circumspect; 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 L.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
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