Mr. _Kelly_. Does it purport to be a cheque signed by the defendant?--I
cannot tell that, it might be a bill made payable upon our house on
their account.
Mr. _Kelly_. I am quite prepared to produce any document in the
handwriting of the prisoner at the bar, which is in his possession; but
as to any document that may bear the signature, or be in the handwriting
of any other member of the firm, that I shall not produce unless that
member of the firm is made a witness to show the circumstances
accompanying the document; unless it passed through the hands of the
prisoner. If you prove any cheque in the handwriting of the prisoner, I
will produce it if I have it, and if not, I shall not object to
secondary evidence of it.
Mr. Serjeant _Bompas_. You say that that is in your writing, have you
any book by which you can ascertain whether it was paid through a cheque
or bill?--No, certainly not.
None whatever?--No; I could not tell whether it was a cheque or a bill.
I cannot tell which; there is no book in our house that will tell us
that.