"
The K.C. took the witness, now very much at her ease, to the night of the
murder. She denied strenuously that Hill tried to dissuade Birchill from
carrying out the burglary because Sir Horace Fewbanks had returned
unexpectedly from Scotland. It was Birchill who suggested postponing the
burglary until Sir Horace left, but Hill urged that the original plan
should be adhered to. He declared that Sir Horace would remain at home at
least a fortnight, and perhaps longer. His master was a sound sleeper, he
said, and if Birchill waited until he went to bed there would be no
danger of awakening him. She contradicted many details of Hill's evidence
as to what took place when the prisoner returned from breaking into
Riversbrook. It was untrue, she said, that there was a spot of blood on
Birchill's face or that his hands were smeared with blood. He was a
little bit excited when he returned, but after one glass of whisky he
spoke quite calmly of what had happened.
The next witness was a representative of the firm of Holmes and Jackson,
papermakers, who was handed the plan of Riversbrook which Hill had drawn.
He stated that the paper on which the plan was drawn was manufactured by
his firm, and supplied to His Majesty's Stationery Office.
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