_Q._ How came your answer to be in your hands?
_Mr. Scarlett._ It was handed over by us just now; it was given me by Mr. Cochrane Johnstone"s attorney.
[_The letter was read, as follows:_]
"My dear Sir,
"In reply to your favour of yesterday, I beg to inform you, that the only sum I have paid the Baron on your account, since you advanced him the .50, is a trifle of about .7 or .8, which he paid for the printing of the prospectus"s of Vittoria. You are very kind in a.s.sisting him so much; I have done it till my purse is empty; but had it been otherwise, I would still have a.s.sisted him to the extent of my means, notwithstanding the little foolish difference between us.
"I will attend to your wishes respecting the annuities, I will settle with Dawson and Wrattislaw as speedily as possible.
"The Wendover business is proceeding; but I am awkwardly circ.u.mstanced, not having all the doc.u.ments before me; in Lady M. L. Crawford"s business I should wish to attend with you on the spot. Pray excuse haste
I am, dear sir, your"s faithfully _Gabl Tahourdin_."
Temple, 23d Feb. 1814.
_Lord Ellenborough._ Where is the cover of this letter: the cover should be produced, for letters of this sort may be written after their date, and one wishes to have some external thing that cannot deceive; there is no post-mark to any of these letters.
_Mr. Scarlett._ Did you write that letter on the day of which it bears date?
_A._ Yes, I did; it was not sent by the post, I believe; I cannot charge my memory, whether it was or not?
_Q._ I see there is a lady alluded to, Lady Mary Crawford Lindsey; was she a tenant to Mr. Cochrane Johnstone?
_A._ No, she was not a tenant; she had purchased a house of his.
_Q._ There was a business to settle with her?
_A._ Yes.
_Q._ Do you know the fact, that in consequence of this correspondence which has been read, Mr. Johnstone did pay Mr. De Berenger any sum of money?
_A._ Only from the parties having acknowledged, the one the having paid it, and the other the having received it.
_Q._ You were not present when the money was paid?
_A._ No, I was not.
_Q._ Was there any receipt taken for the money?
_A._ Yes, there was.
_Q._ Did you take the receipt?
_A._ No, I did not.
_Lord Ellenborough._ Did you see it at the time of the receipt?
_A._ There were two receipts at the time.
_Q._ Do you know of its existence, by seeing it at the time when it purports to bear date?
_A._ A little afterwards; a few days afterwards.
_Q._ When did you first see it?
_A._ A few days afterwards; I really believe the .50 receipt I handed myself to Mr. Johnstone, but I cannot charge my memory with it.
_Lord Ellenborough._ You saw it in the month of February, or when?
_A._ The .50 receipt, which was in September or October, I believe I handed over to Mr. Johnstone myself; the other I did not.
_Mr. Scarlett._ When did you first see the other receipt; was it in February?
_A._ I think within two or three days after it was given.
_Lord Ellenborough._ Have you both the receipts there?
_Mr. Scarlett._ We have, my Lord.
_Lord Ellenborough._ Then hand them in, if he proves that he saw them about the date?
_A._ This receipt of the 20th of September 1813, I handed myself over to Mr. Johnstone.
[_It was read, as follows._]
"London, Septr 20, 1813.
"Received of the Honble Cochrane Johnstone, the sum of fifty pounds (by the hands of Gabl Tahourdin, Esq.) on account of large plans, &c.
"_C. Random De Berenger._"
---------- .50 -- -- ----------
_Mr. Scarlett._ You have another receipt in your hands, that bears date the 26th of February?
_A._ Yes.
_Q._ That money did not pa.s.s through your hands?
_A._ No.