Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1842-12-17
SINGULAR DISCOVERY.

1t is now q grea, number Of years
since An attempt was made TO defraud
very worthy individual out Of large
property to which he hal succeeded, by
means Of a forged deed, purporting 10
have keen executed by the person from
whom the property had been Inherited.
short time previous 10 his death. This
deed was contested in the Court Of Chan.
Gerry, and the sui, on the part Of the heir
conducted by his son, who had embraced
the profession Of the law. The deed pur
ported to have been witnessed by four in
dlviduals. bu, at the time Of the hearing
but one Of these alledgcd witnesses was
nlive; he however was produced, and les
titled most positively to the execution OF
the deed, by the person whose Signature
purpor,cd to be attached. lie underwent
long aud severe cross examination ny
the council, without at all conlrad'clIng
or in any way weakening his testimony.
until, at last. in answering question
which he did with an air q! cxustatlon.
as though j, would eiltc,ually destroy a.!
doubts Of the authenticity of the deed he
gave VIVA, he represented 10 be the cir
clms,auces attending tho signing of the
deed and the words Of the party s'gnlng
it. These were 10 the effect. that an1lcl
patiny the authenticity Of the deed would
be disputed, and in order 10 put lis genu
ineness beyond doubt. he put sixpense
under the seal, aud called the witnesses
attention particularly TO the purpose for
which j, was put there.
The paper on which the deed was
drawn had previously been closely exaE'-
med. but the wafer mark bore date
previous 10 that Of the deed. The Judge
now ordered TIA, the seal should be bro
ken, and below it was found the sixpense
as indicated Ivy The witness. The SIN
pcnse and the deed was handed to the
!t.t4 ss, ard aid they went the round OF the
gcnlIe:aen OF the bar, eye'y one consld
etina the truth OF the witness trs''mo
ny, who was q very old. grey headed
man, to b.. conciu<.vcIy and triumphant,
ly sustained. and inwardly c"ngra,u'a
ting HIM on his having come out, I'm
scahed, from the fiery ordeal to which
: he had been subjected. The young law
, YER had, at last, the sixpnce and TIM
!. deed banded 10 him, and after lookln!
4 a, the deed, he at,en;ivcly regarded 'h
sixpencc. and then handing i, TO tn
Judge. and look fxedIy, at The wltnes
!. said.
cod man, you are on the YER e Of tn
!, grave, and must shortly appear in tn
|. presence Of your Maker, with this awIu
}. consideration before you-do you nov
!. Swear, in the presence OF that God VII
sees all hearts, TINT that sixpence wa
u placed un.ler the seal by the pcrs"
y whose signature appears as attached!'
9 The witness appeared to trcmose
little Mt this solemn method Of putin
y the question, bu, answered,
y q! do.''
:. The counsel then requested the Judg
to look al the date Of tie deed, which b
|. did; and then he desired him 10 look
;. the date Of the sixpence. which he loun
y TO have been coined several years late
. than the deed purported 10 have been es
,e ecu,ed. The witness, nn this fact beln
! announced, tainted away; and the cou'
y. sci for the party claims, aud the clalmat
i himself, quickly disappeared. The r'gt
s Of the father OF the young lawyer 10 til
lie property, was thus indispuiaby confirm
(. ed. and lie received the hearty coLgrat.
N Ia,ions Of all Present.--New YOrs Sunt
. Norn Npns.