bankruptcy fhould be fued out Hide-street,nearBloomsbury fquare, against him, and Perrot having agreed to caufe himself to be denied the next day, to a perfon whom his creditors were to fend to demand money, as the common and most ready foundation of commiflions of bankruptcy; fuch a commiffion was iflued against him on the 19th of January, the fecond day after meeting, and Perrot being found and declared a bankrupt, furrendered himfelf as fuch. The 26th of the fame month, the 4th of February, and the 4th of March, were appointed for his appearance before the commiflioners, to make a full difclofure of his eftate and effects. On the 26th of January, he did not appear, and though he appeared on the 4th of February, and was fworn, yet he declared that he was not prepared to make a full discovery of his effects, and requefted to have the time limited for that purpofe enlarged, which requelt was granted. at 301. per ann rent, and furnished it at the expence of about 1301. that it was for a lady, and that he lived in it for about a year and a half, and then quitted it, and fold the furni ture. And he wore alfo, that he had not fince that time, any other houfe or lodging, or paid for the lodging of any other perfon.: ' An examination which produced fuch proof of the bankrupt's mifconduct, greatly increased the fafpicions of his creditors, that incre knavery was intended; and, it appeared, that though he had kept regular books from 1752 to 1757, yet that at the end of that time they were in fome confufion, and afterwards in total diforders. Neither were any traces to be discovered of accounts between himbad Thomp fon, notwithstanding the very large tranfactions between them which was another reasonable cauft taín. pect fraudulent defigns.or Thefe tranfadions between Pårott and Thompson were thoughta fufficient reafon to fummon Thomp fon before the commillioners and, on the lft of March he appeared, and depofed that he had fold goods for Perrott to a great value; at Har 20 per cent.. under primse cost, and that he was ordered by Perrott not to declare the goods weresis. Fet But two of Perrot's creditors, having been at this meeting chofen affignees of his eltate, they found upon an inspection of his accounts and affairs, fuch a deficiency and confufion, as gave them juft reason to fufpect his integrity; and it was now thought neceffary to examine hin as foon as poffible. He was ae-It was alfo discovered, during this cordingly fummoned before the examination of Thompson that on commiffioners on the 26th of Fe- the third dayafter the commiffion was bruary, and then being hard prefed, iffued, Perrott fent to him by his he acknowledged that he had bought apprentice a PAPER · PARCEL, foalgoods fince the year 1758, to the ed with three seals, defiring, he amount of 20,000 1. and fold them would take care of it; that he achimfelf, or by Thompton, for ready cordingly locked it up in his bureau; money, at 15 or 20 per cent. under and feeing Perrott a day or two prime caft; and that about five afterwards, was told by him, that years before, he hired a house in it contained papers relating to pri vate tranfactions between him and one Holt, of Newport Pagnel, in which his creditors had no concern: and that on Wednesday the 29th of February, the day after his firft examination, Perrott re-demanded this paper parcel, and again received it from Thompson, who never knew its contents. In the mean time, Perrott knowing himself juftly fufpected, and apprehending that his creditors would now infift on his making a final discovery on the 4th of March, be applied to the lord keeper by petition, without the intervention or affent of his creditors, for enlarging the time limited for fuch difcovery: and when the commiffioners met on the 4th of March, he caufed them to be ferved with the lord keeper's order for enlarging it 46 days. In the mean time, farther information having been received of Perrott's particular connections, it was thought proper to examine one Patrick Donelly, a peruke-maker in Bell-yard, near Temple-bar; upon whole examination, it appeared, that Perrott, about a fortnight after the commiffion iffued againft him, fent to him two large boxes, and one hair trunk, which he said contained wearing apparel, and defired that they might be kept for him till he could procure lodgings for himself; that in about a week these boxes were carried to the last houfe in a court in Queen-fquare, Holborn, which was kept by a woman whose name was Ferne." In order to purfue the track thus gradually found, Mrs. Ferne was examined the 28th of March by the commiffioners, who met for that purpofe; when, the declared upon ber oath, that he had known the VOL. IV. bankrupt about a year, and that he had never put into her poffeffion any bank notes, cash, or any other effects whatfoever belonging to him, and that the did not know of any effects he had. Perrott himself being alfo examined at the fame time, admitted his acquaintance with Mrs. Ferne, but fwore that he had depofited no part of his property with her, except fome wearing apparel; and that the paper parcel, fealed with three feals which he told Thompson contained accounts of private tranfactions between him and one Holt of Newport Pagnel, contained nothing hut letters from the fair sex, which he had since destroyed. His creditors, however, ftill continued to treat him with great lenity; and Perrott, in order to facilitate his obtaining his certificate, formed a defign of facrificing one of them to the reft. He was indebted to Mr. Edward Whitton of Northampton, in 41001. and Mr. Whitton having expreffed himself with fome warmth of refentment, upon hearing Perrott was become a bankrupt, at the very time when he pretended to derive great advantages from his bufinets, in order to cajole Whitton to advance him more money, under the pretence of enlarging it; Perrott conceived a project, by which he could at once take off the weight of Mr. White ton as a creditor, and by leffening the lofs of the reft, difpofe them to treat him more favourably. When Mr. Whitton therefore appeared to "claim his debt of 41001. Perrott pretended that no more than 15 or 18001. was legally due to him, the reft of his demand being accumulated by ufary and extortion; for that Whitton, whofe debtswas money lent, not only charged 10 per per cent. intereft for the original loan, but had alfo charged intereft upon intereft at the fame rate. It is a fufficient refutation of this wicked calumny, in which the most flagitious injuftice was complicated with the bafeft ingratitude, to fay that the commiffioners, after the moft fcrupulous and deliberate en quiry, allowed the whole of Mr. Whitton's debt to the fatisfaction of all the other creditors of Perrott's, though in direct oppofition to his own folemn and repeated declara. tions upon oath. It fhould not, however, be concealed, that, to this very Mr. Whitton, Perrott was principally indebted for his introduction into trade, for his fupport in the courfe of it, and for the credit, he afterwards obtained; that, he declared to feveral perfons, that whenever he wanted money, he could have it of Mr. Whitton, his dearest and most valuable friend, at four per cent. that Perrott, to ingratiate himfell farther with this gentleman, made a will about the year 1757, in which he gave away 20001, and made Mr. Whitton his executor, though he was not then worth one shilling; and stiled him his best and dearest friend, in letters written fo lately as 1756, to induce him to fell out ftock.at confiderable loss, and put the money into his hands, upon pretence that his profit would enable him to pay lawful intereft for it, and replace it whenever it fhould be required, at whatever price. On the 19th of April, 1760, the 46 days expired, which Perrott had, by petition, procured to be added. to the time limited for the difclofure of his eftate and effects, and finish his examination. On this day, therefore, he appeared before the commiflioners, and exhibited, upon oath, an account of his effects, which, after giving him credit for all the money he had paid, and making him debtor for all the goods he had fold from his first entering into trade to his bankruptcy, left a deficiency of no less than 13,5131. He was therefore required to declare upon oath what was become of that fum, to which he replied, "That he loft 20001. on goods which he had fold in the last year, 1000% and upwards, by mournings, and that for nine or ten years, he was forry to fay, he had been extremely extravagant, and spent large fums of money.' As Perrott, during this examination, had alfo fworn that he never gamed, and as the vast fum unaccounted for came into his hands only in the last year, it appeared fcarce poffible that it should, in that one year, be diffipated by any fpecies of extravagance; if not dilipated, it was concealed, and Perrott therefore was, the fame night.committed to Newgate for not having given satisfactory answers on his examination. In Newgate he was conftantly vifited by Mrs. Ferne, who was always elegantly dreffed, and came in a charic, or poft-chaife, attended by a fervant in livery, or a maid fervant, or both. They ufed frequently to drefs a chop themselves, and Perrott condefcended to clean his own knives; yet his folly and improvidence were fo great, that at this very time he indulged himself and madam with green peafe at five fillings a quart. After he had continued in Newgate fix weeks, he gave notice to the committioners, that he would give a more fatisfactory account of the deficiency in his eftate, and being therefore brought before them hem on the 5th of June, 1760, he Loft by goods and mourning 3000 gave in upon oath the following Rent' and boys wages dur1 ing my ftay there Travelling expences during the fameMy own diét during that time 1 Cloaths, hats, wigs, and other wearing neceffaries L. 100 100 100 125 200 L. 625 100 200 Fitting up my houfe on Lud- there: Travelling expences during my ftay on Ludgate-hill Horfes, and keeping them, faddles, bridles, and farrier's bill, during my refidence on Ludgate-hill and Blow-bladder-freet Tavern expences, coffeehoufe expences, and places of diverfion during the above time Expences attending the connexion I had with the fait sex Paid Mr. Thompson for felling goods by commiffion Forgave him a debt in confideration of his trouble and time, in getting bills accepted, &c. 720 Total L. 15,030 To this account he added the foft folemn alleveration upon oath, that he had not concealed any part of his estate and effects whatfo ever. : With this'account the commiffioners being equally diffatisfied, they fent him back to Newgate, and fome time after, he petitioned the lord keeper to be difcharged; but his lordship, upon hearing the laft depofition which Perrott thought fit to annex to his petition, read, thought it fo infamous, that he would not order any attendance upon it. As the creditors had now no doubt of the concealment of great part of Perrott's eftate, they advertifed a reward of 20 per cent. for fuch part of it as fhould be difcovered. In confequence of this advertifement one Sarah Reed came be fore the commiffioners on the 20th of June 1760, and depofed, that 360 fhe lived with Mrs. Ferne, as a fervant, in the house of one Mrs. Trowers, in Brunswick-row, Queenfquare, till the then laft October; that Perrott there became acquaint575 ed with Mrs. Ferne, and foon after took her to Derby, and at his return made her a prefent of 10 guineas in a purfe that the deponent in Fe920 bruary 1760, went to pay a visit to Mrs. Ferne, and was backwards and forwards about a fortnight; that, during this time, Mrs. Ferne being about to go out, returned in 300 great hafte to lock a bureau, fay ing there was 5001. in it, which the deponent believes to be Perrott's property, becaufe Mrs. Ferne had 30 been frequently fo diftreffed for F 2 money, 5,500 1 money, as to employ the deponent to pawn her wearing apparel to difcharge her rent: That about this time, one Catherine Bowen, then fervant to Mrs. Ferne, told the deponent, that Mrs. Ferne had given her a parcel of papers, and defired her to hide them, which the did, behind the pictures and glaffes in Mrs. Ferne's apartments, that they were fo given her to hide, becaufe Perrott's affignees were expected to fearch the rooms. She depofed alfo, that, about a week before Perrott and Ferne were fummoned to their examination, the went up with Catherine Bowen into the garret, where Bowen took up a cushion that lay in a great chair, and took out a packet of papers sealed with three seals, and tied with packthread, which papers, Bowen faid The believed to be bank notes, and replaced where he found them. That, after Perrott and Ferne were gone before the commiffioners, the and Bowen went to look for the papers, and they were gone; and, upon going to Mrs. Ferne's dreffing-room, found it locked, which it never used to be, and of which the took the greater notice, as fhe, Bowen, had received orders, that, if any perfons fhould come to fearch the appartments, they fhould be fhewn thofe of Perrott only, and not thofe of Ferne However ftrange it may appear, that a perfon, entrufted with bank notes to a great value, fhould give them to a fervant maid, to hide under cufbions, and behind pictures, and, without any apparent motive, not only rifque the lofs of fuch notes by the difhonefty of the fervant, but trust her with a fecret of equal importance, by telling her they were fecreted from a fearch expected to be made by the injured creditors of a bankrupt, yet there was no reason to doubt but that this witnefs had feen a paper parcel fealed with three feals, which appeared to have been fecreted, or that this parcel was any other than that which Perrott had entrusted to the care of Thompson, and concerning which he had already given different and inconfiftent accounts. In order to trace this important parcel ftill farther, Catherine Bowen was also fummoned, and examined; and though the denied that Mrs. Ferne ever gave her any papers to hide, or that the ever pretended the had fo done, yet the admitted, that as the was brushing a chair in the garret, fhe found fuch a paper parcel, which the put there again; that he was then alone, and that about a week afterwards the fame parcel was found out by Sarah Reed, but the knows not by what means; that they converfed together about it, and faid to each other, that they believed it contained fomething of value: that fhe and Reed went up to look for it some time afterwards, and it was gone; and going to feck farther in Mrs. Ferne's dreffingroom, they found the door locked which was unufual. Thefe depofitions of Reed and Bowen fufficiently coincided to leave no doubt of a concealment ; nor of the place where it was made; yet thefe circumftances were not fufficient to enable the affignees legally to avail themselves of the powers with which they had been invefted, to apply for fearch-warrants, or prefer bills of indictment. Nothing farther was therefore done in the courfe of the proceedings, except making an order for a dividend of 5s. in the pound, till the September |