But accepting for
the moment his evidence as true the case against the prisoner amounts to
this: by threats of exposure Birchill compelled Hill to consent to
Riversbrook being robbed while the owner was in Scotland.
"Hill's complicity, according to his own story, extended only to
supplying a plan of the house and giving Birchill some information as to
where various articles of value would be found. On the 18th of August
Hill went to Riversbrook to see that everything was in order for the
burglary that night. While he was there his master returned unexpectedly.
Hill then went to the flat in Westminster and told Birchill that Sir
Horace had returned. His own story is that he tried to get Birchill to
abandon the idea of the burglary, but that Birchill, who had been
drinking, swore that he would carry out the plan, and that if he came
across Sir Horace he would shoot him. What grudge had Birchill against
Sir Horace Fewbanks? The fact that Sir Horace had discarded the woman
Fanning because of her association with Birchill. Gentlemen, does a man
commit a murder for a thing of that kind?
"Let us test the credibility of the man who has tried to swear away the
life of the prisoner.
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