The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

First London Jury before Mr. Recorder.

87.   JOHN WILLIAM HARRIE was indicted that he on the 13th of November , at  St. Mary Bothaw , knowingly, wilfully, and feloniously, did send to one   Ford Hale a certain letter in writing with a fictitious name, to wit, the name of   Joseph John subscribed thereto; directed to the said Ford Hale, by the name and description of Mr. Hale, No. 7, Cannon-street, City, threatening the said Ford Hale, in and by the said letter, to burn his house ; which said letter is as follows:

Sir, - You have been robbed to a considerable amount I understand, but as you would not give me a character, I will do for you, and your son's business. You are being robbed now by a person whom you little suspect and who can put on a long face as well as anybody. Remember well the 16th day of November, that being Saturday, when you will have your place fired, and you yourself way-laid by some person whom you will never find out: good bye for ever, when this note comes to you by to-morrow. - Your's &c.

JOSEPH JOHN.

against the statute &c.

2nd COUNT, like the first, only stating the letter to threaten to kill and murder the said Ford Hale.

3rd COUNT, for sending a like letter to the said Ford Hale and William Hale, threatening to burn their house, shop, and out-house, and that the prisoner had been before convicted of felony. (See Laurie, Mayor, 6th Sess. p. 585.)

Mr. Bodkin conducted the prosecution.

MR. FORD HALE. I carry on business in Cannon-street, City, as a wax and tallow chandler ; I have premises there and I live on the premises - I have no other residence, nor any other place of business - the prisoner was apprenticed to me about twelve or thirteen years ago; he served me seven years, and afterwards worked with me as journeyman , and married a servant or mine, and continued to work as journeyman for me - his wages were 28s. a week - in June last, I had reason to suspect his honesty - I preferred an indictment against him.

MR. CLARKSON (for the prisoner). Q. Did you go out of court when the witnesses were ordered out? A. I did; I was not in court - I was not between the curtain and the door - I did go out of the court, and came in again.

COURT. Q. Were you within hearing of any part of the statement of the counsel? A. I cannot say I did not hear a few words; but I went out of court; which the policeman can testify - I had not returned a minute when I was called - I do not know Mr. Hobler's clerk - I heard somebody come in, and I just popped in for a moment - I certainly stepped in for a moment but I could not relate anything Mr. Bodkin said - I did not hear anything he said.

MR. CLARKSON. Q. Were not you inside, and the door shut on you? A. No; I do not think this gentleman found me between the door and the curtain - I do not know him.

COURT. Q. Were you so inside the court as to hear what passed? A. I was not; I was not long enough in court to hear the statement of the counsel - I had no opportunity of hearing anything he said - it was so short - the door was not shut - I was outside the door - to say I did not hear, would be wrong; but I did not understand a word - I was there a second or so.

MR. BODKIN. Q. Did you hear me make any statement of facts to which you are to depose? A. No; the prisoner left me in June, for a period of three months, during which time he was in prison; he left me on a Saturday - I paid him a sovereign on Friday night, and he left me next day - I saw him again at my house, on the 26th of October - my son was in the shop then - he came and said, I owed him 8s. to make up the week's wages - which I should have done, if he had stopped; and I gave it him, rather than have any quibble, and he went away - he came again on the 13th

of November, about two or three o'clock in the afternoon; he spoke first to my son, in my hearing, and said, he wanted a pair of shoes - my son said, "I know nothing about your shoes - you had better not call; you may get yourself into trouble;" he turned round to me, and said,"I have called for my shoes" - I said, "I knew nothing about them, and wondered he should show his face there - he said, "I can show as good a face as you, and shall send you in a bill for 5s." - I believe, I said, at the Mansion-house, that it was between eleven and twelve o'clock he came, but it was about three o'clock; the bill of 5s. was for the shoes - he spoke rather roughly, he was not there above a minute or two.

Q. Was it before this that an application had been made to you about his character, by Mr. Beech? A. Yes; he had got a situation before that; he was out of confinement about the 5th of October, and I think an application was made about his character, by Mr. Beech, about a fortnight after - I should say it was from the 12th to the 20th of October - I made a communication to Mr. Beech on the subject of his character, he is in the same business as myself - I afterwards, saw Beech on the subject, and I know he went into Beech's service; and I believe he was in his employ when he called about the shoes - I heard so - I saw this letter on the evening of the 13th of November - I did not see it till about nine o'clock - I received it from my son William - (that was the night of the same day as the inquiry was made about the shoes) - I have seen the prisoner write - in my judgment it is the prisoner's handwriting; I believe it to be his writing - I went next morning to the Lord Mayor, and made a communication to him; one of my men sat up on Saturday night, the 16th, to watch the premises - three or four doors past my house, there is a passage leading to a billiard-room, near my stables, which are behind my house - the passage is separated from my premises, by a low wall, five feet high - Stevens was the name of the person who watched there - I did not employ him; he did it of his own accord; and Abel, the night-patrol, was told to keep an extra watch - I gave directions to the patrol in consequence of this letter.

COURT. Q. You received the letter from your son? A. Yes; it has a twopenny-post mark on it.

MR. BODKIN. Q. Did you, in June last, charge the prisoner with felony? A. I did.

MR. CLARKSON. Q. Was not your charge ultimately reduced to writing? A. No; I don't understand the question.

COURT. Q. Did you prefer a bill against him? A. Yes, my lord.

Cross-examined by MR. CLARKSON. Q. Are you a common-councilman? A. Yes; I have been so five or six years - I have served on special Juries, and on common Juries; not frequently on both - I cannot say how often on common Juries; it don't come to our turn very often - I don't think I have served twenty-eight days altogether - I don't know that I ever heard witnesses ordered out of Court - I served on a grand Jury last Sessions - I don't recollect that I ever did hear witnesses ordered out of Court - I will not swear it - I understood what you meant by ordering the witnesses out of Court - I had no reason for coming into Court - I came in, I suppose out of curiosity - on my oath I did not hear what Mr. Bodkin said, I scarcely heard five words.

Q. Will you swear you did not hear ten words consecutively? A. Not inside the door - the door kept opening and shutting constantly - I cannot say I did not listen - the door did not stand open - I cannot say, I did not hear when the door opened; but it was instantaneous - I did not hear Mr. Bodkin's statement; I tried to hear; I was outside, and was anxious, of course, as to what was going on - I was not constantly listening - I certainly did step in for a moment - I was not aware that my being out was so particular - I suppose I was ordered out that I should not hear the counsel open the case - curiosity excited me to come in to hear - it is of no use to disguise the cause.

Q. Did you not hide yourself behind the curtain because you was ashamed of being seen there, after being ordered out? I did not come on this side the curtains; but I did not remain there, because I was so short a time; getting behind, and remaining there, is another thing - I came in to hear but did not remain long enough to hear.

Q. On your oath were you not there five minutes? A. No; I was not - I did not know the importance of it, or I should not have done so.

Q. Pray give me leave to ask, whether you have any motive for prosecuting the prisoner? A. I have no motive but justice.

Q. On your solemn oath don't you know there is a charge before the Excise against you, for having fraudulently made candles without paying the duty? A. No; there is no charge - I never had one - I never knew of one in my life - I never heard of one against me - the prisoner talked about it at the Mansion-house - this man has reported such a thing about - my character, I believe, is as respectable before the Commissioners of the Excise as any man's - I have been thirty years under the excise - I never had an information, nor anything to injure my character - there was no charge against me for fradulently making candles, except what he said - I never heard of it before, except through him - I believe he has talked about it round the trade - I never had a charge against me - I never heard of a complaint from the Excise - this man has been talking ever since he robbed me, that he would do something, but I don't fear him - he has had plenty of time, since he was convicted, if he had any information to give - I don't know that the subject is under the consideration of the Excise at present - I feel confident I am not undergoing the scrutiny of the law officers at present - I don't believe the Commissioners of Excise have any information against me, for the duty has been off candles for two years - I swear I don't believe there is even a suspicion against me - I did not go to the office to inquire if there was a charge, after I had heard the prisoner had made such a charge - I never was afraid of the prisoner or any man.

Q. Why not make inquiry when you heard there was a charge? A. It was not worth my while - I was satisfied

there was no such thing - I should not have prefered this indictment, nor the other, if I had not been obliged - my own preservation obliged me - I have been under the Excise laws thirty years - I never was suspected, I believe; and to the best of my knowledge, no man in the trade stands better with the Excise than I do, and insinuations of this sort are very vexations - he has had time to do me an injury if he had thought proper to lodge an information - I know the prisoner's hand-writing well - I have no doubt of this letter being his; I have known his hand-writing twelve years, and I am sure it is his writing - some of it is disguised but it is his writing; some of it is hardly disguised; I know it to be his hand-writing - I am well acquainted with his writing, and am satisfied in my own mind that it is his writing - I should say it is his writing but rather disguised.

Q. The whole of it? A. I should say the bottom part is more disguised than the top - I know it is his writing - here is the word "fired" - it is plain to me this is his hand writing - I have seen him write that many times - the word fired is in very large characters - that is just the hand-writing I have seen him write - there are other words as much like his writing as that.

Q. Point them out? A. I should say the word "fired," and "character" - I believe the whole is his hand-writing - the fact is, it is all the character of his writing, particularly the upper part - the capital I's are his hand-writing - I believe it is his writing, on my oath - I mean to say it is rather disguised, the whole of it, but I am satisfied it is his writing - the bottom part of the letter in my opinion is more disguised than the top - that is what I said before - the word "character" is near the top in the fourth line, both the words "fired" and "character" are like his writing, one is like his large hand, and the other like his small hand - I think they are all disguised in a measure, but so much like his I could tell it in a moment - I say it is all his writing.

COURT. Q. Do you find such traces of his character of hand-writing as to satisfy you that it is his? A. I do?

MR. CLARKSON. Q. Now is there any word in the letter which you particularly notice, being particularly like his hand-writing, except the two words you have mentioned? A. The words "have," and "suspect" it is all like his writing - I should say the word "Saturday" is like his hand-writing - I am satisfied it is all like his writing - the words "person," and "understand" - I don't select any other.

Q. Now Mr. Hale, you told my friend that on his coming to you for 8s., he conducted himself very rough, what was the roughness? A. He said, I had done the worst I could do, and he did not mind me; and I gave him the 8s., and away he went after a little further conversation - I tried to talk and reason with him, as the thing was over - I begged he would not go on talking about me as he had done, and I said, "Now you have an opportunity of establishing your character, and I hope you will" - he said, "I don't care you have done your worst," and he would not listen to me- he would not hear me - on my oath I had not heard at that time that he had preferred a charge against me at the Excise - I never was afraid of any charge against the Excise laws - the conversation about the 8s. was on Saturday night the 26th of October - he never said a word about the Excise to me - he did not say he had preferred a charge - when he was in prison before, he had said he would rum me.

Q. Then why tell me you never heard any complaint had been made? A. There had been no complaint directly from the Excise-office - he never made a charge against me to my face.

Q. On your oath, did he not tell you on the 16th of October, that he had preferred a charge against you? A. He did not tell me so; he had been talking about the neighbourhood; I cannot tell who I heard it from - he had spread a report, but it never amounted to anything - it is a cruel accusation.

Q. Did not you on the 16th of October, pay him the 8s., telling him it would be better for him that he should not say anything against you, and after that, recommend him to a situation? A. I recommended him, and I am sorry that construction has been put on my motives - I never saw him on the 16th of October; the first time I spoke to him, to the best of my recollection, was the 26th; I wished to see him well, and rather wanted to show I wished him well; but I was not under any fear from the Excise - I had no reason - he took the money and away he went; I did not say, it would be better he should not say these things against me - I wanted to reason with him as a friend, to try and soften him down; he seemed to be so high, and said I had done my worst, and he did not care for me; I did not tell him it would be better not to say anything more against me, nor anything of the kind - I did not say it would be better; I said, "You have got a place, cannot you go on and get a character."

COURT. Q. Did you not say to him, you hoped he would not now talk of you as he had? A. It was not on account of the Excise, my Lord.

MR. CLARKSON. Q. What was it on account of? A. I had no motive at all, further than I wished to shew I was disposed to be a friend to him; it did not apply to making candles fraudulently; it really was, that I wished him well; all he could say about me, could do me no injury; I did not ask him not to say any more about me; I believe, I said, I hoped he would not talk about me as he had done; it was not from any fear - I cannot say why, I said so, further than from a kindly feeling I had towards him, that the thing might go quietly and die away - I meant my having prosecuted him; he had threatened me about the neighbourhood; what I said to him had no reference to what he had said about the Excise.

Q. About two years ago, do you remember a supper being given at the Bull's Head at Walbrook? A. I recollect that I gave the officers who used to visit me, some bread and cheese, or something of that sort; it was not to induce them to keep any secret, I gave them something to eat and drink; I think that was about the time the duty came off candles; I recollect doing so once, and only once - I swear positively, I have never given them any since that; we have only one officer visit us now; I don't think I have given them anything to eat above

once or twice in my life - I will swear I have not done it half-a-dozen times, nor five times.

Q. You talked about somebody you ordered to watch; what is his name? A. Abel, the patrol; I don't think he is here - I believe Stevens is not here - I did not ask him to come; my house has not been set on fire - I have not been done for.

MR. BODKIN. Q. How long is it since the duty has been taken off candles? A. Two years next January; I never had any charge or process against me in the Exchequer; the prisoner, never in his life to my face, said he had a charge to make against me - I have heard it rumoured in the neighbourhood as having been said by him - I have never in my life had even a caution from the Excise.

  WILLIAM HALE . I am the son of Ford Hale. The prisoner left my father's employ in June - I saw him again on the 26th of October; he did not speak to me on that occasion; he spoke to my father in my presence - he merely called for 8s. wages; my father said, "John, I don't think 8s. is due to you; you did not serve the whole day, but rather than have any squabbling about it, (or something of that sort) here are the 8s.," and he paid him - I again saw him on the 13th of November, at my father's house; he came into the shop; he addressed me, and said, "Mr. William, I have called for my shoes"- I said, "Really, John, I know nothing about your shoes; you had better not keep calling, perhaps you will get yourself into trouble" - he then turned round, and addressed my father said, "Sir, I have called for my shoes" - my father said, "John, I know nothing about your shoes; I wonder you can shew your face here" - he said, "Face! I can shew as good a face as you" - my father made him no answer, but turned round and walked off; this was between two and three o'clock in the afternoon - I was at home that night; a letter came about eight o'clock by the twopenny-post; I took it in; this is the letter - I opened it, and read it, and gave it to my father - during the time the prisoner was in my father's employ I have seen him write often; I have known his hand-writing for eight years - I believe this letter to be in his hand-writing - I think it was in about an hour or three-quarters after I opened the letter that I gave it to my father.

Cross-examined. Q. Look at the letter carefully; you have seen the prisoner write for eight years? A. Yes; and became well acquainted with his writings - if I had seen an account he had made out, I should immediately know it was his hand-writing; and if I saw a letter written by him I should know it; as soon as I saw it, it was clear to me, that it was his hand-writing - I am acquainted with his ordinary style of writing; this is rather disguised, I should say the large word "fired" is not so much disguised as some parts - I think it is most disguised where it is folded down at the bottom, all but the large word "fired"; it is not so much disguised but I could tell it was his hand-writing - I think the lower part is much disguised, but the word "fired" not so much; it is rather disguised - it is disguised in the formation of the letter "R"; the capital "F" is not disguised; it is the way he would have written a direction - it was palpable to me, that it is his hand-writing - the word"have" is rather disguised, not more than the generality - the word "understand" is written in the way he would have written it, if in a hurry; I should say it is not disguised - the word "character" is not at all disguised, but just as as if he wrote in a hurry - the word "person" is disguised a very little, as if he wrote it in a hurry - I should say, the word "suspect" is not so much disguised as the lower part; I should say, it is not in the least disguised - I should know it, it is just as he writes when in a hurry; it is like his ordinary hand, when he writes in a hurry.

MR. CLARKSON to MR. FORD HALE. Q. Since the prisoner has been in custody, have you written any letters, or caused any to be written, to Giltspur-street Compter? A. No; none whatever.

  ROBERT FIELD . I am apprenticed to Mr. Hale, and have been so nearly four years. I knew the prisoner while in the employment of Mr. Hale - I saw him after he left the service, on the 13th of November; he had called before that - I had no conversation with him on that occasion; he did not speak to me, he spoke to young Mr. Hale - I heard him say, "I have called for my shoes;" Mr. Hale said, "I know nothing about your shoes; you had better not keep calling, or you will perhaps get yourself into trouble;" and then he spoke to Mr. Hale; he left shortly afterwards - I saw him next on the 19th of November, about two o'clock in the afternoon; Mr. Hale was then at dinner - the prisoner addressed me, by saying "How do you do?" and "You are the only person in the house I shall ever speak to" - and then he took the liberty of looking at a list of orders I was packing up; he said, "What, are you packing these?" I said, "Yes" - he then spoke to me about how he liked his place, and what confidence was placed in him; he said, he had got a very good place - he then said, "I told Beech, on Saturday night, I would not wrong him of a sheet of paper; but as to the other one, I would take his life away if I could" - I exclaimed, "What, Beech?" he said, "No, Hale's." meaning the prosecutor - he said a few words more; I, being very reluctant to enter into conversation with him, took no notice of him; he then left the shop - I called Mr. Hale down stairs, and communicated this to him - I have frequently seen him write in Mr. Hale's service - I believe this word "fired" in the letter to be his hand-writing; I believe the whole of it to be his hand-writing, but part of it is disgused a little.

Cross-examined. Q. How long was the prisoner in Mr. Hale's service while you were there? A. Going on for four years; I think he had left Mr. Hale about four months - I have been there nearly four years - I have talked with Mr. Hale about this letter since he received it; I told him I thought it was the prisoner's handwriting, and he told me he thought so - I pointed the word "Fired" out to him; it bears the greatest resemblance to his hand-writing; every letter in that word is like his hand-writing; I think the "R" is not so much like it as the other letters - I told Mr. Hale I did not think it so much like it as the rest - I mentioned the "R" to Mr. Hale and his son; he told me to look at the word; I don't recollect that he told me to look at the little "R;"

I will not swear he did not - young Mr. Hale was not there when we were talking about it - he was present once; I don't think it was when the letter "R" was talked of - I will not swear that he did not point out the"R" to me; I cannot say that he did - I cannot recognise any word so much as "fired" - I am not positive of the word "have;" I think it is like the prisoner's writing; it is disguised - I believe the word "understand," to be his writing - I believe the whole of it to be disguised; that word appears disguised more than the rest that you have asked me about yet - I believe the word "character" to be his writing; I believe it to be the same as the rest; I think that disguised not so much as "understand," but rather more than the word "have" - I think the word"suspect," not so much disguised as the rest you have asked me about; but the word "fired" is more clear than any other - I think "suspect" is not so much disguised as any other part, except "fired" - I am not so positive to the word "person;" I think that is very much disguised - the words "   Joseph John " are disguised; the two "J's" are, I think, very much disguised; I think there is a difference in the two "J's;" the "J" in the second line is more clear than the "J" in the fourth line; - the second is partly like his hand-writing; it is pretty nearly like the "J" he used to make - there are about fifteen persons in Mr. Hale's employ; some of them are in the house and some out - there are two other witnesses here who are engaged in the house, and one out.

Q. How many persons have as good opportunities of seeing the prisoner write as you? A. There is one more besides; that is Daniel Gilbey; he is here - it is not likely that the other servants who don't work in the shop, should know his hand-writing - two or three of them are in the shop parts of the year - Joshua Burr, and James Howard, sometimes work in the shop; I don't know who else exactly; there are various persons work in the shop; sometimes they work in the cellar; the carman, Thomas Stevens, is in the shop - there are three places where they melt the tallow to make candles with.

Q. On your solemn oath, have you not assisted in removing candles from one place to another in the night? A. No, I have not; never in my life.

Q. Have you ever removed candles at all after daylight?

COURT. If you consider the question involves you in any charge you are not bound to answer.

MR. CLARKSON. Q. Will you answer or not? I cannot answer, because I know nothing about the case you speak about - I have not assisted to remove candles in the night or morning.

Q. My question is, have you never assisted in removing candles, or seen them removed, on your master's premises after day-light? A. No; I will not swear I have not done so, because I am not come on that suit.

MR. BODKIN. Q. Is it part of your duty to remove candles from one part of your master's premises to another by his direction? A. Yes - I never removed candles in the night - I have been in the service four years; it is impossible to tell how often I have removed candles from one part to another in that time.

MR. CLARKSON. Q. Will you swear positively you have not assisted in removing candles from your master's melting-house to the general stock, in the absence of the Excise officer, as many as twenty times in a year? A. I have assisted in removing proper candles, which I have a right to move - I don't think it proper to answer the question; I don't consider it relates to the business I am come about, and I shall not answer - I have no objection to answer it, but I don't think I have a right to do it.

MR. BODKIN. Q. Mr. Hale has about fifteen persons in his employ; how many are employed in the melting-place? A. About three in each; there are three melting-places; nine are employed in making candles, &c., one in melting, and the other two in making candles - three have to do with the books and writing, and making the bills out; there is William Hale, (the son), myself, and Jonathan Hale, who has recently come into the trade; I mean in the shop, not in the counting-house -   Thomas Hancock was in the counting-house; he has left three or four months - I have named every body who assisted in keeping the books while the prisoner was there - Gibbey is a candle-maker - he does not write, nor   Joshua Burr , nor Howard, nor Stevens.

Q. You have been asked about the hand-writing in the letter; is the belief you have expressed about it, the result of your own judgment, or the result of any concert with Mr. Hale, or any body else? A. Immediatly the letter was shown to me, I recognized the word "Fired" - that was directly I had any intelligence about the letter - directly the letter was turned over to me I fixed on that word as I read.

  HARRIET COE . I am a married woman; my husband is a tallow-chandler, and lives at No. 4, Maiden-lane, Queen-street. My husband works at Mr. Hale's, and from that I became acquainted with the prisoner - he was in the habit of calling at our house now and then - he called on the 13th of this month; my husband was not at home; I had some conversation with him at the street-door - after his telling me he had obtained a situation, he then commenced talking of Mr. Hale - he said he had called on Mr. Hale for 8s. due to him, that Mr. Hale refused paying, and he said he was a scoundrel - "Mrs. Coe," said he, "I have suffered innocently; should me, my wife, or family come to want, through the injury Mr. Hale has done me (taking a knife from his pocket, and opening it), this knife shall go through him, for my revenge I will have" - it was a large sort of pen-knife; he said, "I have youth and pluck on my side, and revenge I will have" - he said, as he was going from the door, "I am going there now" - he then left; it was about two o'clock in the afternoon - I did not see him again.

Cross-examined. Q. Where is your husband? A. I believe he is here; I did not laugh at what the prisoner said - I certainly thought Mr. Hale's life was in danger at the moment, but I did not go to Mr. Hale - the conversation was on the Wednesday, and I told Mr. Hale of it on the Saturday afternoon - Mr. Hale did not take me before the Lord Mayor on the subject; I first heard I was to be produced as a witness last

Monday - the knife was longer than your finger; it was not a pen-knife; it was a sort of clasp-knife; it was not more like a dinner-knife; I believe it was a case-knife; he took it out of his waistcoat-pocket, and unclasped it - I have known him better than five years - my husband is a candle-maker - I sometimes dress cottons at home; I have been employed there nearly four years - I saw the prisoner write, but not to know his writing; I dare say I have seen him write ten times; I cannot swear that I have fifty; I have seen him write now and then - I was not called on before the magistrate about this - I believe Mr. Hale's stables join the premises; to the best of my knowledge they join the house - I should be sorry to swear any thing about it - Mr. Hale called on me, and asked what I had heard him say, and I told him; most likely my husband had told him what I knew, as I told him the same evening - I never went before any Magistrate.

MR. BODKIN. Q. What was the manner of the prisoner when he used the expressions; was it jocular? A. He appeared more in a passion as it were; he appeared to speak rather rashly than not - I dress wicks at home.

MR. CLARKSON. Q. Are you paid by Mr. Hale? A. Yes; I have seen the prisoner writing at the desk - my attention has never been called to what he was writing.

  THOMAS HANCOCK . I am not in the employ of Mr. Hale; I was so for twelve years, up to August last - I knew the prisoner in his service perfectly well; I was in the counting-house as book-keeper and accountant - I have seen him write and am acquainted with his handwriting - I have carefully examined the letter; I have seen it before; in my judgment it is the prisoner's handwriting.

Cross-examined. Q. You were before the magistrate; I know what you said; on what do you form your belief of it being the prisoner's hand-writing? A. I believe it to be his hand-writing - I did not say before the Lord Mayor that I formed my judgment from the circumstances I heard from Mr. Hale - but from the letter itself; it was from the first part of the letter I formed that judgment - I did not state that I should not have judged it was the prisoner's if I had not heard of the circumstances; the question was asked, if I should have known it had I seen it anywhere else; I said, I might not have known it if I had seen it anywhere else - what I have seen I could identify, but if this had been presented to me in any other quarter on a sudden, in my judgment, I could not have spoken so clearly to the point - I say. I believe it to be the prisoner's hand-writing now, after having carefully looked at it; if I had not seen it in the hands of Mr. Hale I should have known it - I saw it in Cannon-street - I certainly have talked with Mr. Hale about it, before I went to the Mansion-house - three or four times in Cannon-street, and once or twice since I was at the Mansion-house - I am not Mr. Hale's servant; I am an accountant; I do not know one of the Excise-officers' names who have attended the business, nor their persons - I have nothing to do with that department; I believe there was a good many of them - I left Mr. Hale in August; I was told I was to be a witness about a week since I believe, when he was taken to the Mansion-house - the prisoner's hand might differ on account of the pen; he writes sometimes in large characters and sometimes in small.

Q. If the letter was written in a disguised hand, you would not have known it; A. No.

Q. As it is written in his ordinary hand, you think you do know it? A. Yes.

MR. BODKIN. Q. How old are you? A. Sixty-three.

  JOB DANIEL GILBEY . I am a tallow-chandler in Mr. Hale's employ; I have been so twenty-seven years; I have seen the prisoner write - I believe the former part of the letter, as far as the word "suspect," to be the prisoner's hand-writing, and likewise the words "fired," and"Saturday;" I believe the whole to be his writing - the lower part is more disguised.

Cross-examined. Q. How long have you got your living under Mr. Hale? A. Nearly twenty-seven years; I can write myself; I do not say I write well; I can write my name without making a mistake - I am employed by Mr. Hale to do his work, and have nothing to do with the Excise; I have not been employed to remove candles from the melting-houses after day-light, or after the Excise-officer has gone, to the general stock; that I swear - I never knew the boy Field assist the prisoner to do so; I never knew it to be done.

Q. Have you ever known it done in Mr. Hale's business? A. Have I a right to answer the question? I do not refuse, but I consider it not a right question - I have not had anything to do with taking things away in an improper manner, nor has any one else done so - Mr. Hale never laid himself open to the Excise, to do or suffer any thing of the sort to be done - I do not sleep on the premises; I did for the first seven years; that is twenty-one years ago - I am there generally all night; the melting houses were seldom shut - we have no Excise-officers now; two years ago they came in, and out as they pleased - the Excise-officers came in the night.

Q. Will you, on your solemn oath, swear you never assisted, or were aware of candles being removed from the melting-houses while the Excise-officers were absent, to the general stock? A. I do not think the question has anything to do with it; I shall not answer it.

MR. BODKIN. Q. Have you ever heard of any complaint made on the part of the Excise about Mr. Hale's business? A. Never; not by anybody - there never has been, since I was in the house, anything to do with the Excise; he never laid himself open to it - I have attended the manufacturing night after night, and never heard any charge made against him.

MR. CLARKSON. Q. Has not the prisoner preferred a petition to the Excise, charging the prosecutor with the offence, which is now before the Board? A. I have heard he has charged Mr. Hale, but I know nothing about it.

EDWARD COX. I am a hatter, and live in Long-lane, Southwark. I was in Mr. Hale's employ about twelve years; the prisoner was in his employ during that time - I had opportunities of seeing him write daily; we were fellow-apprentices together - as regards the former part of this letter, I have no hesitation in saying, it is the

prisoner's hand-writing; the latter part of it I think is disguised.

Cross-examined. Q. Pray how long have you left Mr. Hale? A. About four years; about two days after the letter was sent, I was passing Mr. Hale's, and called in, in a friendly sort of way - and he laid the letter before me - he did not ask me if it was the prisoner's hand-writing; he merely laid it before me and asked me whose hand-writing I thought it was; and without hesitating a moment I said, it was the hand-writing of the prisoner - I am not at all concerned with Mr. Hale, more than friendship - if the letter was shewn to me without any direction on it, I should say it was the hand-writing of the prisoner - it is not disguised so much as to deceive me; because when it was placed before me I could tell the hand-writing in a moment - I don't know that the word"have" is disguised - I take the writing as it stands before me - I have nothing to do with the words - I don't think the word "understand" is disguised - if the prisoner sent me a letter, in the same style as this, I should say it was his hand-writing, without any name to it - I have had a glass of wine, but no spirits - I have not now come out of a public-house - I have had no spirits and water - I don't see anything disguised about the word "character;" it is in a regular way - I should say the word "have" is quite consistent with his handwriting the same as the other - I should say the word"person" is in his general habit of writing - and suspect, I should say "Saturday" is not - I cannot say whether the word "fire" is like his hand-writing; it is a different hand to what I saw him write - I might have seen him write as large as that, but not to come under my observation, so much as the former part of the letter - it is not in a different style - but I am not in the habit of seeing write him large - it is a hand that never came under my observation - I have seen him write daily - the word"fired" would not have attracted my attention more than the rest; because he always wrote small when I saw him- I can point out no word, which, according to my idea, is inconsistent with his usual writing.

  JOSHUA BURR . I am a tallow-chandler, and live at No. 13, Cloak-lane. I am in the employment of Mr. Hale; I have been so eight years; I was acquainted with the prisoner; I saw him in August, in Giltspur-street compter, and had some conversation with him - (he was not then in custody on this charge) - in course of which, to use his own words, he said, he would be the death of that Hale; those were his words; he said nothing more of that sort - I was talking with him an hour; in the course of the conversation he used that expression - I saw him on the 18th of November, about half-past nine o'clock in the evening, standing at the end of a passage, in Cannon-street, or very near it - the passage leads to the back of Mr. Hale's premises - I have been down that passage; it leads to the stables - there is a wall about five feet high, between the stables and the passage; he was standing not above half a rod from the passage, in Cannon-street - he was under my observation five minutes as near as I can recollect; he was dressed very differently to what I ever saw him before - he was wearing a cap - his dress differed in no other respect - I did not speak to him - he saw me and walked off very fast; he looked back and saw me two or three times, but did not come back - I followed him; he went up Cannon-street - I had heard about the letter which induced me to follow him - I had sufficient opportunities of seeing him to be able to speak to his person.

Cross-examined. Q. Where did you follow him to? A. About one hundred yards up Cannon-street - I followed him no farther - I get my bread by Mr. Hale - I am a journeyman to him and have been so for a year - that is since the duty has been taken off candles - it was about half-past nine o'clock in the evening when I saw the prisoner, he had on a cap which I never saw him in before - I saw him in Cannon-street; on the pavement very near the passage; at the bottom of the passage - I do not know how far from the wall - I did not measure it - I cannot judge - I was not called on before the Lord Mayor - he might have been fifty yards from the five-feet wall - there is a billiard-room close by - I did not see anything with him - he was standing on the public pavement -(letter read for which see the indictment).

  EDWARD COX re-examined. I have seen the direction of this letter before - I do not know whose hand-writing it is - I do not think it is the same as couches with the letter.

  WILLIAM HALE re-examined. I believe the word"Hale" in this direction, to be the prisoner's hand-writing- I do not think the letter C is his, but I think the "annon" is his - I can say nothing to the capital letter C - I can say nothing more to any other part of the direction.

Cross-examined. Q. Is it in his ordinary hand-writing or disguised? A. Disguised; "Hale" is rather disguised - it is all written about the same.

  ROBERT FIELD re-examined. I can only identify one word on the direction; that is "Hale" - I believe that to be the prisoner's.

Cross-examined. Q. Do not you think the letters"annon" without the C. is his? A. I think "non" is like his - I think "Hale" is more plain - Hale is very little disfigured.

JURY. Was the prisoner employed in directing parcels in the shop? A. Yes' very often; he frequently wrote in characters as large as the word "fired" in the letter - the parcels he would direct, would not have Mr. Hale's name on them - I have frequently seen him write directions - Stevens the carman takes the parcels out in carts - he is the principal - he can read - he is not here - Gilbey has been in the habit of taking out parcels with the prisoner's directing on them, at times.

Prisoner's Defence. My lord and gentlemen of the jury, I have to address you now on one of the most cruel cases you will find on the records of this court. In March last, considering from Mr. Hale's increased family coming into the business, I should not be able to hold the situation I had held so many years; and having applications at the same time from a tradesman rather insolvent, within six minutes walk of the house, to join in partnership; I refused, knowing the gentleman's inability to attend to business. I asked him, what he should consider the business worth if he left? he said, he could not carry it on by himself, and would take me as a partner, knowing

my ability and talents. I did not much like to enter into a contract with him, but asked him, what he thought his business and shop worth, knowing at the same time he had lost his trade from indolence. He asked, what I thought too much. I staid a short time and consulted Mr. Hale, who I considered my father; I thought I could confide in him; I consulted him merely as to what he thought the business worth, not stating I had any idea of it; he gave me quite a candid answer. I consulted my friends, knowing I had a few pounds in the saving bank of which Mr. Hale's brother was a trustee. I applied to my wife's brother, who readily offered me part of his capital to assist in taking the business without security. I then immediately asked Mr. Hale for his most can did advice, stating I could obtain the house and business for such a sum, - and the trade had offered me credit to stock it. The house was in Upper Thames-street, near Kennet Wharf. Mr. Hale immediately turned round on me. In fact from that day, his conduct was very different, and in less than three months, I was charged with felony. Of course as he was against my taking the business, I dropped the concern; and even now I am respected through the trade. The day after I came from prison, I was on Change, and met the trade in a body, and one and all gave me their word I should have the first situation vacant. A few days afterwards I called on Mr. Beech, who said he thought of altering his system of business, and I could do him essential service; he did not know then I was out of a situation. I intimated the situation would suit me, and he felt surprised at my leaving Mr. Hale's. I told him I had left him charged with felony and could expect no character from Hale; I offered him £200. security, he accepted of £100. It was agreed I should serve him, and he said if I had been guilty of an error, no doubt I should retrieve my character. I said it was my own request that he should call on Mr. Hale. I said "You have my story and I should like you to hear his;" consequently he called on Mr. Hale, who told him, as I did, myself, every thing consistent with my character, but not one single item in my favour of course. Mr. Beech told him he determined to give me a fair trial, considering my talent was calculated to serve his business, and I was from that day to consider myself in his employ, though I did not go for a week afterwards, as he had to discharge a servant, who was taken into the employ of Mr. Barton, of Bishopsgate-street, on purpose to make room for me. Mr. Hale, the same day; or the day after, understanding Mr. Beech was determined to give me an opportunity of retrieving my character, returned to Mr. Beech and gave a more favourable aspect to the subject, stating I had been trustworthy; and he was always satisfied with me up to the time I was committed. I was then in full confidence with Beech, treated with the greatest respect, and was very fully engaged from six o'clock in the morning till ten or eleven o'clock on night, and one or two o'clock in the morning, on separate nights. Business increased, and I did the best I could to improve it; considering, that in gratitude to him, I ought to do it. I was so taken up with business, I frequently had my meals with Mr. Beech, not having time to go home, though I lived in the neighbourhood. Such is the situation I now hold in life, and through the Jury, I expect to be in the same situation on Monday. As to the charge, if Mr. Hale's house had been accidentally set on fire, (and I have known it on fire several times,) I might have been tried for arson and expired on the gallows. I call God to witness, I know nothing of the letter in question. I neither wrote nor caused it to be written. I neither sent nor know any thing of it being sent, till I was before the Lord Mayor. I was taken from behind the counter in custody: I did not know the charge; and the Lord Mayor immediately stopped the proceedings till my friends and solicitor were sent for; and though two days at the Mansion-house, I did not know the sentiments the letter expressed, till I read it in The Times since my committal to Newgate; Beech can prove what I have said is entirely true. On the 18th of November, I certainly was in Cannon-street. My business laid there. At half-past seven o'clock we were wanting a man to go for us to a particular customer. not being able to get a porter, I offered to go myself. I went to Red Lion-street. I then had to purchase an article; and went to Grays Inn-lane to the melting-house with the article; which is graves. The article was weighed; I paid for it; it weighed 1 cwt and 5lb. I put it on my shoulder and left it at the melting-house. I then returned home. I certainly did not hurry myself, having had a hard day's work. I passed through Cannon-street at ten minutes after nine o'clock. Mr. Hale's workman was at the door; a person was singing, and I stood there and gave a person a 1d., and Burr was then at the door; he followed me up the street a few steps; I went to my employers, and I think reached there at a quarter past nine o'clock. Mr. Hale speaks of my being with him on the 26th of October, respecting a balance due. I called on him to thank him for the service he had done me by calling on Beech a second time, and not troubling my friends for my security. I entered the counting-house; he had a friend there who is a respectable man, and I expected to see him here. Mr. Hale asked my business? I said, "I had called on him." He said,"You are a pretty sort of fellow." I said, "Perhaps I may be." He said, "You are very saucy, you have been to a fine place." I said, "what I have learnt I have paid very dearly for." He began talking about how much he had served me. I said, "I had come to thank him for it, and to say, that I did not think he had served me as much as he certainly had injured me first." The Excise was brought up. I said, "I have no animosity against you. I shall not impeach you, though I have been tampered with even by officers; I have been offered 50l. from their private purse to inform." It was my duty to keep account of the men's work, and what was paid them. He would frequently say, "John, I have paid so much wages, what do the Excise say?" I said,"There is so much that has not been weighed off by the Excise, and putting the two together, you will make a sum of so much;" which I did frequently; and he was not ignorant that I had an account of certain irregularities, but never with a view to give information. I worked for him nine or ten nights together. I never went to bed except on Saturday and Sunday nights. I went to another employer, who acted to me more than a parent. It wasmy duty to encourage his business, though it was in the same neighbourhood. I cannot help people giving me orders, indeed they do it to give me support. I hope you will consider me as innocent as any body in Court. I never had any animosity against Mr. Hale; he has brought witnesses who are dependant on him, and he is a powerful man who has spared no expense I believe; I cannot suppose he would turn this up to get me out of the country; but somewhere there must be an author. I certainly must leave my case in the hands of an Omnipotent Being who knows the secrets of all hearts, and trust in God to do me that justice my case requires. My Lord and Gentlemen of the Jury, one thing I have omitted to state respecting the present prosecution in the hands of the Excise. I did not give that up, till a few days previous; it was about a day or two previous to my arrest; but the Excise-officers, not only in our district, but in several districts in London, knowing me to be a managing man, (and Mr. Hale being a suspected man,) had it not been for our strict exertions, and that of Gilbey to protect him, he would long ago have been convicted in their court. I was afraid, sooner or later, I should be called on by the Excise; and of course I was compelled to give my papers up when the solicitor knew it, having had information from the officers, stating that Mr. Mayow was acquainted with my conduct. The papers were given up previous to my arrest for this concern; and before I knew he had received the letter.

  THOMAS HILL . I am an officer employed by the excise. I know the premises of Mr. Hale - I have known the prisoner between two and three years - I have seen him write often; this letter don't seem to be any resemblance of his hand-writing - I know his hand-writing; I don't believe it to be his, from the appearance of it - the address don't seem to correspond at all with his mode of writing.

COURT. Q. How often have you seen him write? A. I cannot say; it is many times - it don't seem to bear any traces of his hand-writing at all - to the best of my belief, I don't believe it to be his.

MR. BODKIN. Q. Are you in the employ of the Excise now? A. Yes; I have been so twenty-one years last January - I am a principal officer, which is next to a supervisor - I never knew the prisoner till I surveyed at Mr. Hale's, which was in the early part of March, 1831- I think my duty called me to Mr. Hale's, two days out of three, from 1831 to 1832; I used to see the prisoner write notes of business; that is, notices given for his master to commence his operations; they were not always written by him - I have seen him write those notices several times; many times - I never saw him write but one hand - a small running hand; it was the writing of a good penman - he did not always write alike; I never saw much variation; he possibly might have a bad pen sometimes - it was always a small free running-hand; a moderate hand - the notices used to be written in a moderate, free, running hand; they were on small pieces of paper, probably as long as a pen; more than two or three lines - I saw this letter, for the first time, this morning, at the clerk's office; Mr. Hobler's clerk brought me here to see it - I was asked if I should be able to recognize his writing; I said, I thought I should, having seen him write several times - I persued it a short time; I thought it very necessary I should examine it, if I was to speak about it - there don't appear to me to be any trace of his writing; it don't appear to me to resemble his writing at all - no part of it.

Q. Look at the word "fired?" A. I never saw him write such a hand as that; I cannot call to my memory that I have seen him write as large as that word "fired" - I should call "fired" a round hand; I should call the rest a running hand; a moderate hand - it is not at all like the prisoner's hand-writing - I can form no judgment whether the person who wrote it disguised it; it don't appear to me to be disguised; I should say it was not a disguised hand.

MR. CLARKSON. Q. You are asked, whether it bears any trace of the prisoner's writing, were you obliged to read it through to see if it bore any trace or not, when it was shewn to you? A. Yes; when I went to see it this morning.

MR. BODKIN. Q. Were you in Court when the case was opened? A. Yes; I heard the order given for witnesses to go out of Court, and I retired immediately.

Q. On your oath, have you not been inside that door since? A. Mr. Hobler's clerk brought me round there about eight or nine o'clock, while the case was going on for the prosecution; I staid five minutes or thereabouts- I did not take notice whether any witness was under examination - I was merely brought in to look at the letter; I had seen it in the morning - I was called in to see it, I don't know why; I had given an opinion of it in the morning - I did not look to see whether any witness was being examined.

MR. CLARKSON. Q. Are you interested at all; whether the prisoner is convicted or acquitted, does it signify to you a farthing? A. Not a farthing - I am deaf - Mr. Hobler sent for me to come and look at the letter in Court - I went out after seeing the letter.

COURT. Q. How long have the regulations, with regard to the Excise, respecting candles ceased? A. They ceased in January, 1832 - I had known the prisoner's hand-writing from the early part of March, 1831, to January, 1832 - I was in the habit of attending at Mr. Hale's during that interval, and seeing him write at times - I cannot charge my memory that I have seen him write since January, 1832 - I did not see him write anything but the notices I mentioned; there are five or six lines, and a few figures in the notices.

EDWARD BEECH. The prisoner was in my service. (I live at No. 37, Lime-street, and am a tallow chandler), He had been employed a few days previous to the 4th of November; but I had not then taken him as a regular servant - he was taken into custody, on Tuesday evening, the 19th of November - he was about a fortnight in my service, and had commenced a third week - I had sent him for graves; (looking at his book) it was on Monday, the 18th, I should think, because I see the entry - it was on the evening of Monday, the 18th, the evening before he was taken into custody; I told him to purchase the graves on the road, at a place - he went with a box of candles, which he took to Atkinson's, Red Lion-street, Holborn;

he would not have occasion to pass through Cannon-street in his way there; it was out of his way - I cannot say what time he returned home that night - I have had opportunities of seeing him write but little; I should say, this letter bears not the least resemblance to the writing I have in my possession - I do not, believe it to be his.

MR. BODKIN. Q. You never saw his writing till he came to you? A. No; he was with me about a fortnight; I have seen him write probably half-a-dozen times - my attention was not particularly called to his hand-writing during those half-dozen times; I am able to form a judgment of his writing from that - I believe from the writing I have seen of his, that the letter is not his handwriting; I have two notes of his in my pocket; I saw this letter this morning - I had the notes with me, but I did not compare them - I remembered having them in my possession; I took them from my desk yesterday - I had not seen them to the best of my knowledge, from the time I received them, till yesterday; I looked at them, knowing I was coming to look at this - I did not look at them again this morning, neither before I saw this nor after; they are in my pocket now; my opinion is not formed by comparing the writing and the two notes, it was governed by the writing in the letters, and what is in my book; it is formed in part by comparison of the writing and those letters, and of direction cards I have given him to write; I cannot form any opinion whether it is a disguised hand of the party who wrote it.

COURT. Q. Look at the direction? A. I should say the direction of the letter is totally unlike his writing; I can produce a person who writes a very similar hand - he is not in my employ.

MR. BODKIN. Q. When did you see that direction first. A. This morning; and it occurred to me that I knew a person who wrote very much like it; I did not inform Mr. Hale of that; I should say the letter part of the letter seems huddled together more than the first, but there is a similarity in the whole; I cannot say the word "fired," at all resembles the prisoners writing - it is quite different - it is larger than I have seen him write; I consider it a fine hand-writing; I don't call this letter a good hand-writing by any means; he writes a good legible hand - I consider a good hand-writing, a bold hand; his is a good hand-writing, not a small running hand.

MR. CLARKSON. Q. How long have you lived in Lime-street? A. Nearly five years; I have no object in this case at all.

  THOMAS KING . I am a fishmonger, and live at Billingsgate; I have known the prisoner about fourteen years - I have seen him write numbers of times; I have no knowledge of the hand-writing of this letter - to the best of my belief, I should say it is not the prisoner's hand-writing.

MR. BODKIN. Q. Don't you think it quite different? A. I think it different to his writing generally; I cannot tell whether it is disguised, but I should say it is not his hand-writing - to the best of my belief it is not his handwriting; I should call it a free tradesman's hand-writing, not particularly good; I think it is all written by the same person - I think it in some instances differs a little, but probably is all written by the same person; the direction I think seems rather to differ, but still I consider it the same writing; I consider the prisoner writes a very excellent hand - very superior to this; not a fine bold hand - what I consider a running hand, a genteel hand; I have never seen him write so large as the word "fired;" I have seen accounts of his, and have read numbers of letters from him, and never saw him write such a hand as that - nothing so careless as this; I saw this letter this evening for the first time in this court - I was not here when the case was opened - I heard the witnesses ordered out of court, and went out; I came in again and saw the letter and went out immediately - I suppose I was in court two or three minutes; that was the time given me to examine the letter, and quite sufficient; it is a very different hand from the prisoner's; I persued it, and believe it is not the prisoner's hand-writing; I could read the letter in half a minute; I have been outside the door walking up and down - I did not hear any witness examined - I heard part of one; I came into court and was issued out again; they said I had no business here; I did not know I should be called on this business; I came here to day myself at my own desire - I did not expect to be examined - I came into court as a spectator; I was not here before the case was opened; I suppose the witnesses were being called when I came in, which was between eight and nine o'clock; I heard some of the witnesses examined; I have been in and out two or three times: I did not know at that time I should be examined - I have not known it half an hour; I did not leave when the witnesses were ordered out of court; a gentleman asked if I was to be examined; I said I did not know; they said,"Are you coming to character;" I said, "If he wants one I shall give him one;" and when I said that, I withdrew; I believe I did not tell you just now, that I went out on hearing the order.

Q. Did you not swear you went out of Court when the witnesses were ordered out? A. Yes; and that was the prisoner's father, who asked if I was to be examined as a witness, and then told me to go out, and I went out - I did not know I was to be examined as a witness; I did not make more than one attempt to come in; the officer did not stop me; I came in for a moment; they said if I was to be examined as a witness to withdraw, and I then went partly out - I was outside the door; I heard part of what was going on in Court, and some I did not hear - the letter was shewn to me when I first came in, and I was ordered out again: I went out.

MR. CLARKSON. Q. How long have you been at Billingsgate? A. Sixteen years, I lodge at 97, Thames-street; I have not any interest in the issue - I was not in court five minutes after I was ordered out.

  FREDERICK EVANS . I live in Cornwall-road, Stamford-street. I am the prisoner's brother-in-law; I have known him about nine years - I am a barrister's clerk - I have had opportunities of seeing him write often during the nine years; I should say this letter is not his handwriting - I do not believe the address to be his writing.

MR. BODKIN. Q. Does it appear to you to resemble it? A. Not at all; it appears to me to be a different hand - I do not write a good hand myself - the address and the letter I should say are the same hand - I should

certainly say the "F," of the word "fired" is not his; the"ired" does not appear to be at all like his - I saw this letter first about three quarters of an hour ago; I came in here to see it - I came here to do him good if I could; I was not aware whether I should be called or not.

COURT. Q. Are you a barrister's clerk now? A. Yes, to Mr. Matthews, No. 1, Essex-court; I have lived there about six months.

  CHARLES DIXON . I am a carpenter, and live at No. 5, West-street, Borough. I have known the prisoner about five years; I have had opportunities of seeing him write frequently - I have not the least knowledge of the writing in this letter; I do not believe it to be written by the prisoner, nor the address.

MR. BODKIN. Q. Can you write yourself? A. Yes, I can write better than that - I had letters on different concerns from him; I cannot say when I have last received a letter from him; I have received one within the last year when he was in the country - it was a letter of thanks - I think he was in Kent, at Brighton, or Maidstone at the time; I think it was at Margate; I thanked him for his kindness - the letter came by the post; I think I paid 8d. for it; I think it was in June or July in the present year - I know he was in Giltspur-street Compter; I cannot say whether that was in July - I cannot say when I received the letter from him; I cannot say how many I have received altogether from him; I will swear I have received more than two, I will not say three; they were only respecting our friendship; I knew him perfectly well - I have seen him write several times within the last four or five weeks; I saw him write last when he was at my house - I cannot say the exact time; he wrote different letters at my house- he wrote for himself; I cannot say what business he was writing on - I looked at the letters he wrote; I did not read any of them, of course they were about business- he was not particularly in the habit of writing letters at my house - I live at No. 5, West-street, Borough - it was just at the time he entered Mr. Beech's employ - he came over to my house to sleep sometimes, and wrote letters at my house - I cannot say how many times.

MR. CLARKSON to MR. HALE, Sen. Q. Do you happen to know that the prisoner was at Margate and Dover about July? A. No; he was in Giltspur-street Compter - he was in that neighbourhood about the beginning of June.

  JOHN HARRIE . I am the prisoner's father. He is my only son - I have known his hand-writing from childhood, but have not been much in the habit of seeing him write lately; he has been a long while away from me - I have a letter of his - I have not seen him write for years.

- DAVIS. I am a single woman, and live with my father and mother, at Maze-pond, Borough. The prisoner is a married man - I have seen him write twice- my father is a porter in Queen-street, and my mother is a monthly nurse - I have received several letters from him but have destroyed them - it is about two months ago, that I saw him write; as far as I am able to judge this is a different hand-writing to his - I do not consider either the address or the letter at all like his.

MR. BODKIN. Q. After the witnesses were ordered out, did you come in, and sit in the corner? A. The clerk brought me and my mother in, to look at the letter, and we were ordered out - I do not think I was in Court three minutes - on my oath, I was not here a quarter of an hour - a gentleman held up the letter, and there was some altercation about our being in; the officer spoke to the clerk about bringing us in - I do not think we were two minutes looking at the letter, and went out again directly - I saw instantly it was not his hand-writing - I did not come inside afterwards, nor attempt to; I have been outside all the evening - the letters he wrote me were to invite me to parties; I have been to about four parties of that sort; I have four times received letters from him, to come to meet a few friends of his - the four letters were to the same purport - I did not go to all four parties; I went once to the christening of the child, about three years ago, and I had one letter about four months ago; that was to go with my cousin to see him when he was in the Compter before; that was the last - I cannot really say what was in the letter - it was to ask me to come and see him with my cousin, who is his wife.

MR. CLARKSON. I am satisfied Mr. Hale meant nothing improper in coming into Court, though it was my duty to sift the matter; I have every reason to believe him to be a gentleman of perfect honour and integrity.

NOT GUILTY .