; and then the police, some time afterward. All tho clothes was on the body, and the deceased had laid his overcoat down first to lie upon, that was evident; and close by was the opera hat, and the bottle and flask now produced. The clothes were wet, as it liad rained heavy the first part of the night The bottle had "Essential Oil of Almonds" on it, and "Poison" in big letters, and the druggist's name Hero the coroner explained that he had preferred to' let this witness givo his evi dence exactly in his own words before ask ing him any special quostions, but from this point ho asked him a great many, further eliciting that there was no eviienco of a struggle and no particular footmarks, seeing that the spot whero the body was lying was "furzy," and not calculated to show much in the way of footmarks. But there were plenty of footmarks thero now, for the spot had been crowded with people ever since, and a lot of the gorse had been torn away. Tho coroner expressed his regret that tho footprints had boon obliterated; he thought the police shouli have kopt the place clear, and ho thought it a matter for serious rep robation the morbid curiosity of the pub lic as exempli fiel by the pMiU'val-of gorso as memento;. (Applause.) Police Constable Jon -s (2218) gave evi dence as to tho removal of the body. There wero no sigus of a struggle. in the de cease 1's pockets were a razor, six pounds and ton shillings in gold and silver, a case with visiting cards of the- deceased in it. Tbe bottle of poison was lying near his right hand as if it had droppo 1 out of it The doeeascd's clothes wero wet, ? but other wise undisturbed. Mr. Jabez Northwick, surgeon, practic ing at Hampstead, said ho saw tho body at nine o'clock on Sunday morning in the dead house. It was cold, the limbs rigid, tho eyes glistening, life-Jike; the faeo calm and placid, and there was a powerful odor of the essential oil of bitter almonds per ceptible at the mouth. There was no froth or anything to show that the uufortuuato gentleman had died of poison except the smell of it. He had made a post mortem ex amination of the body, and it had undergone little or no. change. There were no marks of external violence, some post mortomcon gestion of the lungs, no valvular diseaso of DR. NORTnWICK testifies. the heart; a thickening was perceptible in tho left ventricle; the right auricle of tho heart was distended with bljod, the loft auricle empty; no odor of essential oil of almonds all over the body. The stomach contained undigested food, and imbedded in it numerous black particlos perceptible to tho naked oye. On examination thoy proved to be powdorod opium, and they were stuck oil over tho mucous membrane, and so numerous as not to bo counted Tho liver was healthy, tho pup?s of theeyos di lated, tho brain and membrane congosted, but otherwise healthy and without any signs of inflammation. It was qulto possiblo tho deceased had taken a strong narcotic as well as tho essential oil of almonds, but tho latter was tho cause of doath. At this point the butlor was recalled and related what tho reader already kuows iu regard to the bottle delivorod at the houso by tho druggist's assistant; and tho next witness was Sir. Drewer, tho druggist him self, who related the incident of Mr. Need ham's call and purchase of tho osjoutial oil of almonds. The coroner remarking that it was a pity such articles should be sold even by author ized persons and in such largo quantities, Mr. Drewer said the essential oil of bitter almonds was sold by every confectioner in the kingdom. "For what purpose?" ""Well," replied Mr. Drewer, "it is used commonly in cooking, for flavoring cus tards, and other purposos. Indeed confec tionery, such as is generally sold, contains poisons of all kinds." . "Indeed! Is that so? A nico reflection for those who eat confectionery. (Laugh ter.) I shall take care to give my cook some advice upou this point the moment I return home. (Laughter.) At tho same tune allow me to remar ? I am not jesting, and that this is not a theatro. I must re quest gentlemen present to coutrol their emotions," "Witness continued to state that ho could uot uuderstand at the time for what possi ble purpose Mr. Needham's groom might require essential <'i! of aliuon Is in tho stables. Arsenic, quite ns deadly a poison, would of course have been an entirely different matter. It is a common thing to give arsenic to horses among their corn to improve their coats an I condition. On ;ho continent it is a very common practice, and it is a fact known to seien':.' that with re gard td the administration of arsenic tu horses and the taking of it by human beings that if it is discontinued the constitution breaks up with just the game symptoms a-; those which are produced by arsenical pois oning. The sufferer.? di-j from tho wnut of it, bui with every appearance of being the victims of )>ojson. Mary Atkinson, the parlor maid, was then called. If you have been present at serious trials for murder, or at equally painful iuquests, you must have noticed on tho part 01 the spectators a tendency to bo amused. It is as" if th j mind, weighted with the trugic story, sought relief in the merest suggestion of comedy. Tho clover dramatist, dealing with a pathetic situa tion, understands this well, and seeks to iivo his audieutx- tho "quick relief oi au ex I cuso for laughter. Hary Atkinson came I ! upon the scene at Hampstead with the rep I utation ot a humorist. Sbe had, according j ' to the butler, a habit of describing people whom she did not quite understand as being "mad as a hatter." Mary was an intelli- 1 gent, bright-looking you%g woman, with a snub nose an I a showy i onnot; and sbe was : ? received with a general smile of approval. 1 Sho related wich minute detail a particular ; interview she had bad with her late master | on the afternoon of his loath. "And you said ho v is mad!" "Yes, sir, I beg his pardon.1" (Laughter). | ! "Why did you thin'; ho was mad?' "It was such a odl thing for him to ask i ' me." "To ask you what.'" "If I'd ever boen,to tho opera.' "And so you thought he was mad because bo asked you if you ha 1 ever been to the opera i" "Well, sir, I did?I beg his pardon." (Laughter.) "Don't beg his pardon, poor gentleman; be is beyond that And I must roquttst tha j . officer to clear tho court if there is any i more laughter." ; "Yes. rfr. I'm very sorry. I wasn't laughing, and its no laughing mattor for ; mo, losing a'good place and a good master." j And hero she began to cry. I "There, there, that will do," said the coroDor. "Pray control your feelings. Was thero anything peculiar in Mr. No id ham's manner that should lead you to think he was not iu his right mind?" "No more than what I have said, a3 it seemed so curious he should ask mo if I'd ever been to tho opera" "Oh, yes, yos; we've heard*that before. (Laughter.) I moan in his appearance or in his manner}" "No, sir; I can't say as thoro was. But to say as ho would give mo end the others tickoUs, and ho should sao us there, was something so odd?I bog his pardon." (Laughter.) "Very wolL That will do." "Yes, sir; thank you, sir." said Mary, j retiring into a corner to bo upbraided by I the cook for making a fool of herself, "an I I making all of us look as silly as you I are." ' Iben came tho evidonce of Mr. Nolan.. ' He described his visit to Mir. Needham on j Saturday morning. He had received a I j telegraphic message from Dublin relating j to some financial business, which ho : thought it desirable Mr. Needham should i so;. Mr. Needham was in financial diffl ' culties far more serious than he. h:s solici tor, had contemplated, although serious j enough to give him groat anxiety. He i found Mr. Neodhnm not in his usual stato I of health, but depressed; looking very woary and timJ, yet full ot intellectual and mental resourc? He'shouldn't say that ho exhibited the slightest tokens of insanity. It was not his intention to stay and break fast with Mr. Needham, but he romainod, and they talked over a great many busi ness matters in relation both to tbe London and the Dublin banks, and to sorao ques tions of mortgages and other so curitie'j. Holeft Mr. Needham abouthalf-past three in tbe afternoon, and that was tho last time he saw him alive. Henry Need ham, '-rother of tho deceased, next gave evid .ice of an unimportant char acter, with the exception of tho reproduc tion of tho letter with which the reador is already acquainted. Tho witness was very much ufiectod during the reading of tha letter, and once or twice was so much ovor come that ho paused and turne 1 away his bead to wipa the tears from his eyes. Tho dead silonco in tho court was ample evi dence of tho deop sympathy that was felt for tho witness and other mombers of his family. Horaca By los, of tho firm n f Bylcs, Gr i nt & Byles, solicitors, Lombard street, deposol that on tho moruing of Friday preceding his death, the decease 1, John NoedUam, called upon him au 1 asked for financial as sistance in tho interest* of the Needham Joint Stock baulc, showing him some tele graphic messages ho bad receive] from Dublin on tho subject of their wants, pro j posed several schemes for witness' consid I oration in regard to raising money, and i after he (Horaco B/lo-) told him they wore not su'.di schemes as h" could recommon 1 or adopt, Needham grow vory excited anl ex claimed, "Great God! If tho bank fails it will be my fault and tho ruin of thousands." Ho walked nb tut th> office with his hand to his head, and urged witness to holp him Ho had not been on very friendly torma with No'jdham for som: time previously tc this iuterviow, ou uccount chiefly of a dis appointment in money matters. About a month before his death he remembers 1 that a security Needham bad given him, upon which ho had found money for tho Irish bank, had not boon rogisterol, aud after Need ham left on Friday ho determined to have it registered. There was something so de spairing iu Needham's manner that bo felt the bank was ou the ovo of collapse. During | the conversation he (tvitues-) mentioned this security to Noedham, and thero waa something so straugo in his manner ho (witness) had a suddou suspicion that there was something wrong about it. Hetha-o foro sent his partner with tho dood to Dub lin. On arriving there he was not long in discovering that it was a forgory. Th? security purported to be a deed givon on the purchase of au ustat. in tho encum bered estates court. It was signed by two of tho commissioners and two attesting witnesses, and not a singlo signature was genuine. (Sensation in court.) it had a real seal of the encumbero 1 estates court attached to it, but there was no doubt it had been transferred from some other genuine deed. He (witness) attributed Needham's death to Iiis excitement about tho Needham bank a id to his knowledge that ho (witness) was ab .ut to sen! thi3 deed over to Dublin for registration. Thero wore rumors of other lorgories, but he know of no other forge I deed than his! own. Several of Air. N.'odkam'j deeds' had from time to time passed through his I hands to persons who had advanced money upon them, but ho (witness) ha I no reason ' to believe that any one of them was not j ! geuuine. Ho did not think anybody en-; ! joyed tho deceased's confi Jence. Mr. Need-' [ ham was a vory reticent man; it wasdiffi ? cult to get any information from him bo . j yond what ho chase to impart. Ho should; ; think Mr. Sadler had written th' letters : produced under groat excitement, and ho . believed that some of tho statements iu ' them wore not correct, j There was then a long discussion between , ; the coroner and tho witness as to what it was proper to disclose in regard to the do* ceased's affairs, what, might be known and what might not; anl tho witness niou tionol several circumstances indicating the f-erious financial difficulties in which Mr. Needham was involve 1 The inquest was then' adjourned until Thursday, when fresh evidence of a long and voluminous character was given, an I other private letters wer- pro duced, and tho correspondence in The Times ?as mentioned in term- any thin; but complimentary tu Mr. Green, j Thi? coroner also deprecated the fact that several public journals had discussed Mr. Green's remarkable statement that ho , ha I S-jen tho deceased aud had spoken to | him at Liverpool on tlx- Sunday, when it j was a fact beyond all manner of doubt . that the unfortunate gentleman was lying 1 dead at HampStoad workhouse. It was not : his business to reply to these things, but he I thought it a pity that a niuiuber of oarlia ment should give Iiis countenance T;o the new so-called spiritualistic crazs, which was the revival of an old dolusion much more worthy of tho dark ages than the ,pre3ent. Asfor'tho journal which threw out rh3 suggestion that the unfortunate de ceasel had procured the corpse of some other p?rson to represent his own, and thU3 complete his* villanios by carrying off a largo s?m of money and getting away to some other country, he thought it a mistake for the writer of that articlo to waste his imaginative powers upon a more newspaper, instead of writing stories for The London Journal, or compiling dramas for tho trans pontine stago. No man, he believed, more than himself appreciated and valued the freedom of the press, but in this matter ho confessed he thought both editors and cor respondents hal outstripped the line which divides liberty from license. Pas dug from this feature of the case ta tho olosiiig of the painful business before the jury, he summe I up tin evidenco with graat care, dwelling at souu length upon tho rights of tha crown in refo-vaco to any property tho deceased might have left, and in anticipation of th* jury finding a verdict of felo-d :-<sj. In ordinary cases, he said, so far as he could soo, there was not, un fortunateiv?and ho regretted to say it? any evidence to show that thodeceased was not perfectly sane when he arranged to take his own life and did take it Tho only sug gestion to his mind, even of eccentricity in the matter, was that ho should drive him self up to the spot where he was discovered. This was no doubt a strange thing to do. Nevertheless, it was clearly by forethought and design. On the day when he felt that Byles, Grant & Byles would, within twenty four hours, have discovered the secret of his forgories, ho had resolved to commit sui cide, purchasing the drugs for the purpose, sending his two men servants into the country, writing his last letters, and mak ing other careful and intelligent arrange ments to closo his earthly career. It had been sugi;est?d that Hampstead heath was a favoriia resort of tho deceased, and that ho hail frequ mtly been soon walking and driving there, walking, more particularly during the ln-t two weeks, about tho heath behind Jock Straw's Castle, and uear the spot when) bis body was found. He must repeat, it was a curious thing that ho should get ids .servants out of the way, for that was evidently the intention of tho opera and the suppers, hiniselJ putting his horse into his carriage, si?iing upju tho box and driving it, evidently late at night and possibly through a storm of rain and thunder, to Hamp-tea I heath. Tnat was the oaly in dicati .m in the entire story that could war rant even a thought of iusauity; but this was overbalanced tremendously, in his esti mation, by t-e other facts of tho case. Wnh these suggestions and instructions he left tho verdict in the hands of tho jury, and thanked th.in on behalf of himself and ah concerned for their patient attention to the painful details of one of the saddest cases that had come"under his attention.for many years. The jury, after a short deliberation, gave a verdict of felo-de-se, which it was gener ally understood meant a midnight burial with something worse than maimod rights; but in this case the body had been pre viously removed to the deceased's residence in Portland place, and on the fifth day after death it was interred at KensaJ Green, in tho presence of a few private friends and relatives. And in duo course there was written on a block and silver plato over tho remains of Joseph Norbury tho dishonored name of John Needham. Moanwhilea strange instinct of fear and mistrust in regard to her brothor's welfare took possession of 'th_ mind of Kate Nor bury. to be continued. TO THE MANY ENQUIRERS I WOULD state that one car has arrived. The de mand for this MANURE will be larger than supposed. To'CASH BUYERS the price will be re markably low. Orders fdled as rapidly as possible. TO OWAERS OP STEAM MILLSf ol-e.. &c. 1 have just received a lot of WROUGHT IRON Vu % and 1 inch, PIPING, COUP LINGS, ELBOWS, B. G. BRASS VALVES, CHECK VALVES and PACKING STUFF AN INVOICE OF FRESH FLOUR. GOOD at SJ.OO. BEST AT ?6.00. ALSO. BRICK, CEMENT, PLASTER PARIS, LIME, HAIR. Stock Food and Hay ON HAND. John A. Hamilton. Van OrsielFsPiotopf Merj OVER B. B. OWEN'S, Russell Street, Orangeburg, S. C. To the Public : I have opened a first class Photo Gallery. I would be pleased to have samples of work examined at Gallery. All werkstrickly first-class. Photos of Groups and Babies a speciality by Instant method. All Vowing Exteriors, Dwellings, Horses, Dogs and Animals taken at short notice by instant method. Old pictures copledjahd enlarged. Special attention given to this branch of work. Pictures finished in water colors, India Ink and Crayon. Also Photo taken from the size of smallest pocket to full life 3x5 feet All work done with neatness and dispatch. Yewing any where iu the State. Special discounts on all orders over510.00. Give me a call, 1 will assuresatistaction. All work CASH <>N DELIVERY. Restively no credit. VAN ORSDELL, Artist, .July 17 RussHlStreet, Orangeburg, S. C. For Sale * VALUABLE PLANTATION -.'V eight miles east of town on the Five ('hop road. Contains 500 acres of land, 150 of which is under cultivation, ami remain der well wooded with pin", oak, hickory, &e. Besides dwelling ami other necessary biiildinu-. all of which arc in cxcclh-i.t con dition, there is a well appointed!steam gin, saw and grist mill, with power cotton pros, seed crusher, cotton elevator, wagon scales and cut off saw, < Ui the place is an excel lent carp pond, stocked with scale carp (the only pond in this county, to my knowledge, that lias raised carp.)' This place is excel lently located iu the center of a thickly settled neighborhood, tliere-bv possessing cxcelleni advantages as a location for phy sician. Thin place with .stuck and all other appurtenances, together with crop made upon it tliisyear, execptcotton crop, will be sold on terms to suit purchaser. Apply to W. S. Bahton, M. D. "Starwall" Farm, Orangeburg, S. C. June :j-4mo