a quarter past eight
It was no secret that he associated with doubtful characters , male and female ; but suspicion failed to point to any one of them in particular . In this state of things , there was no alternative but to request Mr. Dubourg -- well known in , and out of the town , as a young gentleman of independent fortune ; bearing an excellent character -- to give some account of himself . He immediately admitted that he had passed through the field . But in contradiction to the farm-bailiff , he declared that _ he _ had looked at his watch at the moment before he crossed the stile , and that the time by it was exactly a quarter past eight . Five minutes later -- that is to say ten minutes before the murder had been committed , on the evidence of the dead man 's watch -- he had paid a visit to a lady living near Pardon 's Piece ; and had remained with her , until his watch , consulted once more on leaving the lady 's house , informed him that it was a quarter to nine . Here was the defense called an `` alibi . '' It entirely satisfied Mr. Dubourg 's friends .