WCP1508

[1]

Broadstone, Wimborne

March 17th. 1907

Revd. Archdeacon Colley¹

Dear Sir

For reasons already given the utmost I can do for you is to make an affidavit as to what I saw — laying stress on the essential features.

You can get lots of people to give evidence as to the essential features of Maskelyne's² Show, & their evidence — as being independent — will be better than mine.

If your legal adviser would come down & see me, we could [2] together, arrange on the exact form of the Affidavit that will best serve the purpose. I should also want to see a copy of your offers to Maskelyne (there were 2 I believe) as by then you will be bound.

I was a witness for Slade,³ when he was prosecuted by for Ray-Lankester,⁴ & the Magistrate ruled then, that no evidence whatever of what other people had witnessed with the same medium had any weight. All he had [3] to do was to decide whether on the one particular occasion when Ray Lankester & Donkin⁵ were there, fraud was practised — & he decided that, by the evidence & by the rules of common sense & general experience, there was.

I doubt therefore whether my evidence will have any weight whatever. But I will give you my affidavit if your lawyer wants it.

Yours very truly | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]

P.S. I have been in several lawsuits myself and have a pretty good idea of legal methods.

A.R.W.