“Yes. He’s been subpoenaed and is here.”
“Well, let’s hear from Sergeant Holcomb,” the coroner said. “Sergeant Holcomb, come forward and be sworn, please.”
Sergeant Holcomb took the witness stand. The coroner said, “Now, you’re a sergeant on the homicide squad of the Metropolitan Police, aren’t you, Sergeant, and you know all about the investigation of murder cases, and the scientific method of apprehending criminals?”
“That’s right,” Sergeant Holcomb admitted.
“Now you got this box with the creel of fish in it, that Sheriff Barnes sent in?”
“Yes, that was received at the technical laboratory of the police department. We had previously received a telephone call from Sheriff Barnes about it.”
“What did you find out about the fish?” the coroner asked.
“We made some tests,” Sergeant Holcomb said. “I didn’t make the tests myself, but I was present when they were made, and know what the experts found.”
“What did they find?”
“They found that there had been a limit of fish in the creel; that the fish were, of course, badly decomposed, but, as nearly as could be ascertained, the fish had been cleaned and wrapped in willow leaves. They had not been washed after being wrapped in willow leaves.”