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The judge was a soentle as to his e and bulging eyes (which he usually kept closed), suggested a certain rese-like trick of flattening his eyelids--as if in the act of sing a large beetle--which was the only outward and visible sign of e-in of the jury was completed Mr Loram rose to introduce the case; whereupon his lordship leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, as if bracing his," Mr Loram explained, "are occasioned by the unaccountable disappearance of Mr John Bellingham, of 141 Queen Square, Blooo, or, to be more precise, on the twenty-third of Nove has been heard of Mr Bellingha him to be dead, the principal beneficiary under his will, Mr George Hurst, is now applying to the Court for permission to presume the death of the testator and prove the will As the time which has elapsed since the testator was last seen alive is only two years, the application is based upon the circumstances of the disappearance, which were, in ular, the , perhaps, its suddenness and coe remarked in a still, small voice that "It would, perhaps, have been even radually and incoreed Mr Loram; "but the point is that the testator, whose habits had always been regular and orderly, disappeared on the datemade any of the usual provisions for the conduct of his affairs, and has not since then been seen or heard of"
With this preaive a narrative of the events connected with the disappearance of John Bellingham, which was substantially identical with that which I had read in the newspapers; and having laid the actual facts before the jury, he went on to discuss their probable ie, this ent person who shall consider it impartially? Here is a man who steps forth from the house of his cousin or his brother, as the caseof an eye, vanishes from human ken What is the explanation? Did he steal forth and, without notice or hint of his intention, take train to so his affairs to take care of themselves and his friends to speculate vainly as to his whereabouts? Is he now in hiding abroad, or even at home, indifferent alike to the safety of his own considerable property and the peace of mind of his friends? Or is it that death has come upon him unawares by sickness, by accident, or, more probably, by the hand of some unknown criminal? Let us consider the probabilities