The native American., 1838-08-18
STATEMENT OF MR.. JOHN RIST.

| live in the parish of East Feliciana on the
road leading from Port Hudson to Jackson, ten
miles from the former and four from the latter
place. am acquainted with Mr.. Clark Mills,
who was in some way concerned in preparing
bust of the late Washington Whitaker. He was
introduced tom in New Orleans, and represented
himself to be from New York. He is a man
about thirty-two years old, five feet eight or nine
inches high, light brown hair, and has a sort of
red spot one of his upper eye lids, placed there
presume, for the benefit of advertisers in gene
ral am particular in describing the man. be-
cause want to put the saddle on the right horse
and don't wish that any honest gentleman should
be taken for him. ....
One afternoon last Aprl, Mr.. Mills came riding
on horseback, up to my gate, and | went out 10
meet him-he informed me that he was then on
his way from Port Hudson, where he had landed
Whiaker's for the purpose of collecting the
amount owing for bust that had been sent up
from New Orleans short time previous As it
was then late in the day, and he would have
twelve miles still to ride before he could reach
Col. WIS, invited him to put up his horse and
stay all night with me. He did so. | treated him
and his horse well, and as is the custom in this
country, his nights entertainment cost him moth
ing He mi ght indeed have made it profitable to
himself, for contracted with him to have the
walks of my garden laid down in cement, and he
promised to undertake the Job as soon as he could
get the materials from New Orleans. He has not
however as yet fulfilled his part of the bargain.
In the morning, after eating his breakfast, Mr..
Mills started for Col. Whitaker's, / giving him
directions for his way there. n.
Three or four days after Mills left my house, /
saw him again in Jackson. | asked him if he had
settled his business. He told me "not quite
Soon after this | met Col. Whitaker, who came
up to me in the street, and requested me, as he
could not get change, to pay Mills eight dollars
and two bits, saying it was balance due for ma
king his brothers. bust went to Mills and paid
him eight dollars, the two bits he waived receiv-
ing, on account of the trouble of getting change
l also took up the due-bill which had been given
in New Orleans by Col. WIS agent, in payment
for the bust. In the course of an hour left
town for my home, and saw nothing more of Mills
until next day. Between two and three o'clock
next afternoon, he rode up to my gate again, and
asked him to alight and walk in. He declined
doing SO, saying he was in hurry for the five
o'clock boat for New Orleans, and wished to get
to Port Hudson as soon as possible. He put
off, and have never seen him since, although he
promised at parting to come again in short
time, and fix my garden walks. l wish he would
keep his promise, and come soon. would add
that never heard him make any complaint about
his treatment at Col. Whitaker's, where | have
every reason to believe he met with all that hos
pitality and kindness for which the Colonel is
proverbial. As to his story about the fight, there
| is not one word of truth in it, as every body in
this parish knows. The fact is, the man is a
tremendous liar, and only wonder the New
| York peOple will let him stav amonU them All
the harm, however, that wish him is, that he
will mend his own ways, and then come back
and fix my garden walks.
The following is a true copy of the due-bill l
received from Mr.. Mills, when | paid him the
eight dollars, as before stated. ....
"Good to Mr.. Parker for one hundred and
eight dollars and twenty-sx cents for having
made the bust of w. Whitaker
"CHAS. DUROCHER.
"New Orleans, 9th March, 1885,