Testimonies

Hammond, William Henry | Day 10

Witness Type: Other

Witness Testimony:

• 11756.

  (Mr. Holl.) Perhaps you will tell us what you know about this matter ? — About the middle of August last Messrs. Lewis wrote to me afterwards, stating that they would meet him with a view to settle the accounts, and Mr. Edwards thought it would be better to be prepared in the matter, and obtain vouchers from the different people.

  Receipts were prepared and I went round to the different parties to get the receipts signed by them, and I told them that if they trusted Mr. Edwards with the receipts the money would be forthcoming or the receipts returned to them.

  Mr. Edwards went to London, but could not make any arrangement with Messrs. Lewis as to the settlement of the accounts, and he brought the receipts book, and they were returned to the different parties.

  I went to Mr. Brown, junior, and obtained a receipt from him for 14L, and I explained to him that Mr. Edwards had inserted something for his clerks’ time in the account, and that was the reason for his giving a receipt for 14L. though the amount due to him was only 4L, and he said he quite understood it.

• 11757.

  (Mr. Turner.) Did you show him the bill altered from 4L. to 14L. ? — No.

• 11758.

  (Mr. Holl.) Do I understand you to say that you explained to Mr. Brown, junior, that you had altered the bill ? — That Mr. Edwards had inserted 10L. for his clerks’ time. You must understand that his clerks were employed in making out these books some time previously, and Mr. Brown came in one morning and found out that they were making the books out, and Mr. Edwards spoke to him about the matter and Mr. Brown said, “I think I can make out the books better “than your clerks, understanding the residences of the people better,” upon which Mr. Edwards said, “Well, you had better take the matter in hand.”

• 11759.

  Do I understand you to say that then Mr. Brown, junior, signed a receipt for 14L. ? — Yes, he did ; and I explained the matter to him there.

• 11760.

  You are sure of that ? — Yes, quite certain.

• 11761.

  Mr. Brown, junior, told us yesterday that he had never heard anything about this alteration from 10L. to 14L ? — Well, sir, I can assure you I did explain it, and since that time I have returned the receipt to his father.

  These accounts were not settled by Messrs. Lewis, and one or two persons thought, as the matter had not been settled, it would be much better to have the receipts returned to them, and so about three weeks ago, or a fortnight, I returned all those receipts to the different parties who had entrusted me with them, and I returned the receipt which had been given by Mr. Brown, junior, to the father, John Marsh Brown.

• 11762.

  To Mr. Brown himself ? — Yes, to the father; not to the one who gave it to me.

• 11763.

  (Mr. Jeune.) You say you gave the receipt which Mr. Brown, junior, signed, back to Mr. John Marsh Brown ? — To the father, John Marsh Brown. It was signed by the son, Walter Penfield Brown.

• 11764.

  The receipt was signed by the son ? — Yes.

• 11765.

  And given to you ? — Yes, given to me by the son.

• 11766.

  Did you give it back to the father ? — Yes. I must explain that the receipt was obtained about the middle of August, because that is the time when I went round and got the receipts signed by the different parties, but it was not returned till nearly three weeks ago.

• 11767.

  You say the receipt was returned to Mr. John Brown, senior, three weeks ago ? — Yes, within a fortnight or three weeks ago.

• 11768.

  (Mr. Edwards.) Mr. Brown, junior, had left Deal at that time, and that is the reason why it was returned to John Marsh Brown. (The Witness.) Yes, when I went to return the receipt I saw the father — the son not being at home — he had gone away to take a school.