The note merely stated that the firm were requested by one of their clients to ask Messrs. Isaacson to discount the bill enclosed on the best terms they could, and hand the proceeds to the bearer.
“Who was the bearer?” asked counsel. The witness was unable to say. He had assumed it was one of the firm’s clerks. He had not taken any particular notice of the man.
“How did you get the other bill—the one bearing Sir John Rellingham’s signature?”
“That reached us in the same way, brought by a messenger with a note.”
“Have you got that note?”
The witness produced it. It was similar to the other, but merely asked Messrs. Isaacson to oblige the firm by discounting it, saying that on behalf of a client the firm had to find the money in the course of a few hours, to meet a heavy payment, and their client required time to realise money to meet his liability.
“Was it the same messenger who brought it?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t see the man myself.”
“Would your clerks know?”
“I hardly suppose so. They would simply receive a note, and bring it in to me in each case. There would be nothing in either instance which would give them any special reason to connect a given messenger with any particular transaction. They would know nothing of the transaction or from whom the messenger came.”