test5.txt

I was soon introduced into the presence of the magistrate, an old
benevolent man with calm and mild manners. He looked upon me, however,
with some degree of severity, and then, turning towards my conductors,
he asked who appeared as witnesses on this occasion.About half a dozen
men came forward; and, one being selected by the magistrate, he
deposed that he had been out fishing the night before with his son and
brother-in-law, Daniel Nugent, when, about ten o'clock, they observed
a strong northerly blast rising, and they accordingly put in for
port. It was a very dark night, as the moon had not yet risen; they
did not land at the harbour, but, as they had been accustomed, at a
creek about two miles below. He walked on first, carrying a part of
the fishing tackle, and his companions followed him at some
distance. As he was proceeding along the sands, he struck his foot
against something and fell at his length on the ground. His companions
came up to assist him, and by the light of their lantern they found
that he had fallen on the body of a man, who was to all appearance
dead. Their first supposition was that it was the corpse of some
person who had been drowned and was thrown on shore by the waves, but
on examination they found that the clothes were not wet and even that
the body was not then cold. They instantly carried it to the cottage
of an old woman near the spot and endeavoured, but in vain, to restore
it to life. It appeared to be a handsome young man, about five and
twenty years of age. He had apparently been strangled, for there was
no sign of any violence except the black mark of fingers on his
neck. The first part of this deposition did not in the least interest
me, but when the mark of the fingers was mentioned I remembered the
murder of my brother and felt myself extremely agitated; my limbs
trembled, and a mist came over my eyes, which obliged me to lean on a
chair for support.