their thousands by plans of my own invention, and much of the very wealth which had given them distinction and influence was the fruit of my ingenuity.  To my letters they made ready and satisfactory replies.  They made the largest promises to give me any requisite assistance, when called upon, yet as often left me in suspense, or to reap the bitter fruit of disappointment.  This was the reason why my trial was put off during several sessions of the court.  My brother having been indicted with me, made the prospect of both more dubious.  I had property, but not at my disposal.  My wife betrayed my confidence, for having it in her power to send me pecuniary aid, she neglected to do it; indeed, all her conduct had a tendency to involve me in the net that was spread for my feet.  Through her, information was given that I had friends who would assist me, which served as an excuse for her dereliction.  This awakened the suspicions of community.  There was an anxiety to know who would step forward to my rescue.  Hence those from whom I expected aid became alarmed, lest their characters, which had hitherto been unblemished, should come into disrepute.  Two of them are merchants in Dearborn county, Indiana.  Some five of the most wealthy men of that county were driven almost to desperation when they learned that my wife had it in her power to use their names in connection with deeply dishonourable acts.  I, however, satisfied them that she would not expose them, and they in turn promised to assist me, writing several letters of commendation in my behalf, giving me an untarnished character as a merchant of high respectability in Lawrenceburgh.  From time to time they promised to secure me bail, and yet they as often failed to make good their word.  In this they violated the most solemn obligations.  We were pledged to sustain each other to the last farthing, in case either became involved in difficulty.  That pledge I had never broken, and I looked for the same fidelity on the part of my associates.  I never before had occasion to test their sincerity, but found all their solemn promises a mere ‘rope of sand.’  I found I was gone, as far as they were concerned, and turned my efforts in another direction.”

“I now had recourse to my friends in Chillicothe, Cleaveland, Buffalo, Detroit, Zanesville, Beaver, Lexington, Nashville, Philadelphia, New York city, Boston, and Cincinnati.  As usual, they gave me the most liberal promises, but in no case fulfilled their engagements.  I was now driven to new measures.  I found those in whom I reposed the utmost confidence hollow-hearted and treacherous.  I next entered upon the plan of making a certain villain share in my wretchedness and disgrace.  In this I was joined by my brother, who, in perfecting the scheme, acted somewhat imprudently.  I advised him to take a different course, but he listened to others who professed to befriends to us, and were, indeed, members of the same fraternity,[1] but turned out the worst kind of