two o'clock in the afternoon
By this time , the subpoena for the witnesses had been returned , and the persons summoned made their appearance . The overt act was so notorious , that it had not been considered necessary to summon many , and the few needed were soon hunted up . Hereupon , Mr. Ketchum having intimated a readiness , on the part of the State , to proceed , Mr. Tippit , after some conversation with Judge Bernard and Pownal , Holden refusing to hold any intercourse with him also , entered the plea of `` not guilty , '' for his client . The hour of noon had now arrived , and that being the dinner-time of most present , Justice Miller yielded to the request of Mr. Tippet , and the pleadings of his own stomach , to adjourn the sitting of the court till two o'clock in the afternoon , in order , not only to gratify the demands of appetite , but , also , that the counsel might have an opportunity to confer with his client and prepare his defence . Ketchum remonstrated against the delay as unreasonable , but the Justice , who felt no disposition to hurry himself , and was , at bottom , not an unamiable man , told him , there would be time enough to finish the case in the afternoon , provided he and Mr. Tippit did not talk too long . Meanwhile , upon the promise of Judge Bernard to be responsible for the safety of the prisoner , Holden was allowed to depart with him , and Pownal , who had been invited to dinner with the Judge , accompanied them to his house . Here they found Faith , in a state of high excitement .