On the day appointed Ned was again brought up before the magistrates. The examination was this time in public, and the justice room was crowded. Ned, whose face was now recovering from the marks of ill usage, was pale and quiet. He listened in silence to the evidence proving the finding of Mr. Mulready's body. The next witness put into the box was one of the engineers at the factory; he proved that the rope which had been used in upsetting the gig had been cut from one which he had a short time before been using for moving a portion of the machinery. He had used the rope about an hour before Mr. Mulready came back in the evening, and it was then whole. After it had been done with it was thrown outside the mill to be out of the way, as it would not be required again.
After he had given his evidence Mr. Wakefield asked:
“Did you hear any one outside the mill when Mr. Mulready was there?”
“No, sir; I heard nothing.”
“Any one might have entered the yard, I suppose, and found the rope?”
“Yes; the gates were open, as we were at work.”
“Would the rope be visible to any one who entered the yard?”
“It would not be seen plainly, because it was a dark night; but any one prowling about outside the mill might have stumbled against it.”
“You have no reason whatever for supposing that it was Mr. Edward Sankey who cut this rope more than anyone else?”
“No, sir.”