I saw him fall--I was coming along a couple of hundred yards away, and I tried to see if the poor fellow was dead.

I swear I didn't do it.' "'You'll have to explain that to the inspector presently, my man,' was Constable McNaught's quiet comment, and, still vigorously protesting his innocence, the accused allowed himself to be led away, and the body was conveyed to the station, pending fuller identification.
"The next morning the papers were full of the tragedy; a column and a half of the _York Herald_ was devoted to an account of Lord Arthur Skelmerton's plucky capture of the assassin.

The latter had continued to declare his innocence, but had remarked, it appears, with grim humour, that he quite saw he was in a tight place, out of which, however, he would find it easy to extricate himself.

He had stated to the police that the deceased's name was Charles Lavender, a well-known bookmaker, which fact was soon verified, for many of the murdered man's 'pals' were still in the city.
"So far the most pushing of newspaper reporters had been unable to glean further information from the police; no one doubted, however, but that the man in charge, who gave his name as George Higgins, had killed the bookmaker for purposes of robbery.

The inquest had been fixed for the Tuesday after the murder.
"Lord Arthur had been obliged to stay in York a few days, as his evidence would be needed.