“I show you an assortment of articles and ask you if you can identify them,” the coroner said. He took from his safe a black leather hand bag, took from this hand bag a towel and spread out a miscellaneous assortment. The officer checked them over carefully, nodded his head, and said, “Yes, these were the things which were in the pockets of the dead man’s clothes. There was nothing else in the clothes.”
“You’re certain of that?”
“Yes.”
“Now, what can you tell us of the automobile which was lying there, wrecked, in the bottom of the canyon?”
“It was a stolen automobile. It had been stolen at six-thirty on the afternoon of the thirteenth; was reported about an hour later, and wasn’t seen again until it was found in the bottom of this canyon.”
“I think that’s all,” the coroner said. “Are there any questions?”
Mason slowly got to his feet.
“You have some questions, Mr. Mason?”
Mason said, “I have some questions to ask of this witness. But, in the meantime, I am wondering if the coroner has forgotten his promise to Mr. Weyman. Mr. Weyman is evidently a very sick man and I think that he should be put on the stand at the present time, if he is to be called at all. In fact, I think the evidence in this case is very plain, and it seems to me there is no reason to call Mr. Weyman. I suggest that Mr. Weyman be excused.”
“No,” the coroner said, “Mr. Weyman is here, and there’s no reason why he can’t testify.”