The insurance man, Scarsdale, would not open his mouth until the inquest,
which took place on the afternoon after the crime had been committed. It
was held at Tralee. Great crowds surrounded the house, but only a few
found entrance to the inquest room.

Immediately on opening the inquest, Orlando was called to tell his story.
Every eye was fixed upon him intently; every ear was strained as he
described his coming upon the isolated wagon and the dead man with the
reins in his hands. It is hard to say if all believed his story, but the
Coroner did, and Burlingame, his lawyer, also did.

Burlingame was present, not to defend Orlando, because it was not a
trial, but to watch his interests in the face of staggering
circumstantial evidence. To Burlingame's mind Orlando was not the man to
kill another by strangling him to death. It was not in keeping with his
character. It was too aboriginal.

The Coroner believed the story solely because Orlando's frankness and
straightforwardness filled him with confidence. Also men of rude sense,
like Jonas Billings, were willing to take bets, five to one, that Orlando
was innocent.

The Young Doctor had not an instant's doubt, but he could not at first
fix his suspicions in a likely quarter. He had examined the body, and
there were no marks save bruises at the throat. In his evidence he said
that enormous strength of hands had been necessary to kill so quickly,
for it was clear the attack was so overpowering that there was little
struggle.

The Coroner here interposed a question as to whether it would have been