A whisper running round the court informed the
onlookers that this was the gentleman who picked Parslett up in the
street. Purdie and his two companions pricked their ears.
Martin James Gardiner--turf commission agent--resident in Portsdown Road,
Maida Vale. Had lived there several years--knew the district well--did not
know the dead man by sight at all--had never seen him, that he knew of,
until the evening in question.
"Tell us exactly what happened, Mr. Gardiner--in your own way," said the
Coroner.
Mr. Gardiner leaned over the front of the witness-box, and took the court
and the public into his confidence--genially.
"I was writing letters until pretty late that night," he said. "A little
after eleven o'clock I went out to post them at the nearest pillar-box. As
I went down the steps of my house, the deceased passed by. He was walking
down Portsdown Road in the direction of Clifton Road. As he passed me, he
was chuckling--laughing in a low tone. I thought he was--well, a bit
intoxicated when I heard that, but as I was following him pretty closely,
I soon saw that he walked straight enough.
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