The Trial of Charles Random de Berenger, Sir Thomas Cochrane - LightNovelsOnl.com
You're reading novel online at LightNovelsOnl.com. Please use the follow button to get notifications about your favorite novels and its latest chapters so you can come back anytime and won't miss anything.
_Lord Ellenborough._ Why did you compare the two then?
_A._ I wished to be circ.u.mspect; but if my life rested upon it, I should say, this is not his hand-writing, according to my belief and judgment.
_Mr. Park._ What has been, for the number of years you have known this person, his general character?
_A._ I have always considered him a man of strict honour and integrity.
_Q._ We have heard he has been in difficulties?
_A._ He has been.
_Q._ And he is a debtor of yours?
_A._ Yes, he is a very large one.
_Q._ To what amount have you trusted him?
_A._ To the extent, I believe, of about .4,000, and upwards, besides my professional claim.
_Lord Ellenborough._ In money.
_A._ Yes, in money.
_Mr. Gurney._ I only want to ask Mr. Wood as to this road book. I believe it has been identified before.
_Lord Ellenborough._ That was put in yesterday.
_Mr. Jones._ I had it yesterday in my hands; it was put in by Mr. Wood.
_Mr. Gurney._ I wish to shew Mr. Tahourdin the hand-writing in that book.
_Lord Ellenborough._ The hand-writing in that road book certainly was as extremely like the Dover letter as ever I saw any thing in my life.
[_The road book was handed to Mr. Tahourdin._]
_Cross-examined by Mr. Gurney._
_A._ Have the goodness to look at that pencil-writing in that road book; do you believe it to be Mr. De Berenger's hand-writing.
_Lord Ellenborough._ Now be upon your guard.
_Mr. Gurney._ Look at both pages.
[_The witness examined it._]
_A._ Some of it appears to be more like his hand-writing than the other part.
_Q._ Do not you believe it all to be his hand-writing?
_A._ No, I do not indeed.
_Q._ How much of it do you believe to be his hand-writing.
_Lord Ellenborough._ State the parts where you think the likeness ends, and where you think somebody else has taken up the pencil and written a part of it.
_A._ That looks more like his hand-writing [_pointing it out_] but it is not the general writing of Mr. De Berenger.
_Mr. Gurney._ How much of it do you believe to be his writing?
_A._ Some part of it looks more like his writing than other part.
_Q._ Is there any part which you believe is not?
_A._ The writing part is not at all like his writing.
_Q._ I ask you as to nothing but the writing part?
_A._ Some are figures.
_Q._ Looking at those two pages, you say it is not all his hand-writing?
_A._ No, I do not think I did.
_Q._ That was your first answer?
_Lord Ellenborough._ You said "There is some more like his hand-writing, but I do not believe it all is."
_Mr. Gurney._ How much is there of it that you do not believe to be his writing.
_A._ Some of the letters look like his hand-writing.
_Q._ How much or how little of it do you think to be his hand-writing?
_A._ The smaller parts look like his hand-writing.
_Q._ Now I ask you upon your oath, have you any doubt of the whole of those two pages having been written by the same hand?
_A._ Upon my word it is difficult to say.
_Q._ Not at all so; I have looked at it attentively, and I know it is not difficult to say; do not you believe it all written by the same hand?
[_The witness examined it again._]
_Lord Ellenborough._ You can say whether you believe it to be De Berenger's hand-writing?
_A._ Upon my word, I really do not know what to say.