| Description | His dispute with Lander, who furnished Matthew Boulton’s funeral, obliges him to seek the testimony of a silk manufacturer as to the quality of the silk provided. Such a witness will have to attend the court at Warwick in Mar. 1811; this would not necessarily be the principal of the firm, but a foreman or other important person. Asks Mosley to approach Leony Smith of Hackney, for whom Boulton, Watt, & Co. erected an engine, and Brants & de Launey, former correspondents of Boulton, Walker, & Collins. Wishes merely to establish the facts of the case. (Copy of an original in William Cheshire’s hand, signed by Boulton.)
Dear Sir,
The dispute, of which you have probably heard, between me and Mr. Lander, the person by whom my father’s funeral was furnished, from a very trivial matter has assumed an importance which renders it essential for me to obtain the testimony of a respectable SILK manufacturer as to the qualities and prices of the silks employed on the occasion at the period of the funeral, viz. August 24th, 1809. It will be necessary for some person to attend at Warwick in March; of course, I cannot expect that the principal of the firm would take this trouble, but I hope that they would allow their foreman, or other important person in their employ, to render me this assistance. Specimens of silk will be sent to town for their inspection, and I should wish you to obtain and transmit their opinion as to the varieties, their qualities, and the prices of each. And when the day of trial is fixed he shall be apprized thereof. I scarcely need add that I shall be ready to give a proper indemnification for the expence and value of the time of the witness.
I have no particular acquaintance in the silk trade to whom I could make such application, excepting perhaps to Mr. Leony Smith of Hackney, for whom Messrs. Boulton, Watt, & Co. erected an engine, or to Messrs. Brants and de Launey, who were long the correspondents of Messrs. Boulton, Walkers, & Collins; you will probably have the means of getting an introduction to the former party through some common friend in town, and if he can either furnish a proper witness from his own establishment, or recommend to you a fit channel of procuring one, the great respectability of the party wou’d render such a witness desireable. I am not acquainted with the comparative rank of the other house, but I think you have a sufficient knowledge of them to judge of the propriety of resorting to their assistance.
The amount at issue is a mere bagatelle, a few pounds only—indeed none, for I have offer’d to discharge the bill if put into a proper shape—but in the course of the investigation which has taken place several circumstances have transpired to render it highly important for the facts, whatever they may be, to be clearly established.
The undertaker having acted under directions to have every thing handsome provided without restriction as to price, it must result from the enquiry either that the quality of the articles was proper, or that there has been on the part of the undertaker a reprehensible abuse of the confidence reposed in him. In both cases the object I have in view will be attained.
I am, dear sir, yours sincerely,
M. Robinson Boulton |