“When did you last see Mr. James Patterson alive?” and the repeatedly asked question stirred the jury to greater attention.
“In the rush from the dining room into the hall.”
“What, not again?”
“No,” replied Barclay. “I believe Patterson assisted the ladies in reaching the street, but after opening the front door to admit the firemen, I rushed into the drawing room and finding no sign of Ito there unlocked the dining room door, passed through there, thinking the Jap might be trying to steal the silver, and then rushed upstairs by the back way.”
“Were you the first to find Mr. Patterson’s body?” inquired Penfield.
“Yes. I stumbled across it as I was coming down from my fruitless search for Ito.”
“Exactly how was the body lying when you found it?”
“Face down,” answered Barclay, demonstrating with his hands to illustrate his meaning, “in this position. Not recognizing Patterson, I turned him partly over to see who it was, and to render what aid I could. I thought he had been overcome by smoke.”
“You say you did not recognize Patterson at once; was there no light in the hall?”
“Yes, but the hall was filled with smoke and I could not see clearly. Secondly,” added Barclay dryly, “one man in a dress suit is very much like another, and especially when lying on his back.”