54 KINGSCLERE 



month of June, at which time he owed 10/. for 

 board and lodging, he stated that his uncle, Porter, 

 had died and left him a fortune. He showed a 

 number of letters on deep mourning note-paper 

 purporting to be written by "Mr. G. W. Lewis, Q.C.," 

 to the effect that his (prisoner's) presence was 

 urgently required at Newmarket to settle his late 

 uncle's affairs. He also exhibited a fictitious will, 

 which set out that the testator left his estates and 

 racehorses to James Porter (himself), subject to an 

 interest to his sister Dorothea, to be paid when she 

 was twenty-one. The value of the estates was stated 

 to be 1 7,870/., and the will concluded, " Signed before 

 the executors, Matthew Dawson and Sir Geo. 

 Chetwynd, both of Newmarket, gentlemen." An- 

 nexed to the document was a schedule or catalogue 

 of the horses and other property which the prisoner 

 said had been sent to him by his lawyers, and this 

 list was headed " Kingsclere Stable." It included 

 139 mares in foal, 45 yearlings, 20 geldings, 

 broughams, mail phaetons, 207 patent collars, 14 fields, 

 comprising 394 acres, 3 roods, 2 perches, three fields 

 of new hay, three cornfields, and cattle, poultry, &c. 

 The Popes, believing all the prisoner's representa* 

 tions, advanced him 5/. in order to go to Newmarket 

 to look after his property. Mr. George Gardner 

 Leader, solicitor, deposed that he was closely con- 

 nected with Mr. John Porter, trainer, of Kingsclere, 

 and acted professionally for him. He had never 

 seen the prisoner before, and Mr. Porter was alive 

 and well that morning. Robert Boorer, alias James 

 Porter, was committed for trial, and subsequently 

 convicted at the London County Sessions.' 



A rich crop of the curiosities of Turf prophecy 

 might be gathered from the articles which appeared 

 in the newspapers, sporting and general, imme- 

 diately prior to Blue Gown's — or Lady Elizabeth's 



