Doctor Taylor--the coroner--was seated before the desk; aside from this official Colonel Harbison, Andy Gilmore, Shrimplin, Moxlow, Mr.Allison, the mayor, Conklin, the sheriff, and two policemen were present.
"Thank you, that is all, Mr.Gilmore," the coroner had said as Langham entered the room.
He turned and motioned one of the policemen to place a chair for the prosecuting attorney beside his own at the desk.
"As you know, Mr.Moxlow," the coroner began, "these gentlemen, Mr.
Shrimplin, Colonel Harbison and Mr.Gilmore, were the first to view the murdered man.

Later I was summoned, and with the sheriff spent the greater part of the night in making an examination of the building.

We found no clue.

The murderer had gone without leaving any trace of his passing.

It is probable he entered by the front door, which Mr.
Shrimplin found open, and left by the side door, which was also open, but the crowd gathered so quickly both in the yard and in the street, that it has been useless to look for footprints in the freshly fallen snow.