390. (M.) ROBERT PERREAU proceedingsdefend , Esquire , was indicted for falsely making, forging, and counterfeiting a Bond in the penal sum of fifteen thousand pounds, condition for the payment of seven thousand five hundred pounds, in the name of William Adair < no role > , Esquire , with intention to defraud the said William Adair proceedingsvictim , against the statute.

Second Count. For feloniously forging and counterfeiting the said Bond, with intention to defraud Robert Drummond proceedingsvictim , Esquire , and Henry Drummond proceedingsvictim , Esquire , against the statute.

Third Count. For feloniously uttering and publishing the same Bond as true, well knowing it to be forged, with intention to defraud the said William Adair < no role > , against the statute.

Fourth Count. For feloniously uttering and publishing the same as a true bond well knowing it to be forged, with intention to defraud the said Robert Drummond < no role > , Esquire, and the said Henry Drummond < no role > , Esquire. *

Henry Drummond < no role > , Esq. I am a banker , in partnership with my brother, Robert Drummond < no role > , and the executors of the late John Drummond < no role > . The prisoner, Mr. Robert Perreau < no role > , came to me about the middle of last January, the 15th or 16th. He said, he desired the favour of me to let him have the loan of fourteen hundred pounds, that he had occasion for this money, as he had lately made a purchase in Suffolk or Norfolk, to the amount of twelve or fourteen thousand pounds. I told him, that the title deeds of such an estate were a good security, and if he would leave them, that he might have the money. Mr. Perreau said, that could not be, because the purchase-money was to be paid in the country. Then he said, he had got a bond of a gentleman whose name he was not at liberty at that time to mention, but, that if I knew the person, he was sure I could make no objection to it. I said, every thing depends upon the name, for some mens bonds are as good as other mens mortgages. Then he said, he had a house in Harley Street, Cavendish Square, which cost four thousand pounds: and he would leave with me the deeds of that house and the insurance of it, as a security for this fourteen hundred pounds, accordingly he came the next day, and did leave the deeds of the house as a security; and he received the money upon a note promising to assign the deeds, and to do every thing that was necessary: but as he only wanted it for ten days, I only took a note for it, without any further promise: this was about the 15th or 16th of January. I did not see him again till Tuesday the 7th of March. I was acquainted with him before, as an apothecary , having known and seen him in two or three families, particularly Lord Egmont's, and Lord -. When he came upon the 7th of March, he made an apology for not having kept his word, as to the fourteen hundred pounds, which he borrowed but for about ten days, and he came then to borrow five thousand pounds, out of which he was to pay this fourteen hundred pounds. He then told me, that he had got leave of the gentleman, whose bond he formerly mentioned to give me his name. I asked my brother Robert to come in to consult about the propriety of lending such a sum as that; the prisoner then produced this bond; as soon as we saw it, we both expressed a disbelief of its being Mr. Adair's bond; and asked the prisoner if it was Mr. William Adair < no role > 's, the late agent, that lived in Pall-Mall? He said, yes, it was, and that there could be no doubt about it; for that Arthur Jones, who was the solicitor of Mr. Adair, was a witness, and Start was his servant. I still expressed my doubts about the authenticity of the bond: upon which the prisoner said, Mr. Adair was his particular friend, that there were family connexious between them; that Mr. Adair had money of his in his hands, and that he allowed him interest for it. I understood likewise from him, but I cannot be certain of that particular fact, that the prisoner at that time said, that this bond was given by Mr. Adair to him as the balance of the account subsisting between Mr. Adair and him. Notwithstanding that, we told him that we did not believe it to be the hand-writing of Mr. William Adair < no role > , because we had had dealings with him a good while age, and seen his draughts; and we desired him to call the next day.

He accordingly took the bond with him and went away: but in about two hours, he returned; my brother was then gone out, and I saw him alone. He told me, what my brother and I had thrown out respecting the signature to the bond, had alarmed him very much, and that he could not be easy in his own mind till he had called upon Mr. Adair, whom he luckily met before he went to take his ride; that he produced the bond to Mr. Adair; and Mr. Adair said, it was his signature, and that he might possibly have altered his hand, from the time we had formerly seen him write; but that we might let him have the five thousand pounds, and that Mr. Adair said, he would pay the bond in May; though in fact, it was not payable till July. Notwithstanding all this, I still had my doubts; I did not express them so strong, but told the prisoner, that he should leave the bond with me, in order to get an assignment of it, which he did, as I was desirous to get possession of the bond, in order to find out whether it was really a good bond or no. The prisoner very readily left the bond with me without any memorandum given by me; and I bid him call the next morning at eleven o'clock. I gave the bond to my clerk. I am certain this (looking upon the bond in question) is the bond I received of the prisoner.

My brother shewed the bond to Mr. Stephens of the Admiralty, a friend of Mr. Adair's. Mr. Perreau was to come again the next day; at eleven o'clock my mother and Mr. Stephens went that morning to Mr. Adair's. Mr. Perreau came to our house that morning about eleven o'clock, and my brother and I both expressed our doubts about its being the signature of Mr. Adair; but from what my brother had told me, of his interview with Mr. Adair, I could have no doubt. Mr. Perreau persisted in saying there could be no doubt about it; for that he had a letter from Mr. Adair, that Mr. Adair always wrote to him in a familiar style, and only signed the initial letters of his name. I understood that he received that letter the night before. He only shewed me the initial letters, to prove the intimacy; we said nothing would convince us of this being Mr. Adair's hand, but Mr. Perreau's going with us to Mr. Adair's, which he most readily assented to. Mr. Perreau and I went together in his coach, I had my carriage at the door, but his carriage being up first, he said you had better go in mine, itis the quickest. Mr. Perreau and I went together in the coach, to Mr. Adairs', nobody else was with us; my brother followed us; we found Mr. Adair at home; upon our entrance Mr. Adair took me by the hand, but he made a bow to Mr. Perreau, as a person he had never seen before; I told Mr. Adair, I came to him upon a disagreeable subject, I produced the bond, and asked him whether that was his signature at the bottom of it. He looked at it, and said, no; upon which Mr. Robert Perreau < no role > seemed surprized very much, and said to Mr. Adair, Surely, Sir, you are jocular, I replied it was surely no time for a man to be jocular, when another man's life was at stake, which I then considered to be the case; I asked him, what could all this mean; the person he pretended to be intimate with, did not seem so much as to know him? About that time my brother came in, a great deal of conversation passed backwards and forwards, at last Mr. Perreau said, he had the bond from his sister, Mrs. Daniel Perreau < no role > , who he desired might be sent for; to which we all agreed, and she was sent for; when she came, she was shewn the bond, and Mr. Perreau asked her, I believe, whether she did not give it him? she admitted she did, and in short took the whole upon herself, and acknowledged herself to be the forger of the bond and every thing. I asked him how it was possible for him to say he had received a letter from Mr. Adair, as he pretended, in that familiar stile, from a man he did not so much as know; and I desired to see the letter, which he produced; which letter I thought it very material, as well as the bond, to keep in my possession. We could get nothing from him but that he was an innocent man, and he did not mean to impose upon its, and that his sister could explain all. She did take it upon herself, expressed much regard for Robert Perreau < no role > , and begged that an innocent man who had a family might not suffer; that he had a very good character, and was of a very respectable family, and that she was the cause of the whole, She desired at first to speak with Mr. Adair in a separate room; but that Mr. Adair declined, and said, she could have nothing to say to him that would not be proper to say before my brother and me. That is all that passed. We were three or four hours together; we sent for Daniel Perreau < no role > to see if he could throw any light upon it; he declared he was quite a stranger to the whole affair. This was upon a Wednesday, we parted, and I saw no more of Robert Perreau < no role > till the Saturday following, when I was sent for to Sir John Fielding's office; at that time a charge had been made by the prisoner against this Mrs. Daniel Perreau < no role > , as she was called, but her name turned out to be Rudd: upon his bringing her there, I was sent for, I saw her there; there were several persons present. Mr. Dagge a friend of Mr. Robert Perreau < no role > 's, was the person that came from Sir John Fielding's office for me; they asked me at Sir John Fielding < no role > 's what I knew about this matter; I told them all that had passed at Mr. Adair's, and at our house at Charing Cross; but I did not there relate the circumstances so particularly as I have now done.

Q. Have you ever seen Mr. Adair write.

Drummond. I may have seen Mr. Adair write; but it is a great many years ago, I cannot charge my memory with it, but most likely I have.

Court. Mr. Robert Perreau < no role > would you ask this gentleman any questions, or leave it to your council.

Prisoner. Leave it to my counsel.

Cross Examination.

Counsel. I would ask you a few questions, in order perfectly to understand you. The first time that the prisoner came to you with this bond upon your inspection, and your brother's you expressed great doubts of its being Mr. William Adair's.

Drummond. I did.

Q. I suppose with a degree of positiveness that it was not?

Drummond. That we had great doubts.

Q. You expressed them over and over?

Drummond. Yes, over and over again.

Q. You shewed no manner of inclination therefore at that time to advance money upon this bond?

Drummond. None at all, further than telling him to leave the bond.

Q. The first time he came with the bond, on the 7th of March, you did not desire it to be left?

Drummond. No.

Q. You expressed no desire then to get possession of the bond?

Drummond. Not at that time.

Q. But you perfectly explained to him that you was almost satisfied that it was not Mr. Adair's hand?

Drummond. We expressed great doubts, there was a delicacy, we did not chuse to say he had brought us a forged bond.

Q. Was your brother with you upon this Tuesday?

Drummond. Yes.

Q. Did you both express your doubts?

Drummond. Yes.

Q. How long did the prisoner stay, this first time?

Drummond. Eight or ten minutes; or a quarter of an hour, I cannot say exactly.

Q. And he returned you that same bond

Drummond. Yes.

Q. Did you call in any body but your brother, when he came the second time with the bond?

Drummond. Nobody whatever.

Q. I observed your expression was, that he said, there were family connexions, and he has my money, and pays me interest for it; can you take upon you to say with absolute certainty, whether he said, it was his money Mr. Adair paid interest for, or some of the family's money?

Drummond. His money.

Q. Are you quite sure of that?

Drummond. Yes, I am quite sure of it.

Q. Did he take away, the bond that time?

Drummond. He did the first, time but not the second.

Q. He readily left the bond?

Drummond. Yes, without even a memorandum.

Q. Without any hesitation?

Drummond. Yes.

Q. He did not offer any excuse not to leave it?

Drummond. No.

Q. He complied with your desire of leaving the bond, as the most innocent man would have done?

Drummond. Yes, readily.

Q. Are you perfectly sure that he said, he himself had seen Mr. Adair when he was going to ride, or that his sister, or any body else had?

Drummond. I am perfectly sure, he said, that he himself saw Mr. Adair, that he was in his boots, and he luckily catched him just before he was going to take a ride.

Q. You gave the bond to your clerk after Mr. Perreau was gone?

Drummond. Yes, to the clerk, or my brother.

Q. When you desired him to come the next day at eleven o'clock, did he readily consent?

Drummond. Very readily; he supposed, then for what I know, that he was to have the money, for he left the bond in order to have the assignment drawn up.

Q. Then during the times he was at your house, he did not once ask to have the bond away with him?

Drummond. No.

Q. When he first shewed you this letter, with Mr. Adair's initials, did you desire to read it?

Drummond. No, I do not think I did.

Q. He produced that letter merely to shew you the initials?

Drummond. Yes, I did not read it.

Q. Then he still insisted that the name was Mr. Adair's hand writing?

Drummond. He did.

Q. Who first proposed to go to Mr. Adair's?

Drummond. My brother, or I, I cannot tell which.

Q. Are you quite sure it was one of you?

Drummond. Yes.

Q. You said, that immediately upon the proposal being made, he most readily consented to it?

Drummond. Yes, he did.

Q. Did you observe in his expression, or countenance, or behaviour, the least reluctance to come into the proposal of going to Mr. Adair?

Drummond. Not the least; for being convinced in my own mind that it was a forged bond. I looked steadfastly on his countenance, and could not see him alter in the least.

Q. You then went to Mr. Adair's?

Drummond. Yes.

Q. You have said he carried you in his coach?

Drummond. Yes, he said that would be the quickest way of going, his coach being first at the door.

Q. After Mr. Adair had denied that it was his signature, and you requir'd an explanation of the business, he almost immediately said, that his sister, Daniel Perreau < no role > 's wife would explain this?

Drummond. Yes, after my expressing my wonder and astonishment at what had passed.

Q. And as I understood you, he then for the first time appeared surpriz'd?

Drummond. Yes.

Q. He proposed to send for Mrs. Daniel Perreau < no role > ; said he had it from her, and she would explain the whole?

Drummond. He did.

Q. How soon did she come?

Drummond. I believe as soon as the carriage would go up to Golden Square and return.

Q. Did you observe any particular delay?

Drummond. No, she came as soon as the carriage could well bring her.

Q. You have said in the gross, that she took it wholly upon herself?

Drummond. She did,

Q. Did she do that in the presence of the prisoner?

Drummond. Yes, she said he was totally innocent, and she was the person that forged the bond, and begg'd us for God's sake to have mercy upon an innocent man, to consider his wife and children.

Q. Do you recollect who first spoke to her, and what was said?

Drummond. I cannot charge my memory.

Q. She pressed to see Mr. Adair alone, which he declin'd?

Drummond. She did.

Q. Did she afterwards withdraw from the presence of Mr. Robert Perreau < no role > ?

Drummond. I believe she was in a different room sometimes, with my brother and me, but I cannot speak particularly as to that.

Q. Did she tell any particular circumstances how she came to do it?

Drummond. She acknowledged the whole, and said no body was meant to be injured; that it would all be paid; that she never meant to injure us or any body.

Q. She said that she had done it, and that he was perfectly innocent?

Drummond. She did.

Q. Did she give any account of any other bonds at that time?

Drummond. No, we had not an idea of any other bonds at that time.

Q. Do you recollect her mentioning any circumstances how she came to be induced to do it, or how she carried it on?

Drummond. I do not recollect; she took the whole from Robert Perreau < no role > , and said, she was the guilty person.

Q. Did she say under what circumstances she had written the name?

Drummond, I do not recollect that she did.

Q. Did you express any doubt whether she could readily write that name in the way in which it appears?

Drummond. Yes we did.

Q. What was her answer?

Drummond. My brother said, that it was a masculine hand, and he did not think a woman could write it: she proved it, by taking a bit of paper and shewing us she could write it.

Q. And it was the same hand?

Drummond. It did appear to us to be the same.

Q. This was readily performed by her?

Drummond. Yes, and I believe my brother put the paper into the fire.

Q. During all the time that she stayed at the house, she never once charged Robert Perreau < no role > with knowing any thing of the matter, but allowed that he had the bond from her?

Drummond. Yes.

Q. Did she insist at the same time, that she had any acquaintance or connection with Mr. William Adair < no role > .

Drummond. She did not to the best of my recollection.

Q. Did she say whether she knew him?

Drummond. I do not recollect.

Q. Was you present when Mrs. Rudd gave her information before the justice?

Drummond. I think I was, but I do not think I went very close to her.

Q. At that time, after Mrs. Rudd had come to you, I believe both you and Mr. William Adair < no role > expressed yourselves, as considering the prisoner as her dupe?

Drummond. We both expressed ourselves to that effect. A constable had been sent for to Mr. Adair's; we dismissed him upon her acknowledging herself to be the guilty person.

Q. Was this letter the same kind of hand that Mrs. Rudd wrote when she wrote so readily the name William Adair < no role > ?

A. It appeared 'to be the same; I think the W in the letter here is pretty much in the same style as the W to the William Adair < no role > that she wrote.

Q. You said that you had known the prisoner yourself some years.

Drummond. I had.

Q. I believe he had served as an apothecary several families you are acquainted with?

Drummond. He had.

Q. During that time, you mean to say, you had never heard any thing amiss of him, but he was well spoken of, and perfectly well respected?

Drummond. Perfectly so.

Q. I believe he was remarkably happy in his character.

Drummond. Exceedingly so.

Q. Look at that letter, and see if it be the same hand.

Drummond. It does appear to be the same hand

Counsel for the Crown. At the time you was of opinion that Mr. Perreau might be innocent, did you know any thing with respect to the filling up of the bond, or who had done it?

Drummond. I had at that time no knowledge of that.

Q. Nor by whose direction it was filled up?

Drummond. No.

Daniel Wheatley < no role > . I am clerk to Mess. Drummonds, the bond is marked with my name; I had it from Mr. Henry Drummond < no role > , upon the 8th of March; I delivered it to him again upon the 12th. It is in the same state in which I received it.

Cross Examination.

Q. Did you see Mr. Robert Perreau < no role > ?

Wheatly. I saw him pass through the room.

Q. You had no conversation with him.

Wheatley. No, I had not.

Robert Drummond < no role > , Esq. I am a Banker, and am in partnership with my brother; the first time I saw the prisoner, was on the seventh of March, then I saw him at our house at Charing Cross; my brother called me in, and said, this is Mr. Robert Perreau < no role > , whom I lent fourteen hundred pounds to, while you was out of town, and he now wants five thousand pounds, said he, he offersabond as a security for the five thousand pounds. I asked him whose bond it was; he said Mr. William Adair < no role > 's. What, said I, the late agent in Pall-Mall? He shewed me the bond. I said, why this is not his hand. I had seen his draughts and seen him write a great many years ago. Oh, said he, there is no doubt but it is his hand, it is witnessed by Mr. Jones, Mr. Adair's solicitor, and his servant. Said I, it is very odd, I have seen his hand formerly, this does not appear to be the least like it. I think, I said to him, if I was to take my oath, I would rather swear it was not his hand-writing. I said, the bond is made payable to you, was you present when it was executed? No, said he, I was not present. I believe my brother then said, come to morrow and we will give you an answer. When Mr. Perreau was gone, I told my brother I had great doubts about the signature, and I thought it would not be amiss to have the bond left with us, as it must be assigned if we advanced any money upon it. I went out with a gentleman who was then waiting for me; I returned in two or three hours, When I came back, I asked my brother if he had sent for the bond; he said Mr. Perreau has been here, and has left the bond. Mr. Perreau came again the next morning for his answer, Mr. Stephens and I had been previously with Mr. Adair, and shewed him the bond. I asked Mr. Perreau if this Mr. Adair was the late agent in Pall-Mall, I said, an elderly gentleman, and described him as well as I could. He said it was. I looked very stedfastly on his countenance, and did not observe it had any effect upon him. I said we have our doubts, and till these doubts are cleared up we can advance no money. I said, the only way of clearing up those doubts would be to go to Mr. Adair, if he had no objection. He said no; he looked at his watch, and said, if he is not gone out. I had not been come from Mr. Adair < no role > a quarter of an hour, but I did not tell Mr. Perreau that; he went with great readiness, without the least hesitation. The morning was rather wettish; my brother said, I have my carriage here, I will carry you. Mr. Perreau said mine is first, you had better go in mine. They both went in Mr. Perreau's carriage; I walked there soon after them.

I asked Mr. Perreau, when we were there, how he could account for this: he said at first, he knew nothing at all of it. Why, said I, it is evident this is not Mr. Adair's hand; and asked him how he came by the bond. We were surprized at his absurd conduct. I said, you are either the greatest fool, or the greatest rogue that I ever saw; I do not know what to make of you, you must account for this: how came you by this bond? Then he said, that will appear, if you send for my sister. I asked who that was. Why, said he, my brother, Mr. Daniel Perreau < no role > 's wife. He called his servant, and sent the coach for her: he told the servant, she would be either in Golden Square, or Harley Street, but most likely in Golden Square: and the coach came back with her so soon, that I apprehend it did not go further than Golden Square. At first, she asked to speak with Mr. Adair in a room by himself. Mr. Adair declined that, and said, you are quite a stranger to me, and you can have no conversation with me that may not pass before these gentlemen. I had told him before this, that I would send for a constable directly, and send him before a magistrate if he would not tell his accomplices; for accomplices he must have, if he did not do it himself: then it was that he sent for his sister. She declared, that she forged the bond; that she signed the bond, and that the letter was wrote by her. I expressed my doubts upon that, and said, it was so different from a woman's hand, that I did not think her capable of forging it; that nothing would convince me of it but her shewing me upon a piece of paper, that she could write that sort of hand. I said, I do not want to ensnare you, I will immediately throw it into the fire. She wrote upon a bit of paper, William Adair < no role > , or part of the name, so extremely like the signature to the bond, that it satisfied me, and I burnt the paper. Then Mr. Robert Perreau < no role > said, he hoped, that the information she had given sufficiently acquitted him in our opinions. My brother made answer, he had better not enquire into that; he could say nothing to it, till he had consulted somebody of the law. Mr. Perreau immediately upon that, for the first time, expressed great unneasiness. He said, I would sooner have cut my right hand off, than have injured any man; and then, and then only, did he seem the least agitated. The first time that I heard this woman was called Rudd, was, I think, at Sir John Fielding < no role > 's.

(Cross Examination.)

Q. Have you seen Mr. Adair's writing frequently, since that time?

R. Drummond. I have seen his handwriting.

Q. Is that an imitation of his handwriting?

R. Drummond. It is not the least like it; I never saw his christian name wrote at full length in my life: this was at full length.

Q. You told Mr. Perreau, you would rather swear it was not Mr. Adair's handwriting?

R. Drummond. I did.

Q. Did you at that time perceive any alteration in Mr. Perreau's countenance?

R. Drummond. No, not the least.

Q. Mrs. Rudd acknowledged the letter as well as the bond, to be her hand-writing?

R. Drummond. Yes, Mr. Perreau said, it was, and she acknowledged it.

Q. You likewise told us, that Mr. Perreau asked the question, whether he was not sufficently cleared in your opinion; and you hesitating; that then, and not till then, did he seem concerned?

R. Drummond. Yes, she said, Mr. Perreau was a very worthy man; he had a wife and family, and was in no shape guilty; that she had throughout the whole imposed upon him.

Court. Was you by when the prisoner said, he had been at Mr. Adair's, and that Mr. Adair was going out a riding?

R. Drummond. That was when I was out.

Sir Thomas Frankland < no role > .

Q. Do you know the prisoner?

Sir T. Frankland. He has been my apothecary about fifteen or sixteen years; I always looked upon him as an honest man, and I thought he was incapable of ever deceiving me at all. My uncle thought him so honest a man, that he always called him, honest Perreau.

Q. Whether you had, before March last, any bond or bonds in your custody, which were given you by the prisoner?

Sir T. Frankland. Do you, mean that I should tell all?

Q. No, only answer the question, whether you had any bond before March last. I want to know whether they were to be taken up in March?

Sir T. Frankland. The prisoner brought me two bonds at different times: one to Daniel Perreau < no role > for six thousand pounds, and the other to himself, Robert Perreau < no role > , for five thousand three hundred pounds: that for five thousand three hundred pounds, which I lent him four thousand pounds upon was to be repaid on the 26th or 29th of March, with the three days grace the other was due on the 8th of March.

Richard Wilson < no role > .

Q. Please to look at the bond in question; it is I believe your filling up.

Wilson. It is: I filled it up at the request of the prisoner at the bar.

Q. When did you fill it up.

Wilson. The latter end of February, or the beginning of March last.

Q. I perceive it bears date to the 25th of January.

Wilson. I recollect I antidated it to the preceding January, at the request of the prisoner.

Q. When you had so fill'd it up and anti-dated it, did you give it back to the prisoner?

Wilson. I did.

Q. And you never had it from any other hand, or gave it to any other hand but the prisoner?

Wilson. No.

Q. Where was it fill'd up?

Wilson. At my house at Charing-Cross.

Q. Was any other person present?

Wilson. No, except it was some of my family.

Q. You say, you did it by his direction; you had the directions I believe in writing?

Wilson. I had.

Q. Then produce them.

Wilson. These were the instructions the prisoner gave me: (producing them)

Q. Did he say any thing about the instructions, or what should be done with them?

Wilson. He said, Mr. Wilson, I have given you the instructions upon a piece of paper; I desire you will burn it. I told him, there was a minute upon the back of the paper of a petition to the recorder, and I could not burn it then, because of that minute. He desired I would burn it, when I had done with it, and I promised I would; but I put it in my desk and it slipp'd my memory.

Q. There were no names upon this bond at the time you fill'd it up?

Wilson. None.

Q. I see part of these instructions are scor'd through?

Wilson. They are.

Q. Who was that done by?

Wilson. The prisoner; after I had fill'd up the bond and before he left me.

Q. Can you read what is scor'd through?

Wilson. Yes. it is William Adair < no role > of Pall-Mall, in the parish of St. James's, in the county of Middlesex, Esq; to Robert Perreau < no role > of Golden Square, in the county of Middlesex, aforesaid, Esq; the sum of 7500 l. to be paid upon the 7th of July next.

Q. Did he score this through after you had said you could not burn it then?

Wilson. He said, Mr. Wilson, we cannot burn this, because of the minute at the back: You will be sure to burn it; I said, I will.

Q. Have you fill'd up any other bonds for the prisoner before?

Wilson. I have.

Scroope Ogilvie < no role > .

Q. You are acquainted I believe, with Mr. William Adair < no role > of Pall-Mall?

Ogilvie. Yes.

Q. Do you know his hand writing?

Ogilvie. Yes.

Q. Have you seen him frequently write?

Ogilvie. Yes, frequently.

Q. Look at that name, William Adair < no role > there. Is that his hand-writing?

Ogilvie. No, it is not in the least like it.

Q. You are now clerk to him, I believe.

Ogilvie. Mr. Adair is not now in business.

Q. When did you quit his service?

Ogilvie. In the year 1765, when Mr. Adair quitted business.

Q. How lately have you seen him write?

Ogilvie. Since Christmas.

James Adair < no role > , Esq:

Q. You are acquainted with the hand-writing of Mr. William Adair < no role > the late agent I believe?

Adair. I am.

Q. Does the signature to this bond appear to you to be the hand-writing of Mr. Adair.

Adair. It is not.

Q. Does it bear any resemblance to it?

Adair. Not the least.

Cross Examination.

Q. Did you receive any letter from Mrs. Rudd?

Adair. Yes.

Q. Was she with you?

Adair. Yes.

Q. Had you any conversation with her?

Adair. Yes.

Q. Who was present when Mrs. Rudd had the conversation with you?

Adair. Nobody, only her and myself.

Q. For what purpose did she come to you?

Adair. She knows a gentleman that I know in the North of Ireland.

Court. That cannot be evidence.

Counsel for the Prisoner.

My lord, it has already been given in evidence, that Mrs. Rudd took it upon herself, and declared the prisoner totally innocent. This letter is exactly to the same purport, and this letter is written, as I understand, the day after she was at Mr. Adair's. The expressions all along go not only to acquit the prisoner of an absolute forgery; but that he was perfectly innocent in the matter.

Court. Can her letter be stronger evidence than her own personal declarations? Both the Mr. Drummonds declare she took it upon herself; that she did it; that the whole was her's; and he was innocent: that is certainly stronger than her writing it down upon a piece of paper.

Counsel for the Prisoner.

I am perfectly satisfied with your lordship's declaration.

Arthur Jones < no role > , Esq.

Q. Be so good as look at that bond; is the name Arthur Jones < no role > , one of the attesting witnesses, your hand-writing.

Jones. No.

Q. You know nothing at all of it.

Jones. No.

Q. Is it like your hand-writing?

Jones. Nothing like it.

Q. Look at the name Thomas Hart < no role > , or Start; have you a servant of that name?

Jones. No, I never had to my remembrance.

Q. You know nothing of that signature?

Jones. I never heard of the name.

The forged Bond was read in court, and was exactly as set forth in the indictment.

The letter produced by Mr. Drummond, read.

Tuesday Evening.

"Dear Sir,

"I am more obliged to you than I can express

"for the friendly trouble you take to get

"me accommodated; hitherto I have only in

"words expressed my sense for your kind attentions

"and service; a little time will afford

"me occasions to give you solid proof of my

"regard: to-day's business vexed me greatly,

"but the result is hazardable to all; but you

"will infinitely add to your favours by going

"to Sir T. F. either fixing 12 o'clock to morrow,

"to pay the money to him or the banker:

"my reason for it is truly this; that I ' have in case of necessity fixed with Crofts to

"let me have this evening 5900 l. but as I really

"have used my credit there, even more

"than I ever did before, or like, and seeing it the "' same to use the money for the payment, I with

"to spare my taking cash from C. if practicable,

"but in case ought should delay or prevent "' the money from D. S. to morrow, in that

"case you will go to Harley-street, where

"you will find my draughts upon Crofts, to receive

"from him five thousand pounds, so

"that half an hour cannot be lost either

"way. If you do not meet with Sir T. F.

"leave an explicit letter to the purpose, or

"send to the banker's, and say you will be

"with them to take up your bond, to prevent

"its coming out in the morning.

"Yours, W. A."

Directed to Mr. Perreau, Golden-Square.

Counsel for the Crown to Mr. Henry Drummond < no role > .

I do not recollect whether you mentioned that Robert Perreau < no role > lived in Golden Square.

A. He does.

Prisoner's Defence.

My Lord, and Gentlemen of the Jury, If I had been wanting in that fortitude, which is the result of innocence, or had found any hesitation in submitting my proceedings to the strictest scrutiny, I need not at this day have stood before my country, or set my life upon the issue of a legal trial. Supported by the consciousness of my integrity, I have forced that taansaction to light, which might else have been suppressed; and I have voluntarily sought that imprisonment, which guilt never invites, and even innocence has been known to fly from. Ardently looking forward to this hour, as the sure, though painful means of vindicating a character, not distinguished indeed for its importance, but hitherto maintained without a blemish. There are many respectable witnesses at hand, and many more, I persuade myself, would be found if it had been necessary to summon them upon a point of such notoriety, who will inform your lordship and the court, how I have appeared to them to act, what trust has been reposed in me, and what credit I had in their opinions for my diligence, honesty, and punctuality. In truth, my lord, I am bold to say, that few men in my line of life have carried on their business with a fairer character, not many with better success. I have followed no pleasures, nor launched into any expences; there is not a man living who can charge me with neglect or dissipation. The honest profits of my trade have afforded me a comfortable support, and furnished me with the means of maintaining, in a decent sort, a worthy wife and three promising children, upon whom I was labouring to bestow the properest education in my power: in short, we were as happy as affluence and innocence could make us, till this affliction came upon us by surprize, and I was made the dupe of a transaction from whose criminality, I call God, the searcher of all hearts to witness, I am now as free as I was at the day of my birth. - My lords, and gentlemen of the jurymen, men who are unpracticed in deceit, will be apt to credit others for a sincerity; which they themselves possess. The most undersigning characters have at all times been the dupe of craft and subtilty. A plain story, with the indulgence of the court, I will relate, which will furnish strong instances indeed of credulity on one part, which at the same time will exhibit a train of such consummate artifices, that are not to be equalled in all the annals of iniquity, and which might have extorted an equal confidence from a much more enlightened understanding than I can claim.

"The prisoner then stated many circumstances

"of imposition practiced upon him by Mrs.

"Rudd. - That she was constantly converting

"about the interest she had with Mr. William

"Adair. - That among other things,

"Mr. Adair had by his interest with his majesty

"obtained the promise of a baronatage for Mr.

" Daniel Perreau < no role > , and was about procuring him

"a seat in parliament. - That Mr. Adair

"had promised to open a bank, and to take

"the two Perreaus into partnership with him.

"That he received many letters signed William

"Adair, which he did not doubt really

"came from Mr. William Adair < no role > . That Mr.

" William Adair < no role > had promised to give them

"a very considerable part of his fortune during

"his life; and was to allow Mr. Daniel

"Perreau two thousand four hundred pounds

"per ann for his household expences, and

"six hundred pounds per ann, for her pin-money.

"That Mr. Daniel Perreau < no role > purchased

"a house in Harley-street for four

"thousand pounds, which money Mr. William

"Adair was to give them. That when

" Daniel Perreau < no role > was pressed by the person he

"bought the house of for the money, the prisoner

"understood they applied to Mr. William

"Adair, and that his answer was, That

"he had lent the king seventy thousand

"pounds, and had purchased a house in

"Pall mall at seven thousand pounds to carry

"on the banking business in, therefore

"could not spare the four thousand pounds at

"that time. And that Mrs. Rudd told him,

"(the prisoner) that Mr. Adair desired he

"would get a bond for five thousand three

"hundred pounds filled up, as he had done

"once before, and Mr. Adair would execute

"it. That after Wilson had filled up the

"bond, he delivered it to Mrs. Rudd, who

"gave it to the prisoner a day or two after

"executed. That he borrowed the four

"thousand pounds upon this bond, which

"was dated the 20th of December, of Sir

" Thomas Frankland < no role > , and delivered Sir Thomas's

"draught to Mrs. Rudd. That about

"the 10th of March, he told Mrs. Rudd that

"Mr. Adair's bond that he had given to Sir

" Thomas Frankland < no role > in November, was nearly

"due; and Mrs. Rudd told him the next

"day, that Mr. Adair desired he would once

"more borrow for him five thousand pounds.

"That he made many objections to being employed

"in so disagreeable a business; but at

"last supposing he should oblige Mr. Adair, he

"consented, and accordingly got a bond filled

"up by the stationer for seven thousand five

"hundred pounds, payable to himself. That

"he delivered it to Mrs. Rudd on Saturday

"the 4th of March, in the presence of his

"wife, his brother, and Mr. Cassaday; That

"Mrs. Rudd returned it him executed on the

"Tuesday following. And that he never had

"the least suspicion but that the bonds were

"really executed by Mr. William Adair < no role > .

"That when he took the bond to Mr. Drummonds,

"he did not say that he had himself

"seen it executed by Mr. Adair, but that he

"knew it was Mr. Adair's hand-writing, as

"he had often seen letters from Mr. Adair to

"Mr. Daniel Perreau < no role > and his wife. That

"when he informed Mrs. Rudd of the observations " Mr. Drummond had made upon

"the signature to the bond, she went out, and

"upon her return she told him she had seen

"Mr. Adair, just as he was going out a riding,

"and that Mr. Adair told her that the alteration

"in the signature was merely the difference

"between age and youth, and that it

"was his hand-writing, and that he told

"Mr. Drummond so, and that he knew nothing

"of its being a surgery till the interview

"with Mr. Adair." - Having stated the above circumstances, the prisoner concluded his defence to the following effect:

My Lord, and Gentlemen of the Jury, I have now faithfully laid before you, such circumstances which have occured to my memory, as necessary for your information, in the order as they happened during my acquaintance with Mrs. Rudd, under the character of my brother's wife. Many have been the sufferers by artifices and impostors, but never man appeared, I believe, in this or any other tribunal, upon whom so many engines were set at work to interest his credulity. It will not escape the notice of this splendid court, that my compassion was first engaged by the story of Mrs. Rudd's sufferings, before my belief was invited to her representations. Let me have credit with you for yielding up by pity in the first instance, and you cannot wonder I did not with hold my credulity afterwards. It is in this natural, this necessary consequence, I rest my defence. I was led from error to error by such insensible degrees; that every step I took strengthened my infatuation. When Mr. Drummond first hesitated at the hand writing at the foot of the bond, I tendered in the name of William Adair < no role > , if it did not so far alarm me as to shake my belief in this artful woman, from whose hands I had received it, let it be considered that I had been prevailed upon to negociate other bonds of this artful woman depositing them in the hands of bankers who had never spied any defect, or raised the least objection. These bonds had been punctually and regularly paid in due time. The letters sent to me, as if from William Adair < no role > , critically agreed with the hand-writing of the bond. Mr. Adair did not keep money at Mr. Drummond's: opportunities of comparing his hand writing for many years, had not occured, and the hesitation upon his part, appeared to me no more than the exceptions and I minute precautions of a banker, which could not so suddenly overturn the explicit belief that I had annexed to all that was told me in Harley Street. Can any greater proof be given, than my own proposal to Mr. Drummond of leaving the bond in his hands till he had satisfied his credulity. Can your Lordship, or the gentlemen of the jury for a moment suspect, that any man could be guilty of such a crime, whose proceedings were so fair and open? that single circumstance I am satisfied, will afford my total exculpation. The resort to Mr. Adair was as easy to Mr. Drummond, as to the books in his compting house: it does not come within the bounds of common sense, much less does it fall within the possibility of guilt, that any man living should voluntarily, with his eyes open, take a step so directly and absolutely centering in his certain conviction. But this circumstance, strong as it is, is not all my case. I bless God, the protector of innocence, that in my defence, proofs arise upon proofs, the least of them I trust, will be thought incompatible with guilt: it should seem impossible that a guilty person would propose to Mr. Drummond to retain the bond for the satisfaction of his scruples; but that the same person, should after so long a time for consideration, had passed after my leaving the bond, which was full twenty-four hours, openly and in the face of the day enter the shop of Mr. Drummond, and demand if he had satisfied all his scruples; unless a man from meer desperation had been weary of his life, and fought a dissolution, this I humbly apprehend would be an absolute impossibility; but my lords, and gentlemen of the jury. I had neither in my breast the principle or guilt to commit that high offence against society, which would accompany the act; nor had I that desperate loathing of existence, as should bring a shameful condemnation upon my head: it is true, I have invited this trial, but it is equally true, I have done it in the consciousness of my integrity, because I could not otherwise go through the remainder of my days with comfort and satisfaction, unless I had the verdict of my countrymen for my acquital, and rested my innocence upon the purest testimony I could have on this side the grave. It is plain I had an opportunity of withdrawing myself: how many men are there with the clearest intentions, yet from the apprehensions of being made the talk of the public, and above all, the dread of imprisonment, and the terror of a trial, would have thought themselves happy to have caught at any opportunity of saving themselves from such a series of distress. Greater confidence can no man be in of the integrity of his case, and the justice of his country. When it was found necessary to the designs of Mrs. Rudd, that I and my family should be made the dupe of her connections with the house of Adair; it may well be believed, that nothing but the strongest interdictions would prevent my endeavours to obtain an interview. In fact, this point was laboured with consummate artifice, and nothing less than ruin to my brother and his affairs, was denounced upon my breaking this injunction; it was part of the same error to believe her in this also; a respectable witness has told you, and I do not controvert his evidence, that my confidence in her assertion, and in the testimonials that she exhibited under the hand, as I believed, of Mr. Adair, were such, in my mistaken judgment, as to be equal to the evidence of my own senses, pressed by the forms of business, to say to Mr. Drummond that I had seen Mr. Adair myself, but I neither went to Mr. Adair, nor disclosed those pressing motives which prevented me: no less free to confess my faults, than I am confident to assert my innocence, I seek no paliation for this circumstance, except my temptation and my failings, and I trust it will rather be a matter of surprize, that in the course of a negociation, through the whole of which I was acted upon by the most artful of imposters, that this only deviation was to be found, and yet this very circumstance carries with it a clearer conviction of my being the dupe of Mrs. Rudd's intrigues, than any I have to offer in my defence, and if my subsequent proceedings, and the alacrity I shewed in going with Mr. Drummond to Mr. Adair, together with my conduct before this gentleman, is, as I apprehend it is, absolutely irreconcilable with a conciousness of guilt, the circumstances above mentioned will serve to shew with what a degree of credulity the artifices of Mrs. Rudd had furnished me. - Upon the whole, if in the above detail no circumstances are discovered in which an innocent man, under the like delusion with myself, might not have acted as I have acted, and, at the same time, if there be very many particulars in which no guilty man would have conducted himself as I conducted myself, I should be wanting in respect to your lordships and the jury, if I doubted the justice of their verdict, and which is inseparable from it, my honourable acquital.

(For the Prisoner.)

George Kinder < no role > , Esq;

Q. You was, sir, an intimate acquaintance, I believe, of Mr. Daniel Perreau < no role > and the person who passed for his wife; but that since appears to be Mrs. Rudd?

Kinder. I never knew her by that name; I only knew her by the name of Perreau. I was some months at their house upon a visit.

Q. Was you intimate with Mr. Robert Perreau < no role > ?

Kinder. I was, Mrs. Rudd, told me she was a near relation of Mr. James Adair < no role > ; that James Adair < no role > look'd upon her as his child, and promised to make her fortune, and establish her in life; and that he recommended her to Mr. William Adair < no role > , a near relation and intimate friend of his.

Q. Do you know any thing of letters being delivered by Mrs. Rudd to Robert Perreau < no role > , as letters from Mr. Adair?

Kinder. Mr. Robert Perreau < no role > shew'd me some letters from Mr. William Adair < no role > , and I think I saw Mrs. Rudd more than once give him letters, as from Mr. Adair to him: and I remember one in particular, he shew'd me; I told him he would do well to preserve that letter, because it would justify him in case Mr. Adair should draw back from his promises. Mrs. Rudd has told me that it was the intention of Mr. William Adair < no role > to set them up in the banking business?

Q. Has she told you this in the presence of Mr. Perreau?

Kinder. Yes, in the presence of both the Perreau's, and sometimes in their absence she has told it me frequently.

Q. Did you see any reason to question these reports?

Kinder. I believed them myself.

Q. Did it appear to you that the Perreaus believed them?

Kinder. Certainly.

Q. In the course of the time you was at Daniel Perreau < no role > 's, you might be able, probably, to make an observation of the art of this woman?

Kinder. She seemed to me rather artful in the conduct of her business; and she wanted the Perreaus to consider, that an obedience to her will, would be the only means in which these favors were to flow to them. Robert Perreau < no role > was three or four times a day at his brother's house. I think I have heard her say, that her fortune was to be established in such a manner, that they were to have, I think, near three thousand pounds a year: that Mr. Perreau was to be allowed two thousand four hundred pounds a year for his houshold expences, and that she was to be allowed six hundred pounds a year for pin-money, which she was not to be accountable, for the expenditure of, to any body but Mr. William Adair < no role > . I have likewise heard her say, that Mr. Daniel Perreau < no role > was to be made a baronet; and she has told me very often so and so, when I am a lady, I shall doso and so.

Q. His Robert Perreau < no role > been present when she has said so?

Kinder. I dare say he was often.

Court. How often did you see Mr. William Adair < no role > there?

Kinder. I never saw Mr. William Adair < no role > there in my life.

Q. These representations were frequently the subject of her conversation in the presence of Mr. Robert Perreau < no role > ?

Kinder. Very frequently. I remember to have heard her say, in Mr. Robert Perreau < no role > 's presence, that Mr. William Adair < no role > had consented to the purchase of a house in Harley Street, four thousand pounds, for Daniel Perreau < no role > ; and she likewise said, that Mrs. James Adair < no role > called to see her, and talked to her about a seat in parliament, she was to get for Mr. Daniel Perreau: that she (Mrs. Rudd) said, it will cost three thousand Newmarket pounds; upon which Mrs. James Adair < no role > asked, what is Newmarket pounds? and Mrs. Rudd said, guineas: upon which Mrs. James Adair < no role > said, she thought pounds might serve very well, and she would not give any more. Mrs. Rudd declared, a day or two after, that as Mrs. James Adair < no role > was rather near in money matters, that Mr. William Adair < no role > had charged himself to provide a seat in parliament for Mr. Perreau, and that the house that Mr. William Adair < no role > was to give Mr. Perreau, the old lady was to purchase.

Court. Was the place mentioned?

Kinder. I think I heard her say it was Luggershall.

Q. Have you heard here present herself as having had frequent interviews with Mr. William Adair < no role > ?

Kinder. Yes, she has frequently told them in my presence, that she had seen Mr. William Adair < no role > .

John Moody < no role > . I was a footman to Mr. Daniel Perreau < no role > from March 1773 to July 1774. Mrs. Rudd passed as Daniel Perreau < no role > 's wife.

Q. Have you observed Mrs. Rudd writing and contriving to convey any letters to either Daniel or Robert Perreau < no role > ?

Moody. Yes, to Mr. Daniel Perreau

Q. Do you know Mrs. Rudd's manner of writing?

Moody. Perfectly well.

Q. Did she in the letters she wrote to be conveyed to Daniel Perreau < no role > , write her ordinary, or a different kind of hand?

Moody. Quite different from her common hand; the R's in those letters represented a Z very much. Those letters were to make Mr. Daniel Perreau < no role > believe that they came from Mr. William Adair < no role > , and when Daniel Perreau < no role > went out and left word that he should be at such a place if any body called upon him, then the instant he went out, she used to come down; and write in this particular character, and would say, when your master comes home, deliver this letter to him as left by Mr. William Adair < no role > , and tell him, he has been an hour with me in the parlour. When my master came home, she would be out; then he would ask if any one had been there; I answered yes, Mr. William Adair < no role > the agent, has been here. Is there any message left for me? Yes, sir, a letter which my mistress gave me to put into my pocket, but I have put it upon the mantle piece in the drawing room.

Court. He had not been there then, had he?

Moody. No, I only told him so by my mistress's orders. Then I have been asked by my master if my mistress saw Mr. Adair; I answered, yes, and was with him an hour in the parlour. Then my master went up stairs, took the letter my mistress had so wrote, and send so left, and read it in the presence of Col. Kinder < no role > .

Q. You seem to have been giving the particulars of something which passed upon some one particular occasion, I would ask you whether instances to the same effect have not happened many times?

Moody. She has frequently wrote letters in this particular hand, which have been conveyed to Mr. Daniel Perreau < no role > , as coming from Mr. Adair.

The signature at the bottom of this bond, and the letters are in her feign 'd hand writing. Sometimes when I have gone up to her door and she has been writing in this way, she has given me a short answer, and been angry with me. She had different pens; she us'd to send me for hard crow quill and goose quill pens, and I used to mend them, because she said she could write better with pens of my mending; she ordered me to get different paper from that we used in Daniel Perreau < no role > 's family: I bought her thick gilt edg'd paper; Mr. Perreau always wrote upon thin paper. I have seen her go to Mr. James Adair < no role > two or three times; once I remember her seeing Mr. James Adair in Soho Square; another time she went to Mr. James Adair < no role > and was answered by the servant, to the best of my knowledge, that Mr. James Adair < no role > was at his office in the city.

Q. Did you likewise understand that she had some acquaintance with Mr. William Adair < no role > ?

Moody. The opinion I entertained of her giving these directions about these letters, was to make Mr. Perreau believe, that she had been there: she said to me, if your master finds out I have not been with Mr. Adair, or that Mr. Adair has not been here, he will never pardon me. After she has been talking with colonel Kinder, she has rung for me and has shut herself and me up in the parlour together; then she has come as if she was going to put her hand upon my shoulder, with a smile upon her face, and has said, that was well done of you, John, just now you have sav'd your master being angry with me, and there's half a crown for you. Mr. Robert Perreau < no role > was often at Mr. Daniel Perreau's at these times; I don't recollect whether any letters were delivered to Mr. Daniel Perreau < no role > in Mr. Robert Perreau < no role > 's presence: Mrs. Rudd has frequently come down to the foot of the parlour stairs and call'd me up, and bid me go when I had an opportunity and give a double rap at the door, and then come up to the drawing room to her and say, a gentleman wanted to speak with her; then she would come down and write these notes, which were in the same hand I have observed her to be writing when she would not suffer me to be in the room, and she has bid me carry those notes up as if they came from Mr. William Adair < no role > .

Q. Do you remember carrying any message to either of the Adairs from Mrs. Rudd?

Moody. Yes, I was sent to Mr. James Adair < no role > 's with a present of some French pears, and I once carried a message, I believe it was a card inclosed, importing that Mrs. Perreau, as she was then called, intended to pay her a visit. I think, I brought back another card inclosed; and Mrs. James Adair < no role > called once to pay her lying in visit.

Q. You had never seen Mr. William Adair < no role > at the house?

Moody. No. Mrs. Rudd once sent me to enquire if he was in town, I was told he was not.

Susanna Perreau < no role > . I am sister to the prisoner. I was backward and forward at Mill Hill, and Mr. Rober Perreau, in Golden Square, from the middle of May to the middle of July, 1774. I often saw them and Mrs. Rudd together. I have heard Mr. William Adair < no role > spoken of by Mrs. Rudd before both my brothers: she has said, that he would be a great friend to her and her children. I saw a note delivered, once by Mrs. Rudd to Daniel Perreau. for nineteen thousand pounds. drawn upon Mr. Croft the banker in favour of Mr. Daniel Perreau < no role > , by Mr. William Adair.

Elizabeth Perkins < no role > . I was servant to Mr. Daniel Perreau < no role > from the 7th of June till this affair happened. Mrs. Daniel Perreau < no role > desired me once to tell my master, but there had been a letter for him, but she did not say from whom. The last week before this affair happened, Mrs. Rudd delivered me a letter, and bid me bring it to her in a quarter of an hour, and say, Mr. Coverly, a man who had been a servant to Mr. Daniel Perreau < no role > , brought it at a quarter after nine. I do not know who the letter was directed to. I knocked at the door, and then I delivered the letter to my mistress; my master immediately broke the seal, and I left the room. I have been often sent by the footman to tell Mrs. Rudd that Mr. William Adair < no role > was there, when Mr. Perreau was not present. Once, when I was dressing her, she went down with one ruffle on, and said, I will attend Mr. Adair directly; but I never saw Mr. Adair there that I know of, and this happened two or three times.

Daniel Perreau < no role > . Upon the night of the 3d of March, when we came home from my brother's, Mrs. Rudd retired from the parlour we first went into; she came in again in a few minutes, and then the waiting-maid brought a letter, and delivered it to her in my presence. She asked the maid how long it had been brought; the maid said about nine o'clock, by Francis Coverley < no role > , who is the person Mrs. Rudd usually employed to go upon messages to Mr. Adair; when the servant was gone, Mrs. Rudd said, the purport of the letter was, that Mr. Adair desired her to apply to my brother, the prisoner, to procure him five thousand pounds upon his, Mr. Adair's, bond, in the same manner as he had done before. The next day, Saturday the 4th of March, we were at my brother Robert's house, Mrs. Rudd took my brother aside, and, in my presence, said I have seen Mr. Adair < no role > this morning; he by no means would have you do any thing painful to yourself, and if you do not like to apply to Mr. Evans for the money, he desired you would endeavour to get it of Mr. Drummonds, and in order to obviate an objection my brother made to going to Mr. Drummond, Mrs. Rudd said, it was Mr. Adair's desire that he should pay Mr. Drummond the fourteen hundred pounds, for which the papers of my house were mortgaged to Mr. Drummond, out of the five thousand pounds so borrowed. My brother, after a great unwillingness, at last agreed to it, and said he would get a bond filled up. My brother went out in the afternoon, and came in again just as we were at tea; and, in the presence of his wife, the gentleman that assists him in business, and myself, he delivered, her the bond, saying, madam, I have brought you the affair; she took it, put it in her pocket, and no farther conversation passed upon it till Monday the 6th, when I came home and was preparing to go to bed, I saw a letter lying on the table directed to herself; I asked what it was; she said it was the bond Mr. Adair had returned executed for my brother to get the money of Mess. Drummonds. She got up earlier than usual the next morning; she sent for my brother Robert, and gave him the bond, and desired him to go with it to Mess. Drummonds, and endeavour to get the money for Mr. Adair, with the same privacy that he had done upon other occasions. That Mr. Adair was unwilling to have it appear that the money was raised for him, and therefore my brother was desired to lodge the bond with so me confidential friend that would not desire an assignment of it. My brother shewed a vast deal of reluctancy, and said it was a very unpleasant work. And I said, I thought it was so. But as Mr. Drummond had a personal knowledge of Mr. Adair, I thought he could have no objection; upon which he put the bond into his pocket.

Q. Did it appear to you, that your brother believed Mrs. Rudd's representation of her connection with Mr. Adair?

Perreau. Certainly he did.

Q. I need hardly ask you if you believed the same?

Perreau. I did to my misfortune.

Cross Examination.

Q. Did she ever apply to you to get the bond filled up?

Perreau. No, never.

Q. Did she never desire you to apply to a scrivener?

Perreau. No, but she desired that five thousand pounds might be borrowed upon a bond of seven thousand five hundred pounds.

Counsel for the prosecution.

Q. Was any thing said about the dates?

Perreau. No, I do not know that there was; it was to be made payable to my brother.

Q. Did you not say, when you was at Mr. Adair's, that you was a perfect stranger to the bond?

Perreau. I said, I had never seen the bond before, I never had, upon my oath, a perfect knowledge of the bond before I saw it in Mr. Adair's hand.

Q. Did you not tell them, or convey the idea, that you was a perfect stran ger to the whole transaction?

Perreau. I did not.

Q. Did you tell them the story you have told now?

Perreau. When I came into the room, and saw them in such a state of confusion, I hardly knew what I said, when Mr. Drummond told me it was a forged bond, I was shocked and amazed, knowing it had been managed by Mrs. Rudd. She said, make yourself quiet, your brother is clearly innocent. I told Mr. Drummond, I knew Mrs. Rudd had given a bond to my brother.

Q. Did you tell Mr. Drummond that it was that bond?

Perreau. Mr. Drummond was in that degree of warmth, that I did not know how to speak to him.

Q. Did you tell Mr. Drummond that the bond was for seven thousand five hundred pounds?

Perreau. I told Mr. Drummond at that time, that I knew there was a bond given by Mrs. Rudd to my brother, upon which my brother was desired to borrow of him five thousand pounds. Mr. Drummond asked me, if I knew my house was mortgaged to him? I told him it was, and I understood it was to be paid out of this five thousand pounds, if it was borrowed of him.

David Cassaday < no role > . I have been an assistant to Mr. Robert Perreau < no role > , in the business of an apothecary for two years. Upon the Saturday before, this Mrs. Rudd drank tea at Mr. Robert Perreau < no role > 's, she waited for Mr. Perreau as he was not at home: when Mr. Robert Perreau < no role > came in, I saw him give Mrs. Rudd something wrapp'd up in a bit of whity-brown paper, and said, madam, there is your affair; I never saw the contents of that paper.

Q. Had you any reason to think there was any disorder or embarrassment in Mr. Robert Perreau < no role > 's circumstances, or any dissipation in his manner of living?

Cassaday. None, he was remarkably assiduous and attentive in his business except when his health was bad. I imagine he lived much within the profits of his prosession; I apprehend the profits much business would have warranted a much greater expence than he appeared to allow himself in his way of living. I remember talk of a scheme being in agitation to put him in the banking business. I remember Mr. Perreau was sent for by Mrs. Rudd, on Tuesday the 7th of March, about 9 o'Clock in the morning, upon urgent business.

" John Leigh < no role > , clerk to Sir John Fielding < no role > , deposed

"that the prisoner came voluntarily to

"their office, and gave an information that

"a forgery had been committed; in consequence

"of which Mrs. Rudd was taken into

"custody. He was asked whether she ever

"charged the prisoner with any knowledge

"of the transaction, till the justices were

"hearing evidence to prove her confession

"of the fact. His answer was, that he could

"not recollect that circumstance, but that she

"did not accuse the prisoner upon her first examination.

"Mr. Henry Partington < no role > was likewise examined

"by the counsel for the prisoner to the

"same fact, but he did not recollect the circumstance."

Council for the Crown.

Q. Mr. Henry Drummond < no role > , did Mr. Daniel Perreau < no role > say at Mr. Adair's, that Mrs. Rudd had given a bond to his brother to carry to you?

Drummond. I do not think he did; all the I recollect that passed relative to the business, was, my asking Robert Perreau < no role > whether or not those deeds that were left with us for fourteen hundred pounds were not also forged; he said, they were not; and Mr. Daniel Perreau < no role > confirmed it, and said that they were left with his consent, but I do not remember his saying a single word that the bond was given Robert Perreau < no role > by his sister Mrs. Daniel Perreau < no role > .

Q. Did he say any thing about the sum?

Drummond. No, in general terms he expressed great surprize at the affair.

Q. Mr. Robert Dummond < no role > , What did Daniel Perreau < no role > say at Mr. Adair's?

Drummond. He seemed greatly amazed, and shrugged up his shoulders, I do not believe he said ten words while I was in the room: the two rooms lye together, and we were backwards and forwards so often, I cannot tell all that passed. He seemed to be totally ignorant of the matter.

Q. Did you hear him say that Mrs. Rudd delivered the bond to his brother?

Drummond. No.

Q. Did he mention any thing of the sum the bond was for?

Drummond. He did not.

Captain Charles Ellis < no role > . I have known Mr. Robert Perreau < no role > almost from my infancy; his brother and I went into the public service together; I have been intimate with his family for twenty years; I ever understood him, and thought him the most upright young man I ever was acquainted with. So far, that I would have trusted him with my life and fortune; I always thought him the best father, the best husband, and the most upright man in his business I ever heard of. I have been acquainted with him a great number of years, and I never knew him spend an idle hour though I have been so often with him. I always looked upon him to be in very affluent circumstances.

William Watts < no role > , Esq. I have known Mr. Robert Perreau < no role > ten years and upwards. I always looked upon him in a very respectable light, he always appeared to me to be in good circumstances.

Mr. Grindal. I have known Mr. Perreau some years. I always looked upon him as a very upright man; and if he had asked me to lend him money the day before this affair broke out, I should have done it with the greatest readiness.

Q. If any body had told you he was suspected of such a transaction as this, you would not have been easily induced to believe it?

Grindal. Indeed, I should not.

Mrs. Tribe. I have known Mr. Robert Perreau < no role > twenty-eight years. He served his apprentiship with my husband: he performed his service greatly to my husband's satisfaction, and has bore a most excellent character.

Q. Have you had occasion to observe whether he has been attentive to his business?

Tribe. Always very diligent. I do not think it possible he should have ever been guilty of such an action as this.

Mr. Churchill. I have known Mr. Perreau twenty-three years; he has bore a remarkable good character. I always understood he applied himself closely to business. I never was so much astonished, as upon hearing of this affair: there is not a man I had a better opinion of, than I had of Mr. Robert Perreau.

Sir John Moore < no role > . I have known Mr. Robert Perreau < no role > sixteen or eighteen years: he bears an exceding good character.

Q. Could you have imagined that he was a man likely to be guilty of such a charge?

Sir J. Moore. He is one of the last men I should have thought of.

The Right Honourable Lady Littleton.

Q. How long have you known the prisoner Robert Perreau < no role > .

Lady Lyttleton. Personally from the year 1771, by his character still much longer.

Q. From that general character and the knowledge you had of him, what kind of man have you esteem'd him to be?

Lady Littleton. One of the best men I ever met with; one of the most upright, humane, and benevolent.

Q. I believe, it has so happened that you have had very singular instances of his integrity?

Lady Lyttleton. In many transactions, he had 4000 l. of mine in his possession, he brought it to me and paid me 90 l. interest. I did not know that any was due, but my confidence in him was so great, if he had not paid it me I should not have thought any thing had been due.

Q. Could you have easily believed that he could have been guilty of such a crime as this?

Lady Lyttleton. I suppose I could have done it as soon myself.

Sir John Chapman < no role > . I have known Mr. Robert Perreau < no role > about twenty years: I knew him in his apprenticeship; he was always much esteemed by his master, and confidence was put in him; his character in general was extremely good. I do not know any man I should sooner put confidence in, I never was more surpriz'd in my life, than when I heard of this charge.

Captain Burgoyne < no role > . I have known Mr. Robert Perreau < no role > thirteen years. I never met with any person but what had the same opinion of him that I had; he has paid some money into my banker's hands for me; it was not any capital sum, but if it had been ten times as much, I should have trusted him with it as soon as any man I know.

Another Gentleman. I have known Mr. Perreau about twenty years, his general character is exceeding good; every body was astonished when they heard this change against him.

Dr. Baker. I knew Mr. Robert Perreau < no role > first in the year 1762. I have been acquainted with him from that time; he has an exceeding good character: I always thought him a very honest man; I never could in the least have suspected him guilty of this change.

Dr. Warraker. I have known Mr. Perreau fourteen or fifteen years; I had always a high opinion of him as a man of integrity, and was very much surpriz'd when I heard of this.

Dr. Tennant. I have known Mr. Perreau eighteen years; I have been much in his company, on his occasional visits in the country. I have had a personal intercourse with him in town, and he has always appear'd to me to be worthy of esteem; he has done many transactions for me: I should think him, from my own knowledge, incapable of committing any dishonest transaction, much more a crime of the enormity he is now charg'd with: he is the last man I should have thought capable of such a thing.

Mr. Hawkins. I have known Mr. Perreau from his first setting out in business. I always thought him a very honest, just, upright man. Among the gentlemen of the faculty, he had the reputation of being exceeding attentive and diligent man in his profession. I certainly should not think him capable of being guilty of such a crime.

Mr. Caeser Hawkins. I have had an acquaintance with Mr. Robert Perreau < no role > ever since I was in business: I believe no man has acted upon better principles either of knowledge or probity in his business; I entertain the very best opinion of him that can be, I did not think him a man capable, or liable to be tempted to such a crime, it is a matter of general surprize to all his medical, and all his other acquaintance. I never saw a man more attentive, more diligent, and seemingly more desirous of doing every thing upon the best principles; I do not know a man I have a better opinion of in private life, he is an honest, decent, well behaved man.

Henry Evans < no role > , Esq. I have known Mr. Robert Perreau < no role > six or seven years personally, but by character from his first setting out in the world. His general character has been extremely good, I never had any reason to be of a different opinion. I always looked upon him to be an upright honest man; he has been extremely diligent in his business durring the time I have employed him and that has always recommended him to me in my family. I never could, neither do I now think him capable of the crime he is charg'd with.

Another Gentleman. I have known Mr. Perreau case since the year 1763, he bears an exceeding good character and he deserved it. I could never in the least have conceive him guilty of the crime he is charged with, I think it impossible.

Mr. Pinkston. I have known Mr. Robert Perreau < no role > from his first setting up in business. I never knew any man of a better character. I looked upon him to be one of the most upright men that I know. I never was more surprized at any thing that happened to me in my life than I was at hearing this change.

Dr. Schomberg. I have known Mr. Perreau six or seven years. No man has a better character, I never could suppose him guilty of the crime with which he is charged. I knew him in his profession, servant, and master.

Sir George Clarke < no role > . I have known Mr. Perreau a great many years: he bears a very good character.

Humphrey Hughes < no role > . I am a shoemaker. Mr. Perreau always bore an exceeding good character.

Mr. Harman. I have known Mr. Robert Perreau < no role > upwards of twenty years; I have been very well acquainted with him and his family; he bears a very honest character, I have had dealings with him, and found him faithful and honest: he is the last man in the world I should suppose to be guilty of the thing laid to his charge.

William Huddlestone < no role > . I have known Mr. Robert Perreau < no role > about seven years; I live next door to him: he is a very honest worthy man, and very well respected by every body.

William Hocker < no role > . I have known Mr. Perreau these fifteen or sixteen years: he has as fair a character as any man living. I have had many transactions with him, and always found him a man of uprightness and integrity.

Richard Broadhurst < no role > . I have known Mr. Robert Perreau < no role > five or six years. He is a very honest man as any in the neighbourhood; a man that any body will do any thing for. He is very well respected.

Richard Brown < no role > . Esq. I have known Mr. Perreau about seven years. He bears a very good character; he is a good sort of man in his family as any in the world. I live next door to him; he has been my apothecary.

General Rebow < no role > . I have known Mr. Perreau twenty years. He has an universal good character no man better.

Guilty, upon the third court, of uttering and publishing the Bond, well knowing it to be forged . Death .