the trial gave publicity to the object of Owens's voyage, which, by the affidavit of Mr. Bouligny, (a planter of this province, formerly adjutant major of the Louisiana regiment, now a member of the territorial legislature,) appears to have been very publicly known, and the general's character duly appreciated. (See No. 8.)

Grieved for the loss of his money, and alarmed lest the trial of the murderers in the United States should lead to disagreeable investigations, general Wilkinson determined to use every exertion to apprehend and deliver them to the Spanish government. One named Vexerano was taken, tried and condemned at New-Orleans. Another escaped, but was afterwards taken near the same place, and underwent the same fate. One who had not participated in the crime, immediately after it was committed left his companions and fled to New-Madrid. The other three, after wandering some time in Kentucky, were taken and confined, but were enlisted by lieutenant Smith, and as there was no evidence against them, they were suffered to join the army; but general Wayne hearing their history, ordered them to be discharged, and reprimanded the officer for enlisting them; after this Wilkinson, by means which are not known, procured them to be transferred to Fort Washington, where he engaged Mr. Charles Smith, of Kentucky, to convey them to NewMadrid. They were chained and put on board a boat for that purpose, but on his way down Smith attempted to pass Fort Massac at night, but was stopped by major Doyle, who commanded there,

and who not knowing by what authority Wilkinson sent men in irons to a Spanish commandant, refused to let them proceed-but sent an officer with Smith to major Portal, at New-Madrid, requesting to be furnished with an interpreter to examine the prisoners, and to furnish such proofs as might be necessary to convict them on their trial in the American territory. Smith bore an order from Wilkinson on the commandant for 500 dollars, for the conveyance of the prisoners. This however was protested, but Mr. Power was sent as an interpreter to examine them. It not being the interest of the Spanish government that the affair should be investigated, no proof was sent on, and the men, after some months' confinement, were discharged for want of evidence. Most of these facts subsequent to the murder of Owens, are of public notoriety. The whole is detailed circumstantially in the affidavit of Mr. Powers, (No. 9,) and the names of the persons having an agency in the business being mentioned, reference may be had to them in case the charge is more seriously investigated.

In the same year, to divide the risk, another remittance was made by sea, amounting to 6333 dollars, and entrusted to Mr. Joseph Collins, another of the general's confidential agents. On this point it must be confessed that the proof is not such as would be received in a court of justice, but it carries with it internal evidence of its truth, and may be rendered certain whenever government shall be seriously disposed to ascertain the truth of these charges.

CALIFORNIA

Mr. Collins lives at Pascagoula in the Spanish territory. He was applied to for an affidavit stating his agency in the business, but refused through fear of offending the officers of his government, to whom at the request of Wilkinson he had already given a declaration under oath of the whole transaction. Though taken evidently for the purpose of favouring Wilkinson, this declaration would throw light on the subject, but it will never appear; for Collins has declared that, as far as it went, it contains the truth. The gentleman who called in Collins, obtained from him verbally a statement of the following factsThat he was sent by Wilkinson in the year 1794, with Owens to New-Orleans, with a sealed packet for governor Carondelet. That in consequence of the orders contained in this letter, 6000 dollars were delivered to Owens, and 6333 to him, (Collins,) with which he embarked at the Bayou St. John's, went to Charleston, and in August, 1795, delivered his charge to general Wilkinson at Cincinnati on the Ohio. He asked for a receipt. This was refused; but he called on Mr. John Brown, of Kentucky, who happened to be there, to witness that he had settled his accounts with Collins, and that he owed him nothing. These facts are stated in a letter from general Adair to me, (No. 10,) and the evidence is corroborated by a copy of the receipt which Collins gave for the money, to the contedor of the Spanish territory, in these words: "Received from Gilbert Leonard, 6333 dollars, for the use of general James Wilkinson, which I promise to deliver to him, the risk of the seas, &c. excepted." It may be objected that this is only hearsay

C

request before

testimony. It is so, but it may be rendered authentic whenever general Wilkinson shall please to publish the affidavit taken at his before governor Folch, or whenever our government takes measures to compel the attendance of witnesses. In the mean time, it is corroborated by the fact, that Collins was the known agent of Wilkinson; by the positive testimony which has been already detailed in that part of the story which relates to the division of the sum between him and Owens; and by the following statements: First, the deposition of Mr. Miller, a very respectable and intelligent planter on the Red river, who in his deposition (No. 11) states, that he saw Collins at the time of his embarkation from NewOrleans, who had then just returned from the Ohio; that he saw the money put on board; that Collins mentioned the sum and told him it was for Wilkinson, and that by a very extraordinary favour of government it was suffered to be embarked openly. Secondly, by the certificate of captain Sterrett, late of the U. S. army, who states that Collins gave him, at another period, the most minute details of the difficulties he had to encounter in the transportation of this sum. (See No. 12.) Here is then positive testimony of the delivery of this sum to an agent of general Wilkinson, and the strongest circumstantial presumptive evidence of its being for his use.

The evidence on which the next payment rests, would, I confess, be weak in any other case. It is that of the general himself. In a letter dated August the 7th, 1795, to general Adair, (No. 13,) he says, "of 6590 dollars received for me in New-Or

leans, 1740 only have reached my hand, this inde pendent of poor Owens's loss. The whole of this last sum is not lost, but is not within my controul, and will not be so for six or nine months."

Here then is a fourth payment from New-Orleans confessed, which does not agree in amount or circumstance with either of the others. The first sum, it will be remembered, was carried up by himself six years before; the second was confided to Owens, and is expressly excepted; the third was given to Collins, was a different amount, and came safely to his hands. This, then, was a fourth and an additional payment; but how came the general so communicative? The former part of the letter gives the reason. He had just risen from "cool Madeira," and the truth which is in wine had for once corrected the habitual falsity of his language.

The last item in this disgusting account between treachery and corruption, is a sum of 9640) dollars, of which we have the most minute, positive and convincing proof.

The disappointments to which general Wilkinson had been subject in the former remittances seem to have engaged the attention of his employers: they feared perhaps that a long interval between their payments might give time for some lurking honest principle to rise, and bring him back to a sense of duty; or that he might be frightened into it by a fear of discovery, should such an accident again occur as had befallen Owens.

Their proselyte was then too high in commandhad too near a prospect of being able to serve them