culated to carry provisions up and down the river. After hist making a number of inquiries and receiving such information as I could give him, he left a memorandum of such provisions as he wanted, and of the boats which he wished to have built. They were to be on the Schenectady model, such as are used on the Mohawk river. The number ordered was fifteen; only eleven were completed.

Question. What were their dimensions?

Answer. Principally ten feet wide and forty feet long; five were to be ten feet longer.

Question. What provisions were ordered?

Answer. Pork, flour, whiskey, bacon and kiln-dried meal; but no article was purchased but pork, the prices in our market being much higher than those limited in the memorandum. I immediately made a contract with colonel Barker to build the boats, and proceeded to make arrangements for purchasing provisions. The boats were built up the Muskingum, about seven miles above Marietta, and were to be delivered on the 9th of December. On that morning when they were to be brought down (the 9th of December,) I saw six or eight armed men of the militia going to take possession of the boats. I set off for Blannerhassett's island, but met Mr. Blannerhassett, Comfort Tyler, Mr. Smith and some young men from Belpré going up to take down the boats. I informed them of the proceedings at Marietta, and advised Mr. Blannerhassett not to go up. After some consultation, he determined not to go up, and returned to the island. I went back to Marietta to get some money and papers, and returned that evening to the island, after getting the papers.

Mr. HAY. On what terms was the contract for the boats made?

Answer. I made the contract for the boats with colonel Burr and agreed to take a draft on New-York. When Mr. Blannerhassett handed me the draft, I expressed my dissatisfaction at the long sight at which it was drawn (being ninety days,) observing, that it would not become due, until after the time in which the boats and provisions were to be delivered, and that I wished to run no hazard. Mr. Blannerhassett, with some warmth, asked me if I doubted colonel Burr's honour? When I repeated that I wished to run no risk, he said that he would guarantee the draft and be answerable himself; and that in the event of its not being paid, I might charge it to him. The draft was drawn by Mr. Burr on Mr. Ogden of New-York. These were the boats which Smith, Tyler, Blannerhassett and the young men were going up to receive.

Mr. HAY.-Do you recollect where the boats were to be delivered by the contract.

Answer. Colonel Barker undertook to bring them, but there was no contract to deliver them at any particular place.

Mr. Parker. Did you say that it was the 9th day of December that the boats were to go away?

Answer. The boats were to be delivered on the 9th, but those that were at the island went away on the 10th. When colonel Barker was bringing them to Marietta, they were taken by general Buel, as I understood, by order of the governor of Ohio. Mr. MAC RAE.-State what occurrences took place on the island.

Answer. I arrived about dusk, and immediately inquired about Mr. Blannerhassett. I stated to him that I was ready to adjust our partnership-concerns, and that I had brought down the money and papers for that purpose. We went up stairs; we were two hours engaged in the business; after settling which, I set off to go across the river home, and met Mr. Belknap at the shore. He asked me to go back with him, that he had business to do. I returned with him. We went both to bed at nine o'clock at night, where I remained, and did not, as the witness Peter Taylor states, go to the shore with the party when they went off. His saying that I was there then is a mistake, as this gentleman [Mr. Belknap] can prove.

Mr. HAY.-State to the court and jury, for whom the boats were built. Was the contract made for the company?

Answer. Yes; it may be so considered; but it was not particularly specified. Mr. Blannerhassett first introduced the subject, and Mr. Burr then spoke. As to the use for which these boats were intended, Mr. Blannerhassett made some communications to me respecting it. Shall I now state to the court these communications?

[He was requested to proceed.]

Late in August or early in September, Mr. Blannerhassett mentioned to me, that he had embarked in an enterprise with colonel Burr; that general Eaton and some others were engaged in it; and that the prospects were flattering. Our first conversation lasted but a few minutes. The next week I was at the island, when he went into further particulars. From what he stated, the inference I drew, was, that his object was Mexico. He did not positively say so, but I inferred it from several circumstances, particularly from a map of that country which

he shewed me. He spoke highly of the country; stated its advantages, wealth, fertility and healthiness. He asked me if I had a disposition to join? I evaded his question, but could not forbear telling him that I preferred my situation to an uncertainty, (which was the same as declining it.) On the way up to Marietta, he observed, that he did not wish me to say any thing about his conversations on this subject. This is the substance of my testimony.

Mr. HAY.-Do you recollect any further detail of the plan or object of the expedition?

Answer. I do not.

Mr. HAY.-What became of the boats and the pork you purchased?

Answer. The pork was taken and sold by order of the president or government; it was sold, as I understood, by general Buel. The boats. or a part of them, were afterwards fitted out by the government for transports to convey troops from Marietta to St. Louis.

Colonel BURR.-Do you recollect that I told you, that I wanted the description of boats used in the Mohawk river; and were they not made for shoal water, and to go up the stream?

Answer. You did. The boats were to be calculated for shallow water.

Colonel BURR.-You know Mr. Blannerhassett well. Was it not ridiculous for him to be engaged in a military enterprise? How far can he distinguish a man from a horse? Ten steps?

Answer. He is very near sighted. He cannot know you from any of us, at the distance we are now from one another. He knows nothing of military affairs. I never understood that he was a military man.

Question by the same. What became of his library?

Answer. Part of it was carried down by Mrs. Blannerhas sett; the residue was left behind, and has been since sold.

Question by the same. Do you recollect when I was at Marietta? Was it not about the last of August or first of September?

Answer. I left Philadelphia about the middle of August, and on my return, I saw you about the time you mention. I have never heard that you have been there since.

Question. What became of the draft on Mr. Ogden for two thousand dollars?

Answer. It was paid.

Question. What quantity of pork did you purchase for me? Answer. About one hundred barrels.

Question. At what price?

Answer. It cost about twelve and was charged at thirteen dollars per barrel.

Question. What became of it?

Answer. I stored it in Mr. Green's cellar, adjoining our store: it was taken and sold by general Buel, by order of the government, as already mentioned; that is as I understood. Question. Did you demand it of Mr. Green?

[The answer to this question was not heard.]

Question. To whom did you consider the pork as belonging when seized? Whose loss was it? Yours or mine?

Answer. It may hereafter become a dispute.

Question. What were the boats estimated to be worth? Answer. Colonel Barker's bill for the eleven boats, amounted to twelve or thirteen hundred dollars.

Mr. MARTIN. Were you at any time that evening on the water's side, with Mr. or Mrs. Blannerhassett?

Answer. I was not.

Mr. WIRT. You were asked, sir, about Mr. Blannerhassett's military talents? Permit me to ask you what were his pecuniary resources; what was the state of his money matters?

Answer. I believe they are not as great as was generally imagined. I him six thousand dollars for one half of his pro

gave

fits of our business; he had about three thousand dollars in stock in our company's concern. His fortune is much less than is generally understood. He had not over five or six thousand dollars in the hands of his agent at Philadelphia. His island and improvements cost about forty or fifty thousand dollars. It would not however, sell for near that sum, except to a person of the same cast with Mr. Blannerhassett. After building his house, his property exclusive of the island and five negroes amounted probably to seventeen thousand dollars.

Question by Mr. Coleman (the juror.) Explain again if you please; in what did that property consist, and how much money could he command?

Answer. He had nine thousand dollars in my hands in stock and profits already stated, and about one thousand dollars on another account, and the money in his agent's hands, besides his island and negroes.

Question. Had he no foreign funds?

Answer. I think he had none. They were vested in American stock some years before.

Question. What was the amount of property he had in these funds?

Answer. I believe the property left him by his father amounted to twenty thousand pounds sterling, which he vested in British three per cent. stock.

Mr. WIRT.-Is he esteemed a man of vigorous talents?

Answer. He is; and a man of literature. But it was mentioned among the people in the country, that he had every kind of sense but common sense; at least he had the reputation of having more of other than of common sense.

Question. What are his favourite pursuits?

Answer. Chemistry and music.

Mr. HAY.-Was colonel Burr to have returned to the island Answer. I believe so; I expected him to have returned in about two months, the time for the delivery of the boats.

Mr. HAY.-Had you received any money from Burr before the presentation of the draft by Blannerhassett?

Answer. The draft was at so long a sight, that I objected to letting the property out of my hands, till I was secured by the responsibility of Mr. Blannerhassett. The balance over the two thousand dollars (the amount of the draft on Ogden) was to be paid by Mr. Burr on his return. He was to return in two months and to complete the payment when the property was delivered.

Mr. HAY.-Did Mr. Blannerhassett bring you the draft?
Answer. He did, but Burr made the contract with me.

Mr. HAY.-Do I understand you correctly in supposing that Mr. Burr contracted to pay two thousand dollars in one draft, and the balance on his return?

Answer. You do.

Mr. LEE.-How many acres of land are in the island?

Answer. Mr. Blannerhassett owned about one hundred and eighty acres, which was about half of the island, and cost him about five thousand dollars; but with the house and all, cost him forty or fifty thousand dollars as already observed.