“On the tenth of March, at 12.8 p.m., I received instructions to proceed to St. Mary Axe to inquire into a robbery that had taken place there.  Inspector Sanderson’s report was handed to me, and I read it in the cab on my way to the premises.  On arriving at the premises at 12.30 p.m., I examined the safe carefully.  It was quite uninjured, and there were no marks of any kind upon it.  I tested the locks and found them perfect; there were no marks or indications of any picklock having been used.  On the bottom of the inside I observed two rather large drops of a dark fluid.  I took up some of the fluid on a piece of paper and found it to be blood.  I also found, in the bottom of the safe, the burnt head of a wax match, and, on searching the floor of the office, I found, close by the safe, a used wax match from which the head had fallen.  I also found a slip of paper which appeared to have been torn from a perforated block.  On it was written in pencil, ’Handed in by Reuben at 7.3 p.m. 9.3.01.  J.H.’  There were two smears of blood on the paper and the impression of a human thumb in blood.  I took possession of the paper in order that it might be examined by the experts.  I inspected the office doors and the outer door of the premises, but found no signs of forcible entrance on any of them.  I questioned the housekeeper, but obtained no information from him.  I then returned to headquarters, made my report and handed the paper with the marks on it to the Superintendent.”

“Is this the paper that you found in the safe?” asked the counsel, once more handing the leaflet across.

“Yes; this is the paper.”

“What happened next?”

“The following afternoon I was sent for by Mr. Singleton, of the Finger-print Department.  He informed me that he had gone through the files and had not been able to find any thumb-print resembling the one on the paper, and recommended me to endeavour to obtain prints of the thumbs of any persons who might have been concerned in the robbery.  He also gave me an enlarged photograph of the thumb-print for reference if necessary.  I accordingly went to St. Mary Axe and had an interview with Mr. Hornby, when I requested him to allow me to take prints of the thumbs of all the persons employed on the premises, including his two nephews.  This he refused, saying that he distrusted finger-prints and that there was no suspicion of anyone on the premises.  I asked if he would allow his nephews to furnish their thumb-prints privately, to which he replied, ‘Certainly not.’”

“Had you then any suspicion of either of the nephews?”

“I thought they were both open to some suspicion.  The safe had certainly been opened with false keys, and as they had both had the real keys in their possession it was possible that one of them might have taken impressions in wax and made counterfeit keys.”

“Yes.”