Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1803-04-26

wrote five thoniand, and MIR. BeFl
Bufey, two rhonfand dollars) a eompro-
mifsd TO II. 6. Otis, Efq. agent of Pier
pont and Alexander, which being ssceed-
ed 10, there was paid nim from Mr..
Tay lor's Office, twelve thouEand and f.
venty FIVE dollars, and from MIR. Brooks
Office, four thouland nine hundred dollars,
making together the fun of Gxteen
thouland, nine hundred and feyenty five
dollars.
Soon after thefc adjuamen,s, a letter
was received through the medium of the
poa cfice, By one ofthe underwriters in
hnna,ing .ha, ali had not been right ref
peeting the lofs OF the Hannah TO this
an anfwer was returned in the Gazette,
prcpoGng an interview with the writer,
with aaarances Of fecrecy and reward on
full dilclofurc. Indirect information
was alto received about the fame time
from New York, Eating that a fchooner
called the Traveller, had been fitted out
from that port by Southack, Storey and
Pierpont, under (ufpicious circumstances,
and as the veflel bad arrived at this place,
on pretence of Completing her cargo,
directions were given,to fccnres'a.deb. ICON
tratfrd at New York by Southack while
on this new expedition. by attacking the
fchsoner. The execution of this order,
it is conjeeured, led to fome diiagree-
ment between the accomplices, which
terminated in apropohslon from Southack
to have an interview with Menrs. David
Green and Peter c. Brooks, TO whom
a full dfclofure OF The inlquitlous tranf
action OF the lois of the Hannah was made.
A plan was then adopted to obtain from
Freeman, the mate who was in Bofon)
corroboration OF the facts which bad been
difclofed by Southack for this end,
perfon was engaged TO found Freeman,
whether he would take charge ola veGel
with an intent TO fink or ofherwile dedtoy
her. This fcheme had the deGred effect.
Freeman afented TO the propotltion, and
icon after made an acknowledgment to
this Terlon, of the agnecy he had in the
dcRrutfion of the Hannah. After know
ledge OF the leading traits of this iniqui-
ty from Scutl,ack and Freeman, the leder
ones were enquired into and Obtained
lanes Runtll, at whole he ufe Sou;h4ck
ard Harris had boarded, and from whom
a bill for large quantity of bacon,
mounting TO ieventeen hundred and nine
ty eight dollars bad been produced to the
underwriters, by Pierpont, was quei}ion-
ed as to the reality of this fale, and be-
ing hard prened, Acknowledged that the
bill had been made out at the requef of
Pierpont, although no bacon had been
fold by him, and that for this he receiv-
ed gratuity of eighty dollars. .Jofeph w.
Page declared the bill for articles which
he had furnilhed, has been by Pierpont's
requea fwelled from IS to 80 per cent.
above their real value, and alto that fome
of the articles contained therein had not
been delivered, at that time. Other cir
cumRances tended to induce belief, that
the merchandizes faid TO confitute ths
cargo, were not of the fpicies, which their
outward appearances indicated, particu.
larly that of beef; in lhort this confpi-
racy and fraud appeared to have been the
confequence Of long aud fyfemaiic plan
matured and carried into execution with
great adroitnefs, and as prelude to o.
theirs on more exrenavc fcale, which by
this happy dilcoyery have fitted in their
embryo.
The defence let up by the council for
the defendants, refcd upon one point it
was Unified that the reputation of a citizen
ought not to be impaired by attaching
credit to Southack and Freeman, men
who had before fworn to facts diametricaI-
ly oppoGte to thofc which they had now
teaiGed to the court; that it was evident
they had perjured themfelves, and there
fore {eftinp their evidence Aide. there was