Case Name: William Rhodes v. John Rigg
Court: United States District Court for the District of Columbia
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 1802-04
Citations: 1 Cranch 87
Docket Number: 
Parties: William Rhodes v. John Rigg.
Judges: 
Reporter: Reports of cases argued and determined in the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia (District of Columbia - reported by Mackey)
Volume: 1
Pages: 87–88

Head Matter:
William Rhodes v. John Rigg.
An instrument can he proved by the subscribing witness only, unless, &e.
Debt on bond, payment, non-payment, and issue.
The defendant offered an account in set-off.
The plaintiff produced the defendant’s receipt, to which George Rhodes was a subscribing witness.
The defendant objected to its being admitted in evidence unless proved by the subscribing witness, George Rhodes.
The plaintiff made affidavit that the witness had removed from Alexandria about two years ago, and has not returned since; that he does not know where he now is, but has understood that he has been at work on the shore of the Chesapeake Bay; but on what part he knows not, nor does he know that he is within one hundred miles of this place.

Opinion:
The Court
were of opinion that this affidavit was not sufficient to justify the admission of other evidence of the handwriting of the defendant, nor to dispense with the testimony of the subscribing witness.
The plaintiff suffered a nonsuit, but the Court reinstated the cause on;payment of costs.