Witness:  No, never.

Crown prosecutor:  Have you ever seen any such ring in his possession?

Witness:  No, I have seen him buying rings for ladies, but I never saw him with any ring such as a gentleman would wear.

Crown prosecutor:  Not even a seal ring.

Witness:  No, not even a seal ring.

Sarah Rawlins was then placed in the witness-box, and, after having been sworn, deposed—­

I know the prisoner.  I delivered a letter, addressed to him at the Melbourne Club, at a quarter to twelve o’clock on Thursday, 26th July.  I did not know what his name was.  He met me shortly after one, at the corner of Russell and Bourke Streets, where I had been told to wait for him.  I took him to my grandmother’s place, in a lane off Little Bourke Street.  There was a dying woman there, who had sent for him.  He went in and saw her for about twenty minutes, and then I took him back to the corner of Bourke and Russell Streets.  I heard the three-quarters strike shortly after I left him.

Crown prosecutor:  You are quite certain that the prisoner was the man you met on that night?

Witness:  Quite certin’, s’elp me G—.

Crown prosecutor:  And he met you a few minutes past one o’clock?

Witness:  Yes, ’bout five minutes—­I ‘eard the clock a-strikin’ one just afore he came down the street, and when I leaves ’im agin, it were about twenty-five to two, ’cause it took me ten minits to git ’ome, and I ’eard the clock go three-quarters, jest as I gits to the door.

Crown prosecutor:  How do you know it was exactly twenty-five to two when you left him?

Witness:  ’Cause I sawr the clocks—­I left ’im at the, corner of Russell Street, and comes down Bourke Street, so I could see the Post Orffice clock as plain as day, an’ when I gets into Swanston Street, I looks at the Town ’All premiscus like, and sees the same time there.

Crown prosecutor:  And you never lost sight of the prisoner the whole time?

Witness:  No, there was only one door by the room, an’ I was a-sittin’ outside it, an’ when he comes out he falls over me.

Crown prosecutor:  Were you asleep?

Witness:  Not a blessed wink.

Calton then directed Sebastian Brown to be called.  He deposed—­

I know the prisoner.  He is a member of the Melbourne Club, at which I am a waiter.  I remember Thursday, 26th July.  On that night the last witness came with a letter to the prisoner.  It was about a quarter to twelve.  She just gave it to me, and went away.  I delivered it to Mr. Fitzgerald.  He left the Club at about ten minutes to one.

This closed the evidence for the defence, and after the Crown Prosecutor had made his speech, in which he pointed out the strong evidence against the prisoner, Calton arose to address the jury.  He was a fine speaker, and made a splendid defence.  Not a single point escaped him, and that brilliant piece of oratory is still remembered and spoken of admiringly in the purlieus of Temple Court and Chancery Lane.