He says, “On hearing of the murder I immediately suspected the Habrons.”
That Cock was foully murdered none, of course, could doubt; but who fired the fatal shot could not fail to be a matter of serious doubt to any person who read the particulars of the affair in the daily papers whilst the sad event was under investigation.
F. Wilson, a witness on the trial, deposed that John Habron told him that if ever the “Little Bobby” (their nick-name for Cock) did anything to either him or his brother he would shoot him.
Mrs. Carter, wife of the landlord of the “Royal Oak,” said that if the said “Little Bobby” did not stop persecuting him and his brother, they would shunt him through their “gaffer,” Mr. Deakin, as he would not be the first policeman they had shunted.
Mrs. Fox gave evidence that John Habron (who was under the necessity of appearing at the police-court on the Monday, to answer the charge of drunk and disorderly conduct, preferred by the deceased) said to her, “If he does me to-day I’ll do him on Wednesday.”
James Brownhill deposed to John’s threats to shoot the officer.
The savage threats made by the acquitted John, and the expression used by William, must have been, to say the least of it, frightfully overrated to bear a construction of murder, and yet that construction was put upon it the result of the trial of this ill-used young man shows.
The next point which was supposed to bear upon the guilt of William Habron is that of his having gone to the shop of Mr. Moore, the ironmonger, to ask the price of and to examine some ball-cartridges (the revolvers were brought out and shown him by the shop-man, M‘Clelland, unasked for).
Here the witness cannot swear whether it was on Monday or Tuesday the transaction occurred.
But he swore to the man, although he had probably never seen him before in his life, nor, in the ordinary way of business, would he take any more notice of him than he would of any other casual customer.