I.—2a

MINUTES OF EVIDENCE.

Thursday, sth September, 1889. [Mr. Hutchison and Dr. Fitchett appeared in support of the petition. Mr. Gully appeared for Mr. and Mrs. Rose.] Ida Mary Prince examined. 1. Mr. Hutchison.} Your name ?—lda Mary Prince. 2. What is your age?— Seventeen. 3. You knew the late Mr. Livingston?—l did. 4. How long ago is it since he first took an interest in you?—l could not say exactly ; four or five years ago, I think. 5. He used to send you letters very often ?—Yes ; I used to get one every day. 6. And money as well? —Yes. 7. You were in the employment for a time of Messrs. Kirkcaldie and Stains? —Yes. 8. Your sister was also employed there ? —Yes. 9. Would you say when you had to leave : you left through ill-health last year?— Yes ; it was on the 15th November. 10. Your sister continued in that employment ?—Yes. 11. How did you get your letters?— Some came to Mrs. Gordon's, where I lodged; some my sister or some of the other girls brought. 12. All that did not come direct to your lodging came through Kirkcaldie's ? —Yes. 13. Did Mr. Livingston's letters come direct to Mrs. Gordon's?— When I was ill they came to Mrs. Gordon's. 14. When Livingston knew that you were ill ?—Yes. 15. Did you often get the letters from your sister?—No ; very seldom : they nearly all came to Mrs. Gordon's. 16. Did your sister ever open any letter that belonged to you ?—She has once or twice; that was some years ago, not lately. 17. When did you hear of Mr. Livingston's death?—On the Monday following his death. 18. What day of the week did he die ?—On a Saturday. 19. From whom did you hear it ?—From Mrs. Bose. 20. Did she call and tell you? —I was at Mrs. Warburton's ; she called there. 21. When did you have the letter come to you through Kirkcaldie's ? —My sister came to me and told me that one was given back to Mr. Hoggard. 22. You got one?— Yes. 23. It was unopened ?—Yes. 24. What was your state of health that day ?—I was very ill that day; not so well as usual. 25. Did you take any steps to get that letter ? —Yes; I went from Mrs. Gordon's to Kirkcaldie's, and from there to the post-office. 26. Who did you see at the post-office ?—Mr. Hoggard; he turned to Mr. Eose, and said, " This is a matter that concerns you." 27. Mr. Eose was present, was he? —Yes. 28. What did Eose say?—He told me that Mrs. Eose had the letter. 29. What time of the day was that ? —lt was some time in the afternoon, 2 or 3 o'clock, or something like that. I did not know, really, that Mrs. Eose had the letter; she would very likely bring it to me; I was not able to go up to her place to get it. 30. You then left ?—Yes. 31. You went back to Mrs. Gordon's—Yes. 32. Did you go to Mrs. Eose's ?—No ; she came to me in the evening. 33. Did she give you anything?— She read a letter to me. 34. Had she the envelope in her hand ?—No; she had not. 35. Is this the letter, beginning "My dear little girl" ?—Yes. "My dear little Girl, —When you get this your old friend has gone to his long home. Take the book to Mr. James Warburton, and do exactly what he tells you. Then ask Miss Warburton to allow her name to be put instead of mine, and put the money in the Savings-bank again, thus: — " Ida Prince, " Naomi Warburton, Trustee. "It will be good for you. Good-bye; and God bless you. Now, do as I have written. " Your old friend, now dead, " A. Livingston. " I have this day increased the sum in the book to £500; but this sum does not belong to you, only the one hundred, which take, as above stated, with best wishes and my blessing. " The four hundred pounds belong to Miss Warburton. Hand them to her, and show her this paper. " Your dead old friend, " 27th August, 1888." "A. Livingston. 36. Had she anything .^lse besides the letter? —She had the bank-book and Mr. Salmon's letter. 37. Did she give them to you? —No; she did not ask me whether she would keep them; she said she had the letter stopped on account of my health, as I was not in a fit state to receive it. 38. Did you make any reply? —I do not think so; I cannot recollect. 39. What was your state of health at that interview ? —I was very ill; I was also crying.