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964 
property, in trust for the two 
children, with the exception of 
two guineas to himself for a ring, 
and a legacy of 20/. to his wife. 
About the latter end of August, 
being very ill, he sent for Mr. 
Darbon, and upon his entering 
the room, took the will froma 
small drawer or desk, and deli- 
vered it to him, saying; “ Iwill 
be obliged to you to take care of 
this instrument, which is my will, 
and put it in your iron chest, for 
in case of my death my drawers 
might be ransacked.” It was en- 
closed in an envelope, sealed with 
@ masonic seal, and addressed, to 
«© Mr. John Darbon, wine-cooper, 
Marylebone-street, Golden-squa. 
The Will of Thomas Hendy.” 
Mr. Darbon accordingly deposited 
it in his iron safe, where it re- 
mained until the deceased’s death. 
On the morning afterwards (12th 
of January) Mr. William Hendy, 
the brother, having called upon 
Mr. Darbon, he returned the call, 
taking with him the will, and a 
letter he had received from the 
deceased in the November between 
the making of the will and his 
death, to this effect .—‘* Mr. Dar- 
s¢ bon, I have seen my brother, 
‘¢ William Hendy, with whom [ 
‘‘have had a great deal of talk 
** respecting the twochildren. I 
** would wish you to take him by 
“the hand, he being a man of 
“ business, and having more time 
“‘ to spare than you, and he and 
“his wife will take the children 
* under their care. This I beg, 
** in case of my dying. Iremain, 
“ your’s, sincerely, Thomas Hen- 
“dy. Mr. Darbon read _ this 
letter and the will to Mr. William 
Hendy, who expressed great dis- 
satisfaction at them, and, pretend- 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1815. 
ing that he did not rightly under- 
stand them, desired that they 
might be read again, which, whilst 
Mr. Darbon was doing, he sud- 
denly snatched them from him, 
and refused to return them; ob- 
serving, with an oath, that “ ra- 
«¢ ther than return them, he would 
“suffer himself to be hanged.’? 
Mr. Darbon returned home, and 
whilst the contents of the will and 
the letter were fresh in his me- 
mory, reduced them into writing, 
and these papers were exhibited 
properly verified on oath. He 
then went with a police officer to 
Mr. Hendy’s, whodeniedall know- 
ledge of the will and letter. He 
was taken before the Magistrates 
at Marlborough-street, but per- 
sisting in his: denial, was bound 
over to answer for the assault at 
the Quarter. Sessions. He had 
afterwards several interviews with 
Mr, Darbon, inthe course of which 
he acknowledged that he had de- 
siroyed the papers, expressed the 
greatest contrition for his offence, 
and intimated his intention of de~ 
stroying himself. Mr. Darbon 
represented to him the dreadful 
nature of such a crime, but in 
vain, for a few days afterwards he 
threw himself into the Thames, 
having previously made an ineffec- 
tual attempt upon his life with a 
pistol. Therestofthe evidencewent 
principally to prove that the will 
had been in existence, by persons 
who had seen it in the possession 
of Mr. Darbon, sealed and. en- 
dorsed in the manner described, 
and that the deceased had often 
expressed himself in terms con- 
firmatory of it and its contents. 
Nothing was offered in oppo- 
sition, and 
Sir John Nicholl, alluding to 
