"He did, sir."

"Did you read this document?"

"I did, sir."

"Do you remember what it was?"

"Perfectly, in a general way. It was an assignment of a number of patent
rights and sundry machines, implements and processes."

Mr. Balfour handed to the witness the assignment, and then said: "Be
kind enough to look that through, and tell us whether you ever saw it
before."

After reading the document through, the Doctor said:

"This is the identical paper which Mr. Belcher showed me or a very
close copy of it. Several of the patents named here I remember
distinctly, for I read the paper carefully, with a professional purpose.
I was curious to know what had been the mental habits of my patient."

"But you did not give the defendant liberty to procure the signature of
the patentee?"

"I did not. I refused to do so on the ground that he was not of sound
mind--that he was not a responsible person."

"When was this?"

"I have no record of the date, but it was after the 12th of May,
1860--the date of Mr. Benedict's admission to the asylum."

"That is all," said Mr. Balfour. Mr. Cavendish tried to cross-examine,
but without any result, except to emphasize the direct testimony, though
he tried persistently to make the witness remember that, while Mr.
Belcher might have shown him the assignment, and that he read it for the
purpose which he had stated, it was another paper to which he had wished
to secure the patient's signature.

Samuel Yates was next called.

"You are a member of our profession, I believe," said Mr. Balfour.

"I am, sir."

"Have you ever been in the service of the defendant in this case?"

"Yes, sir."

"What have you done for him?"

"I worked many months in the endeavor to ascertain whether Paul Benedict
was living or dead."

"It isn't essential that we should go into that; and as the defendant
has testified that he procured the autograph letters which are in the
possession of the Court from you, I presume you will corroborate his
testimony."

"He did procure them of me, sir."

"Did he inform you of the purpose to which he wished to put them?"

"He did, sir. He said that he wished to verify some signatures."

"Were you ever employed in his library at Sevenoaks, by his agent?"

"Yes, sir, I wrote there for several weeks."

"May it please the Court, I have a letter in my hand, the genuineness of
whose signature has been recognized by the defendant, written by Robert
Belcher to Paul