that he and Leavitt examined it. None of the party at this time suspected
it to be Goodridge's. It was then put into Leavitt's pocket-book, where it
remained till evening, when it was taken out at the tavern; and then it
turns out to be, plainly and clearly, one of Goodridge's notes, and has
the name of "James Poor, Bangor," in Goodridge's own handwriting, on the
back of it. The first thing that strikes one in this account is, Why was
not this discovery made at the time? Goodridge was looking for notes, as
well as gold. He was looking for Boston notes, for such he had lost. He
was looking for ten-dollar notes, for such he had lost. He was looking for
notes which he could recognize and identify. He would, therefore,
naturally be particularly attentive to any writing or marks upon such as
he might find. Under these circumstances, a note is found in the house of
the supposed robbers. It is a Boston note, it is a ten-dollar note, it has
writing on the back of it; that writing is the name of his town and the
name of one of his neighbors; more than all, that writing is his own
handwriting! Notwithstanding all this, neither Goodridge, nor Upton, nor
the sheriff, examined it so as to see whether it was Goodridge's money.
Notwithstanding it so fully resembled, in all points, the money they were
looking for, and notwithstanding they also saw writing on the back of it,
which, they must know, if they read it, would probably have shown where it
came from, neither of them did so far examine it as to see any proof of
its being Goodridge's.

This is hardly to be believed. It must be a pretty strong faith in the
prosecutor that could credit this story. In every part of it, it is
improbable and absurd. It is much more easy to believe that the note was
changed. There might have been, and there probably was, an uncurrent or
counterfeit note found in the drawer by Leavitt. He certainly did not at
the time think it to be Goodridge's, and he left it in the drawer where he
found it. Before he saw it again, the prosecutor had been in that room,