"
"But this is very remarkable," said the coroner. "How on earth could
deep-sea sand have got on to this woman's pillow?"
"The explanation," replied Thorndyke, "is really quite simple. Sand of
this kind is contained in considerable quantities in Turkey sponges. The
warehouses in which the sponges are unpacked are often strewn with it
ankle deep; the men who unpack the cases become dusted over with it,
their clothes saturated and their pockets filled with it. If such a
person, with his clothes and pockets full of sand, had committed this
murder, it is pretty certain that in leaning over the head of the bed in
a partly inverted position he would have let fall a certain quantity of
the sand from his pockets and the interstices of his clothing. Now, as
soon as I had examined this sand and ascertained its nature, I sent a
message to Mr. Goldstein asking him for a list of the persons who were
acquainted with the deceased, with their addresses and occupations. He
sent me the list by return, and among the persons mentioned was a man
who was engaged as a packer in a wholesale sponge warehouse in the
Minories.
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