an acknowledgment of debt to that amount in the handwriting of the
deceased, bearing date the night of the catastrophe. He had mentioned
the circumstance to Lady Tyrrell, and in presence of some of his
domestics; which statement was supported by _their_ respective
evidence. One of the jury shrewdly observed, that the circumstance of
Mr. Tisdall's having sustained so heavy a loss might have suggested to
some ill-minded persons, accidentally hearing it, the plan of robbing
him, after having murdered him in such a manner as might make it
appear that he had committed suicide; a supposition which was strongly
supported by the razors having been found thus displaced and removed
from their case. Two persons had probably been engaged in the attempt,
one watching by the sleeping man, and ready to strike him in case of
his awakening suddenly, while the other was procuring the razors and
employed in inflicting the fatal gash, so as to make it appear to have
been the act of the murdered man himself. It was said that while the
juror was making this suggestion Sir Arthur changed colour. There
was nothing, however, like legal evidence to implicate him, and the
consequence was that the verdict was found against a person or persons
unknown, and for some time the matter was suffered to rest, until,
after about five months, my father received a letter from a person
signing himself Andrew Collis, and representing himself to be the
cousin of the deceased. This letter stated that his brother, Sir
Arthur, was likely to incur not merely suspicion but personal risk,
unless he could account for certain circumstances connected with
the recent murder, and contained a copy of a letter written by the
deceased, and dated the very day upon the night of which the murder
had been perpetrated. Tisdall's letter contained, among a great deal
of other matter, the passages which follow:--

"I have had sharp work with Sir Arthur: he tried some of his stale