nearly noon
`` Was Mr. Scott already up when Mr. Whitney called him ? '' the coroner inquired , quickly . `` He was up and dressed , sir , '' was the reply . Wilson also corroborated the butler 's statement that Walter LaGrange was not seen about the premises until luncheon , and stated , in addition , that the horse belonging to young LaGrange was missing from the stables until nearly noon . Having mingled very little with the servants at Fair Oaks , he had but slight knowledge concerning the occurrences of the day preceding the murder . His testimony was therefore very brief . `` Katie O'Brien , chambermaid , '' was next called ; and in response a young Irish woman quietly took her place before the coroner .