The London Welshman

Only a short distance-three or four fields away." "Was there anybody else in the inn when you were there ? "No one, when I left." Did you see anyone about when you left ? "No no one." "Now, you have heard Daniel Jones's account. He says he left your brother about ten o'clock a short distance away from the Three Horse Shoes. That would be about the time you were leaving ? v«~ X C3. Did you see your brother on the road ? "No." Did you hear any noise ? "None." "Can you suggest any explanation of his death ? asked the coroner. "No." Can you suggest any reason why his ghost, as you say, has been haunting you ? No," replied Jonah, except that I was his brother." And the only way you suggest you came to know the whereabouts of the body was through Your brother's spirit ? Yes." That was substantially all the evidence-the rest was simply corroboration of the various facts which made up the story. The coroner summed up to the jury. "Gentlemen," he said, "you have to inquire Ihto the death of Jacob Pugh, and you have a heavy responsibility to discharge. The doctor's Evidence puts it beyond all dispute or question that the man was foully murdered. There can be no doubt in your mind that the cause of Jacob Pugh's death was fracture of the skull, and that the fracture was due to a tremendous blow dealt by a powerful man using a heavy, blunt weapon. The body was afterwards thrown into the Pwll Du in order to remove all traces of the crime. So that your verdict on this part of the case must be 'Wilful Murder.' The deed bears all the marks of deliberation- the robbery, the nature of the blow, and the disposal of the body all point to a premeditated crime. The next and more difficult question is whether you can bring a verdict against a definite individual, or merely against some person unknown. It is a question entirely for you. I have by my questions tried to elicit facts which may enable you to come to a conclusion, but as the matter is so serious, involving the life, possibly, of a fellow creature, you will, I am sure, determine the matter on the evidence and not on any observations I may make. The person who, according to the evidence, last saw Jacob Pugh alive was Daniel Jones. He has given his evidence, as far as I can judge, truth- fully and straightforwardly. He says he parted from the deceased in anger about ten o'clock, not far from Pwll Du and not far also from the Three Horse Shoes, where Jonah Pugh was drinking. We can only conjecture what happened subsequently to Jacob Pugh. I suggest to you that in all probability he was attacked and murdered on the high road. He was carrying upon him a considerable sum of money, he would naturally be anxious to get home, and there was nothing to take him out of the way to Pwll Du or in that direction. It is true that there is no evidence of this. But you should remember that the night was dark and rainy, and that all traces of a scuffle would be washed away probably before morning, certainly before any search was made. The murderer, whoever he was, then carried his victim's body to Pwll Du, taking care before casting it in, to rifle the pockets of all their contents. The rain has unfortunately effaced all trace of footsteps, so that we have no direct proof as to the identity of the murderer. And now comes the strangest part of the story. No one knew, except the murderer, where the body of Jacob Pugh lay. It might have lain at the bottom of Pwll Du for months or years, had it not been for the extraordinary action of Jonah Pugh in giving information to the police. In one sense, that tells in favour of Jonah Pugh. But how did he get hold of his information ? He states that he was told by his brother's spirit. Gentlemen, it is not for me to say whether such things are possible or not. But I am entitled to ask you to test the matter, in the ordinary way, by your common sense. Is it your experience that such things happen? Can you place reliance on Jacob Pugh's testimony in this regard? Did he satisfy you that he was telling the truth ? Did he strike you as an innocent man who had met with an extraordinary experience, or as a man who was impelled by a guilty conscience to act as he did ? If you don't believe the story of the ghost, then you will ask yourselves how Jonah Pugh came to know that his brother's body lay at the bottom of Pwll Du? Long and carefully the jury considered their verdict. After an hour's absence they returned. "Gentlemen," said the coroner, "are you agreed upon your verdict ? We are," replied Mr. Morgans the Shop, as foreman. "We find Jonah Pugh guilty of the wilful murder of his brother, Jacob Pugh." Jonah gazed stupidly around him, not seeming, to realise that his neighbours were sending him to the gallows. The village policeman and a strange constable went up to him, and before he could stir, handcuffs were clasped on his un- resisting wrists. That night Jonah Pugh was, lodged in Carmarthen gaol. (To be concluded).