May 1799.

And Your said Committee further Report
That being informed that in the Evidence given to the
Committee of the House of Commons by Mr.. Aris it
appeared that he had borrowed several Sums of Money
from Prisoners in his Custody the Committee desired
Mr.. Aris to inform them of all sums of Money which
he had borrowed and the Names of the Prisoners from
whom he received the same and Mr.. Aris gave the
following Account Vizt. " I built 18. Houses in
Clerkenwell and being in want of some Money to pay
for the Completion of them I applied to Mr.. Avis an
Attorney in Fisher Street Red Lion Square to raise me
some Money as a Rent Charge upon the Houses Mr..
Avis procured me £700. from one Miller (A Client of
his.) who was a Prisoner in my Custody to give Evidence
against Two Persons named Porteus and Wenham for
Forgery Miller was to have an Annuity of £70 a Year
for his own Life and his Mothers to be Charged upon
the Houses I had the Money about 5 or. 6. Months
at which time Miller became Dissatisfied with the
Agreement and I repaid him the Money with Interest
before he was Discharged out of my Custody I desired
Mr.. Avis not to tell Miller that the Money was for me
and I verily believe that Miller did not know that
the Money was for me till the Day before I received it, I
had One hundred pounds from a Prisoner named
Brown about Two Years ago who was sentenced to
be Imprisoned in the House of Correction for Smuggling
Brown offered to lend me the Money he said he had
a little Money by him and if it would be of any use I
might have it, I had Browns Money about Three
Months and it was repaid him by Mr.. Avis during the
time that I had Browns Money it appeared that he
had endeavoured to Assist Miller in making his Escape
out of the Prison for which I locked him up and kept him
in Close Confinement, I also borrowed £100. of a Man
named Tomkins who was Convicted under the Lottery Act