Constitutional Whig. [volume], June 22, 1830, Image 2

About Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832

Image provided by: Library of Virginia; Richmond, VA

                
I Hi: CiUlL’l I«li. ib
A i*g day is >**t,ti*** la«li« f* tn^*t9 *
And mill t'ram'o arc seated; ,
in xuji'r pluccdtheV work in haste, ‘ ,
To get the tyult conoplet* d.
Wfitters iiy, tli ir tongues they ply,
-A ;:d animate their iaboOrs,
P> c minting ’i.’Hus. discussing clothca,
Of •o'.tii.j »it tlj. ir neighbours.
'•*»<?«. r, wl-at n pretty frock you’ve on—”
*T;mi very glad yon like it;”
*kl inn told that Mirt* Micomicnn
Hon’! speak to Mr. Mntuic."
*’ 1 *t<W Miss Iwll tile other dny,
Yeung (i teen's new gig ado niog,*”
“What keeps your sister Ann away?"
“She went to totVn this morning.”
“Tia time to roll”—“my needle’s broke,”
“Mrtoin's stock is selling,”
“ Lousin'* wedding gown's bespoke;”
“Lead me your scissors Ellen;”
“That match will never come about,"
‘ Mow d- n’i fly in a passion;”
‘Tjair puffs iliey suy are gmug nt, ’
“Via. curls are all the tanhiou. ”
The <joil» ie done, the lea begun,
The heunx are all collecting,
The table's clcard. the musick heard.
His partner each selecting
The merry band in order s’and.
The dance begins with vigour.
Ami rapid loot the measure beat.
And trip ihe in tzy figure.
* Uuheed'd Sy the m nuto- by*
Old time liiriisi lf 'et'tns dancing,
Till night’s dull eye is opeiul to spy.
The steps ot morn advancing;
Then closely stowed, to each abode
The carriagi-s go tilting;
And many a dream iin* lor its theme.
The pleasure of the Quilting
[4/rV-or.
THE TENNESSEE TORNADO.
[From the Nashville Republican, June 0 ]
To the Ud'lor of the Nashville Republican,
Nn:«i uwii lk, Juue 3, 1830
Dear Sir. As it may not be uninteresting to vour
readers to know something about the particulars'^ a
must awful visitation of providence that befel our
town and its inhabitants on Monday night last, it is
deemed advisable to forms!! you with such a statement
as we are able to make.
A storm, or rather a Tornado, the like of which
few people now liv.ng ever witnessed before, visited
Os about midnight, and has, literally, left our once i
pleasant aud comfortable village an indiscriminate
heap of ruins. The cloud which crus so pregnant with
destruction to our devoted town, arose about 19
o’clock in the west, and at first it seemed to portend i
little more than an ordinary shower of rain with a
gust of wind.—These appearances to people who
wer<* accustomed to storms at this season of the year,
produced no apprehensions of danger, and our citi
zens retire.I as usua* to their wonted repose.—In a
short time all had resigned themselves into the arms
of sleep. AlaS how hule did some of them suppose
tliat the ale»v winch tliey then invited would be eter
nul—or‘.hat ere they awoke they Would be landed on
that unseen country, “Iron, whose bourne on traveller
ever returns.’1
About midnight, many were awakened by the unn
«unl violence of the uiudand the ceaseless voice of
the thunder which begun to come peal after peal, id
such rapid succession as to inspire fearful apprehen
sions in the breast of some, thu’the slumbers of many
who slept in close rooms, were a£dl undisturbed,—
but it was oniy tor a moment The already agitated
elements, were now worked up to the highest pitch j
of fury, until it seemed that the very spirit of the j
whirU ind bad been let loose to scatter desolation, and
death for ho-> wide with an unrelenting and an an re.
stfruined hand. A*1 wen- m.w awakened to a sense of
their real danger-, or ral'.er constern »tion and despair :
bad so'fcoiTipletcly lateen possession of them, that few
. could tell wj»»r£_they wer>- or how- tliey were situated.
Many who had gfveD Th*ms<-|«e6 to sleep in calmaecu- ;
r*ty only an hour ;>r two h< fore, found themselves be
fore they were fully aware, blown into the sjtreea and
nablic square at a considerable distance from their
lodgings, where they saw that they were surroun
ded by so many striking indications of destruction
that they almost fancied themselves suddenly trans
ported to another world.—The transition from the
enjoyment nf sleep, in close anti quiet rooms'to the
tat nulent fury ot contending elements, was so sudden
that none could tell t« rthe mom-nt where tiiey were,
or whence they had come. All was horror and wild
affright.
At the same moment those who were yet within
heard a long, h>ud rumbling noiue without. Ry
/-pome it was mistake*! for f bonder, ami by oihers, for
the faU»t’g of the adjacent timber. But the melan
choly evidence of their error soon Cashed upon them.
Thunder it was not—falling tin.her it was not. It was
tlu: awful crush <f a hunt red demolished buildings,
more than half of them private dwellings, offices,
work shops and houses of business, including, with
one or two exceptions, every valuable budding in the
place. But this was r.ot all,
“For the an*el of Hea-.h spread bis wiu*s no the blast,
,.****••*».«
Aud the eye. of tbe sleeper? waxed deadly and chill,
Aii.l their heart* but once heaved and for ever were Mi\l ”
Fifie of our ytuipg men fell victims o toe lury of
tiiu bloiui- 1 names worn Mr. James R. N>-?v- ■
ton, editor ol the Wc.-tern liitelligeucer; .Ur Arnold,'
- u young gem ciuan cluing buames.-, as n clerk in the
store of Mr. James Reed, and Mr. Win son. Mr.
Rid“tSui, and Mr. Caldwell, young men Wirkiftiz nt >
the saddling business. They w. re all persons of
most amiable characters, unblemished in^ti.eir mo-ala,
and remarkable for industry and sttemion to busi
urbn.
Tha "tree la*t were taken out of heap* of rubbisli
of fallen building*, under which rhey were iiic.nllj
buiied. Their future* much diMioried with fracture^
and bruises. Mr Newton who had been blown up
wards of a hundred yards from his office‘When lie
was sleeping; Ins bed uu.i bedstead along with him
was found in -h»- morning amidst masses of broken
fragments of timber, a mangled mutilated lump ol
mortality. Mr Arnold who did not die until s..tne
tune atim dark of the ensuing day, had a large gash
cut in his left side by the tenon of ti door, that blew
against him v/lnle he was attempting to escape from
his l"dg ng'. with so much force «s to t*nr out a con
siderable portion of It 13 liVer Their remains were
ail uresced and lain side by side in the same house
mt'il the 'ir.r morning, when thre" of them were
bured i.i one g uj". the other i wo having bcca taken
to the Country by their friends
In a town so sina 1 as ours, you need not be inf >rui
od t he -lgiii ot five young men who had no lon
g r than the morning b f r«., enjoyed all the vigor of
neolih and lnoom of youth side by side decked out
in the sad habduu-ms of deni h,—ami Hie appearance
«.t three coffins m-Cmg s,,wly along oar streets fol-1
Jowr-d by n va-t crowd of astonished and melancholly
inhabitants of fuv,n and country, was solemn and
impressive in the extreme, arid powerfully calculated
d-eplyto impress’ a r»fj.c.img nnno with a s«nse of
■h.- iincertainty of Iiuumpi life The vanity of earth
iv pursuits and the delusive nature of earthly hopes
and earthly prospects. B r stub i* the fate of man
EiUnt or ten other ctti7^n* were l,ad y wounded, and many
More slrghfly Injured all, if we reflect „ moment upon
;h: eKtentof tho devastation ilmt has been wrought, the norm
■j..! nf houses that were r.w.ed to the earth, he lore a «m»le one
■>i ’heir inmates harl an opportunity to c,j»pe. and themrac
manner in which many v- ere preserved who were blown
from out of their bed,. »ome of then fro-n the upper stone, of
'or larnest buildings in the place; instead of wondering that so
nariv losf 'heir lives, it i- rather a mailer of profound astonish
merit that twenty limesthe number did not meet the same un
timely ftte Mad the calamitous vmtotion mme ,i|.on min the
day time, it •• thought our citizens, our women and our chi*
dren, mu»i have fallen hy scores— si.c.h v a, the nature :f th j
catastrophe, that any attempt lo escape from the dangei „ o t
app«;e> ' the moment, would havr rn nearly every Instance j
:,rove 1 fatal I b>ii«ee were falling every whero. and the oin os
p etc fva* foil of flying timhetf; nod tbs eircaffja'arvje tl .-y s, .
n*l] n uuTn'.pT were ktiicd, umsl in, a gfcat urtAtairi; have i
wu owm® in so many bring ignorant of theif actual danger
mil tha worst vras over.
Of the buildings that have been destroyed, or so much injured
s lo tie unfit for os**, v.’u count of dwelling houses, shops, ofli
ns, ar • stores, including the Methodist Church, the Couit
Jo Hsu asid Market House oC
Of kitcjieus, stables, and other out liotnc* C l
Making in all 110—
The w hole amount ol loss is variously estunnicd from $73,000
lo $100,0110. though the until prevalent impression seems to be,
t‘ a les> than one hundred thousand dollars would not repair
the rfa "age
We have heard of no serious injury being sOsiair.etl any
a-lirne else. The (tenpin in tbo neighborhood, bsv« escaped ei-1
t er entirely uohori or hut very slightly injured. It seems that
all the energies of the angrv element wero reserved to exhaust
Ui mseivc* oo our devoted town -
I wish it were m my power to give you some faint idea ol tbc
scene that presented itsell nt the moment the catastrophe bap
i cue.I, and of the general appearances 01 our town since n is
ovr-i Perhaps if von can fancy to yourself a large waste field.
Over which a hurricane had lately passed sweeping every thing
in it course leaving only here mid there the fractured'gtuinp
of • tree -tandiMj, and covering the whole curfnce with the
trunks and lim • of dead timber, so thickly that you might walk
fo nt one extreme to the other in any direction, without ouce
setting youi foot upon the ground, you ntny. have some vague
coiijtxiure of the gene.nl appearance ol the south und east
sides of the town of hiielhyvillo And then if you can fancy
that you saw n loan hke ours in which the whole population
Were tviiipt in sleep, nt the solemn hour of midnight that sod
deulv, mid before any of them could lie warned ol their danger,
a most tremendous storm arose—that amidst the terrific roar of
wind, the awful tiorsts of «nutinucd and unceasing peals of
ibunder, and ao Unremitting p.laieof vivid lightning, giving to
Uie whole surrounding atmosphere completely the upi-carnuce
of “an Ocean of flame," you saw n bundled houses tumble to
peices all aiound you—that you saw huge pieces of timber fly
ing ill every ditection through the air thick as leaves in aututun,
and sw.ft as arrows from the Indian's bow, end the appalled
inhabitants shucking and terrified, blown about hRe chaff If
, I s y^you can imagine tlmi you saw nud heard ell tbofn things
, at the >ame msiaut, it will give you a better idea of tho scene
| of Monday night than any other picture 1 am able to sketch
l Still yotir idea would be a very imperfect one. It vvoulii fall
t far short outlie icahty.—To nttempt to depict it oo paper
1 would iio foi.y in any one, and in me presumption I have seen
•' tue eloquent an l glowing rteecnptions of the warring* of the
. e.emeut,, ami the consequent wrecks of ir.attor that have oc
, curred in other places; 1 have seen highly iviouglit pictures of
the sau o nature, drawn by some of our most popular authors
ol pretiy and Romance, and have looked upon them all as
mere sKeichrs of fancy, wrought up to oo unnatural pitch to
•we interest and elTeCl in fictitious tales of misery and distress
i But n hen compaicd with tho awful realities of Monday night,
I and the w ide scene of ruin und deflation which now spreads
itself in mnurnful grandeur to the view of tire astonished bebol
tier, the morl exiravigant aiuong‘t them dwindles into insipid
tMtempis at description.
The scene which our public square, our strreis, ff-o and oor
gardens now present, is utteily indescribable lr. conteinpla
tin® it the stoutest heart will sicken, mid die wings of the bold
est fancy will flag It is tho very grandeur of desolation—It
presents an idea horn which the mind rebounds, as a sun beam
from a ponderous rook unable to grasp tbo mighty load, nod if
it could, language is too meagre too pooi and begsaily to com
ujunicaio it.
wnuuj uiuuure u uhs ur;ui mo i uavi»auie to luruiMi
aJ.<o a list of the names of tbo«e wa.e nion badly wounded
They urn Mr. B Hobson, Mr Solnniou Ruw«, Mr Thomas G.
F lint. Mr Oshum, Mr Kives, Mr D. Turremins, Mr $. C.
Edgar, and Mr. Samuel Efcur, Mr. Hobbs and Mrs. Hobbs
These gentlemen are ail more or less disabled, but will soon re
cover—a great many mo e have received utoie partial injuries.
The bouses utterly demolished, and.tendeied unfit for u>e. are
tbe Court House, the Methodist Church, the Market House, the
brick tax • kept by Mr K lJ Harrison, ilio stores of Messrs
Kahuis, Britain, and Ereae, Mr James Lhi'ain, P Donelley,
ilujjb Waralaa, James Heed, K. Blephctison, and Messrs
Caldwells. An unoccupied store room belong 115 to Mr. Joseph
Marlon Tho Drug store ol Messrs. Ram $,• Strong.—Mr I>
Tunentina’s silver smith shop. Mi T. G Kliul’s saddler 6hop,
Mr. Sbnpard’s s&drildr shop, Mr. Uarlnu’s luilor shop Tne
old hunk house, the Grcceries of Mr. Cannon, [><>h»on and Utir
dut, Mr. J Gingry’s hatici shop Mr J While’s halier shop,
Hr. h labor’s sic p. Hr Kune's shop, Col. \cli’s law i.fijcc. Mr
E J Fr;eaoi.%la.v office, a new building latelv erected by Mr.
Gilciirisi for •4jir.es; the Surveyor’s office, 1 bn printing office, the
dwellings of Mr* Depriesl, Mr ( uner, Mr Flint, Mr. Dews,
•\lr l iodull, Mr.D M’Kitick, Mr Minor Caution, Mrs. Ham
blin, Mi I fob is These together with a great many others,
amounting to the number first stated, may he set down c« tit
ier!y useless A great many have sustained partial injuries,
having tbe walls sprung, ibeir chimneys blown down aud tbeir
roofs partially torn or broken iu by the falling of adj.iceut chitn
ueys
On Wednesday evening a number of tiro citizens assembled
ai tlw: 1‘iesbytei an Church for ibe pmpou) ol lakuigsrunu soit
able nonce of tbe sad event that lias befallen us Tbe fiev
Mr fyewton was called to the chair—ihe following re*olutlou
was than offered and unaii'ruuu&Iy adopted-—
licsoioed, That as n maik of respect for the memories of tbe
you ’S men Who fell victims in the storm of Monday night, and
to show that we will not let such an extraordiuury visitation ol
Providence nais by, without being noticed iu a suitable man
oer-Wr will wear crape 00 ths left ann for the space of tltjr
ty days. *’
i
TH8 9 AUSB Sl&BDKB — A Isitcr ijrom Siilcoi, duted cm
Tuesday evening, adtiiasMSii to ihe Ed.ior of ibe Boston Coo
riei, gives tbc following account of the dciiib of Richard Crottu
iugnhield. Jr by his own hand:
“Salksl, Juue 15 — Richard CrowniiEsbieid, Jr insert
hinted I m ii ii call this afternoon Mr iTrnwo, the jaolor, at
about a quarter after Z o'clock had occasion to go to lite cell to
speak to him, aud, on looking m to find him, saw him hanging
lie immediately opened the door, and with the assistance of
the turnkey cut him down, and with all possible speed called
several physicians; they opened a vein, and he bleed freely, hut
all then nfinris m revive him Were ineffectual A Coroner’* iu
quest was then held
“To accomplish hts purpose: he tied together three handker
chiefs— after tying the knot about h;s neck 'and fastening the
other one firmly to the grate, lie got into a chair, tl.eo tied bis
bands behiud his back, and then leaped off. His feet just tench
ed the Qoor.
“In his cell were found two tetters, just written, one to his
f.itiusr, the < tlier to his brother George, bidding them adieu In
his letter to die latter, be morales on the shortness of the ca
r&'°J Vice, however prosperous it may at first appear, and
warns all young people to he aduioufchcd by lus fate, itc. <$-c.
“1 io was&> year* of age
‘•Since the humanity of our laW9 requires Chat the jaoler*
should enforce no other restraints on prisoners kept for trial
than such as are necessary fer safe custody, it is obviously io
the power of the prisoners to destroy their own lives. After
conviction only is it deemed humaue to put them in irons; aud‘
even then they contrive means of suicide
“It is very prohahla that the receut discovery of a quantity
of stolen goods at Danvers, which had just been made kuown !
In him, convinced Inin that proofs were thickening of the de
pravity of his life, and impelled him to attempt to escape from
the overwhelming disgrace aud shame ”
The Huston Patriot adds the following additional particulars:
-!-,<It is said that his brother Geo-ge was confined in the ad |
join ing cell, and they frequently talked to each other (overheard,.
of course by the guard,) in the dialect common to persons of
this stamp. The gt.aid, twenty minutes before Richard was ’
found dead, understood George to ask him when he was going,
to which he was understood to reply, he was about to go ° Wri i
t.ng materials had been at bis d^posaJ; hot it is nut knowD
whether or not he left any disclosQres
“It is said that some time since their father had enquired if I
they wished a new suit of clothes, before the trial, George «ig
mfied that he did, and was measured; but Richard dccliiicd. I
“It is supposed that this istbercsult of a deep laid planon '
his part; and that as he was originally the only ouc indicted as
principal in the murder, a new indictment must he made, io
which the late disclosures would implicate Jos- J Knapp, Jr. as
principal, and prevent his being taken as Staler)’ Evidence, ar.d
at the same time give George achat.ee of .escape ”
The stolen goods found at Danvers, os alluded to above,
consisted of a hale of flannel which whs concealed under a
large quantity of hay in the ham of Mr Richard Crowning i
shield I he bale has been opened, and gome of the pieces of
flannel had been throst into a wool hag, which was fouud under
the Iiay, not far from the main quantity
A letter received in this city yesterday. Hates that C’rotcnin
shield had declared an iutention of destroying himself, incon
sequence of the dread he felt of undergoing a uablic execu
tion r
Whiskey, Sugars, Shoes,
L'tndin” for Sale,
OA Ilhda prime S» Cr.*ix Suyar,
PART Ufl A NI>BD, T ©. N.
20 do Billiioorp whiskey
100 reams straw paper
15 cases coarse shoes,
je 22—3t DAVENPORT, ALLEN & CO
Havana Sugar, Wine, br.
Casks Otic Madc.-ra wuio
10 do French port do
5 do Roupellan do
50 do Malaga do •
20 do Sicily rtfadeim do
20 do genuine Madeira do of excellent qnality
300 reams wrapping paper
10 ra«.e« letter and foolscap do
40 hags pepper
A few boxes white Havana sugar—for sale by
je 22-3t if OTIs. DUNLOP is CO.
Sugars arid Coflfec.
Mhds Porto Rico sugRr
15 'In prime St. Croix do
6 do prime green coffe —for sale by
i* *2-6»_OTIS. DUNLOP fc CO.
WA N Till), a \VKX N IRiiH. Knqnirr» at this
jo ifh—rftf
John B. limber lake an<‘> Robert B. Randolph.
Letter from the Secretary of the Navy* transmitting
the information required by a resolution of the H*'Um>
of Representatives i:» relation to tho acrounts of
John B. Tiinberlake and Robert B Randolph.
N.wir Dkpartuest, ll»y *7, lUf.O.
Sin: In fhrthcr compliance with the rcsolu'ioa of
the House of Representatives of the I S'h instant, 1
liuve the honor to submit the accompanying report
and documents from the Fourth Auditor of tin* Trea
sury, in answer to that portion of lho resolution wlrch
relates to the accountant John Q. Tiuibcrbike, dee’d,
formerly u pur3”r in the Nary of the United States.
1 hnv« the honor to he.
Very respectfully, sir,
Your obedient servant,
JNO. BRANCH
The lion. Axunrir Srurrxsox,
Speaker of the liou^o of Representatives.
Treasury Du’Artmknt, ?
Fourth AOditor's Office. 25th tiny, 18S0. if
Sir: I iitve now the honor to submit to you cli the
information which appears to be required from this
office, in reply tu so much of the re^oluiion
or ths House of Representative*, by you re
ferred to me,as relates to the accounts of John B.
Timberlake and LieutciUatit Robert B. Randolph,
late Purser and acting Purser of the frigate Cousti
tution.
To save time, I have taken the liborty to copy a
por'ion o( a report already made to you on this sub
jeer, dated C2d February. >830, which is as follows
viz:
i "John B Titnberluko commerc'd his duties ns
Purser «»f the frigate Constitution on the 28;h June,
1824, and died at Port Mahon on the 2d April, 1S2S
IjientCiTant Robert 1J Randolph succeeded ht:n as
acting Purser. The slup.irrivcd ut Boston on the 1st
July, 1828, and the crew were paid off on the 13th
August.
Uu the2Cth September. 1828, Lieutenant Randolph
• delivered to Polyas \Va»ltiti<j, then Fourth Auditor,
the books, papers, and accounts of Mr Timberiake,
together with bis own An examination of !vlr '»'m
bcrlakeV papers look piace, and, as whs then said, ail
the private letters and papers were delivered to Mr*.
Timberluke On the 27th October ensuing, Lieut.
Randolph's account us noting Purser, was closed and
reported, while the previous account of itfr. Timber
lake remained untouched.
I entered this office March 23, 1829. Mr Tun
beriake’s accounts were in the care of Mr. Ezekiel
■ Mncianicl, then »t the head of the Purser’s Depart
ment, by whom'hey were given to Mr. James H.
Handy, for 8c*tl!et0'*nt. Mr. Ilanuv progressed with
i the examination of the account, which lie tour.d in a
most deranged condition, and submitted to me a few
| ol the vouchers for my decision.
i On the 29ih July, I loft the c;ty for the purpose of
bringing my family from Kentucky. i\Ir. Thomas H.
1 Gilhss, chief clerk, w as appointed by the Piesident,
to uct ns Fourth Auditor n Vy absence. Ott the
13th August, ue reported .Mr Tuuberluke’i account,
exhibiting against him a balance of *$17,241 03._
Finding that soiae appropaate credits hud been otnit
tod, on the 11 Lb September, he again reported tiie uc
coui) , exhibiting against Mr. Timberiake, a balance
j of *14.373 53.
On the 12th October I resumed my duties as
Fourth Auditor. A f. w days afte: wurds, you called
at. my office, am] inquired whether there Were among
Mr Timberlcke’s papers, letters from any persons,
I showing that the former had made to the latter rr tnit
| tac.ces or»inoney fr<*oi the Mediterranean. I inquir
ed of M Handy, and he put into my hand u file of
private tellers, w h;ch he said he had found among Mr.
i T.mbcrlake’s papers, among which were three from
Major Evon After perusing th«»m, I made inquiry
of M j >r Baton,relative to the transaction to which
| they referred He gave w a full detail; read anar
tide dated, J think, in 1823, staling tlie purpo
1 ses f>r which he had bccomo the purchaser cF flit;
prop-Tty aLutied to, showcu me a book in which Mr.
Timberiake had charged him with the amount of the
remittances and given a credit, all, i baliow, io hie
own hand; and said he should be ready to pay over
the balance to the Government when it should be as
raefthined that Sir Timberiake was in trull) a public
| debtor, which tie doubted. At roy request, M-«j- E«
jbun bus reduced to writing • be statement made to me,
| which t« herewith submitted, marked A,. JJ. I also
| submit no much ofhis private letters to Mr Timber
lake, found ta tins office, (having obtained hia c<m
t sent,) as relates to Isis pecuniary transactions with that
1 gentleman, marked C, D E. These, with a copy of
a letter to the Secretary of the Navy, marked F.con
e’itute, I believe, all the information possessed by me,
relative to the resposibility of auy person or persons
| for the balances reported to be due from John B. Tun
' berlake. I do not. to this hour, know who are his
| securities in his official boQ-J. Such papers are iod"
i «d in your Department, and as it is no part of my du
! ty to take srep3 for the recovery of balances due to
the Government, either from principals or securinej*.
I have had no inducement to inquire who Mr. Timber
lake’s securities were.
In. others of the private letters delivered £o me,
there are evidences of considerable amounts of prop
erty owned by Mr Timberiake in the United States
at the time ot tboir date. Tho information may be
useful, ll it shall become necessary to lake rteps for
the recovery of the balances reported to be due; anil
it will no* be concealed by me.
a uut uj n my pvi uiiar uuiy lusuuumuu SL'lucujenib
mndu in my office unfair und honest The confidence
with which the filttiiiy of filr. Tituberlak asserted
that there mu>t be orror or fraud in the settlement oJ
his account, induced me to give it a fail investigation.
AKhe first step l found that lie had not credit for o
dollar loft on board ut the time of his death. Deeming
it improbable thata purser of so large a ship should die
in a distant sea entirely moneyless, 1 applied for infor
mation to Commodore Patterson, one of the present
E»avy Board, who commanded the ship lie informed
me tfiat ftlr. Tiraberloke had left a large sum of mo
ney and other property ut the time of his death; that
he directed inventories to to be taken of the whole;
and he expressed much surprise that credits had uo’l
bcea givi D. cvrid that the inventoiies wore ndl in my
office. A few days afterwards, lie pot into my hands
a letter from Lieutenant I}. A P. Vullettc,* whom
he had direct' iHo ratine inventories to be taken, da
ted Ncvcabc-r i8, 1829, of Which the following is an
extract:
•Your order to me to have inventerirs taken of all
on public account, und amount of cash in Hie purser’s
department at the death of *Mr. Titnberlake, was
strictly complied with. Mr. Paine, and Lord, and Mr.
Norman attended to that duly, le-iving one copy in
the civ st, box, Stc. containing the articles, and fur
nishing Mr Randolph with another.’
No inventory was to be found in tins office, and the
clerks who had settled Randolph's and Timbtrlake’s
accounts, assured me, that they had never seen or
heard of any. Mr. liandy brought me V,*. Timber
lake’s letter book, from which tiad been cut more
than twenty leaves, with no conceivable motive but to
suppress evidence connected with lus account; and
he told me that it was in that condition when he first
saw it
I communicated these facts to Lieutenant Randolph.
Me declared that lie was ignorant of the existence of
any invento.-y- but admitted that Mr. I'imherlake left
a sum of money, which, he alleged, he hao expended
in paying T’s public debts in the Mediterranean, lie
did not state the amount of money, nor specify any
one debt which he paid; but said, that Mr Thomas
Nor man , of New York, who had attended to bis bus-1
iness could explain the whole matter; and promised
to procure hi« attendance.
Not having seen Lieutenant Randolph tor about a
month, and hearing nothing from Mr. Norman, I
wrote to you on the 22d January last, requesting you
to order Lieutenant Randolph, Lieutenant Vallette,
in«l other*; who were »uppo*e<l to know something of:
:he money and property left by Mr. Timberlakc to .
•epatr to thi* city. Lieutenant Randolph soon after !
•eported himself to you, and, as you informed me,}
idmitted, that the money left by Mr. 1 imberlake ex
£\eut. Yvette, shortrp
atjter, iuforuieJ uoe that Lieut. Kaudolpli recently told
him it exceeded eleven thousand.
Not wishing to act singly in an afT.ir so delicate and
important, and presuming that the Second Comptrol
ler "fight have to decide on the case, I suggested to
the President the expediency of requesting him and
Commodore Patterson, who commanded the ship, to
aid n»e in the investigation. On the 12t instant we
examined T.ieulenants nando]|.h, Vallette, and Tall
madge. Tlie statement of Lieutenant Randolph was
not closed, because it was intended to question him
| further after examining the other gentleman; hut he
called out on business, and did not return on that
day. Commodore Patterson 1ms, at my request, also
made out u statement, und, on delivering it to me,
said he was confident the amount of money was nearer
twelve thousand dollars than eleven. I also submit
the statements of Mr t>tl\ and Mr, Handy, the two
clerks vrho settled the accounts of Lieutenant Ran
dolph and Mr. Timberlake.—G, II. J, K L, M.
Lieutenant Randolph assni-tl me, t at it had en
deavored to procure the attendance of Mr Norman,
, and had sent money to pay his travelling expenses
; I inquired whether my writing to Sim would expedite
J his arrival, artf was answered that it probably would,
; jf 1 would promise that his travelling expenses should
! oe paid by the Government. After consulting you,
j an the instant, I wrote him to that effect. Ih re
I ply I received two letters; *>ne fcom Mrs. Norman,
j staling that her husband was ill, but would come on
j as soon as he was able, the other from Mr. Norman,
i a few days subsequent in date, in which he informed
| me he could not come without an advance of his trav
elling expenses.
In tlTe mean time, floubt-n.: wliothcr attendance
could be procured in this city, I took steps to have him
interrogated in New York. On the 2'Jd instant, 1
received from J. G. Paulding, Ksq. Navy A^ent in
that city, a letter dated 18tl» inst. of which the fol
lowing is an extract: ,
‘After the receipt of your letter enclosing- the
queries of Com. Patterson, » concluded to send and
request Mr. Norman that he would call and ree me
at my iHTice, and he came this morning. On my stat
ing to him the reasons for my requesting this inter
view, his reply was, that he knew nothing orv the sub
ject of the money or property left by Mr Timberbke,
except having understood generally that there was
some money and property. What became of it he
could not tel', lie neither assisted in counting the
one or taking an inventory ofthe other.
A few minutes after I hail received this letter, 1
received word from Lieut Randolph throng1' Lieut
Bell, that Mr. Norman was in the ci'• , and tlurt he
would introduce him-to me next morning. J did not
see h.m until this day- II'* now alleges, that Mr
ritnberlnke’s money, which wan counted on the 2d
or 3d April, 1828. wrs paid awny, or nt least aptr?
nfi', on his pay-roll, which is dated and closed on the
31st March, and Lieut Randolph requests access to
the papers and payroll of Tttnbcrlake. all dated be
fore his death, fur the purpose of selecting item- and
making out an nc'-o-int current, to show what was
done with the money left by him. On consultation.
Corn Patterson, the Second Comptroller, and myself.
Were unanimously of opinion, thut acee»s ought not
0 be grant<-d, unless some genernl description
could first be given of tho items rla-.m-d. an J some
fact stated, tending to show the probability of a claim.
Which contradicts all tho records and papers, which
was never before hoard of by the other officers
ol the ship, and which |is wholly inconsistent with
Mr- Nonuon’s declarations to Mr. Paulding.
Supposing it possible that something which might
throw light on the subject had boon overlooked, I
recently directed two of my Clerks, Messrs. Handy
and Rives, carefully to examine Mr. Tunberlnke’s
b.-oks and papers, one by one The only material
result was the discovery that Mr. Timherlake’s 1»
tost account book with the officers of the ship, u
book often referred to in the papers, and very essen
tial to an investigation of his accounts, was also mis
ting
It is impossible yet, to determine what balance, if
any, is doc from Mr. Timberlsk-- to the Government.
In various settlements of his acoounts. there have
been suspensions to tho amount of inanv thousand
dollars, a portion of which may ultimately come to
h>s credit; but that is a branch of the subject I have
not investigated.
Upon llieao facta, Sir. you and the fleTrattfmttir br
aille to form 6oroe opinion upon the subjects of their
inqairy.
Tin-means by which you and myself first received
1 fbrmati n ofthe exi-tenec of Major Eaton’s letters,
- w on file in t- s office, and the motive of our in
formant .appear t - in-: :o constitute an essential part
nf the h-3'orv of this transaction. It is proved that
those letters were read aloud iu the office, and copies
tttki-u ou- It was by nn anonymous :oiter whicli
you showed to me, that you first became aprpiz<-d
of their r-xia’ence. A few days afterwards I rec iv
ed or.o. of which the following is a copy:
‘Sir: \ on are very vigilant in discovering abuses
among public officers as to money matters,“but why
Vent your spleen ou worms? Even these can “turn,
as you may find out. Let me say to you, inquir
what became of the money drawn by Purser Tim
berleke, that whs paid to Major Eaton, who under
took the guardianship of his children, and the man
agement of h:s property, for the sake of Am wife.
Take a peep into the bank, see if you can find who
bought the house, and where the money came from
You are the man to find out, and your own office
and the bank cau throw much light on these matters
T , ‘ PAUL PRY.’
I ui\v ays distrust the man who prott-sses to nove
me .information anonymously. The motive of'tfoiB
informer is seen in the following copy of au anon
ytnous letter received by Major Eaton, on the same
dav:
I ‘hsr: I have written a letter to Mr. Kendall about
j the money that paid for O'Neal’s houses; you know
J What I mean ! Revenge ia sweet, and I have you in
j my power, and 1 will roast you, and boil you, and
j bake you, and l hope you may long live to prolong
| my pleasure. Lay not the flattering unction to your
J soul that, you can escape me. I would not thar
! death or any other evil thing should take you from
toy grasp for half the world. IA GO ’
These two letters, and that to yourself, are found
! on comparison to be written in the same disguised
i hand \\ ho it is, that would make you nnd roe, in
: ‘•be performance of our official duties, the instruments
of his steed retenge, I know not. But I cannot help
i asking myself, whether he who took copies of Mo
ijor Eaton’s letters from the office, did not know, at
i the time, the use which was to be made of them?_
: L);d he no* then know that Mr Tuuberlake was to
I bo ropor c-1 a defaulter, nnd intend to use those
le'tors precisely as he has done? flow could lie
j ^:,ow that Mr. Timberlake would be a defaulter, un
less he also knew that means had hecu taken to make
' him one? Where these means the withdrawing of
I the inventories the mutilation of the letter book, and
| J know not what other devices, to deprive JSir Tun
I 'oerlake ofius just crcdiU! Why were the copies
lend iu silence until he was repotted a defaulter?—
Why were the anonymous letters then written to us.
and, simultaneously, he existence of Major Eaton’s
lot ers publicly divulged, copies multiplied, and dark
surmises ecatercd abroad in* Letters from Wash
ington ”'
1 would not willingly aid the designs of one who
exults in the anticipation of inflicting lasting tor
menrs. whoever ni ght be his victim Wrong I
would not do, even to disappoint n spirit so malig
nant.; but it would delight uie, if, by doing right I
could disappoint those, who, to gratify the sweets
ol revenge, slander the living nnd rob the d»-ed I
have done, and will do all 1 can to develop this dark
transaction; and while I will do nothing to shield
olnjor Eaton from r.ny just responsibility to this
Government, I Will not be determined from d-iiog
justice to him or any other man, by the threats of
‘worms or hands— open enemies or masked assas
sins
I hope, Sir, this affair will be investigated bv a
tribunal possessing more power than I do, arid that
fuels,motives, and nnmes, will be fully disclosed.
Very respectfully,
Yuur obedient servant,
Sftrd'rri] nf £/>> JVamr.
AM<9S KRNWARL.
V S. Fuukvahy fid. My report Us Unm delay
rd by a desire to send With it all which couid be ad
Liuccd by Lieut, Randolph in explanation. With
that view, I submit a copy of Mr Norman's ovideucc
given yesterday, marked N. I Will not express an
opinion as to its weight. If correct, how ■Iriknww
the iliiiMration of ikio evils attending a departue fro
truth. in dates and forms! If the alleged payment*
wo-e made b> Lieut Randolph, and the receipts had
truly stated xch.cn and by whom they were made, sus
picion could not have touched linn. But how con
public au In hues receive oral statements, which
c ntradic book.-, papers and receipts? I hope the
o.»s wrl b tu.-n d over to the courts of justice,
where all parlies may bo examined in tho most so
lemn form.”
On the 24-h February, the date o the report from
wnichttie foreg.ing i.-ext acted, Lieat Randolph
called «t my office and inquired whethe I had detcr
ii) • ti"t tn let hi- Cie. k. Mr Norman, Imre ac
cs in Mr I'imberlak-b'OKs and papers, to enable
him to make out nil uccouir. current, fo; ho purpose
snowing what disposition ho h id mado of Mr
1 mbetlake’s money. 1 informed him, tuet ii n ».a
the determination. net of myself „nly, I.q „f the
becond Comp:roller and Com. Puttetson. that such
access should n t ho given until we had examined
fllr. Norman, and he had given some g. neral deecrjn
tion ol the credits claimed. He pronounced the
course u:.just towards him, and several iimtrs put ibo
question io uie preparatorily, “Will you or will you
i !|°f b'l mo liavc access to those papers?” 1 replied
| that I was not acting alone in this business and
. cjutd not answer him; but that, if he would -u’bmit
j any prop-sition,.it should be considered, and an an
swer given. He rose from his scut much excited,
and told me, if he e0Uld not got justice here ho
would complain to his friends in the Senate. Mr
Tazewell and Mr. Tyler... I replied to him. that 2
was awaic of lie situation in which I stood before
the bennte, but it lie expected to swerve me a hair
rrom Uik curse I thought right, by a threat of that
sort, he was mi.-taken. He then left me, and I im
mediately wrote to Mr. Tazewell the note, a copy of
whieh, with his reply, is annexed, marked (I.) 1
On.the2>th, the Second Comptroller, Com Pat
tereon nud myself, examined Mr Norman, Lieut
Randolph being present. His statement is tlrendv
referred to, marked N. We required him to produco
the officers’ receipt book, which he said he had in
Ins possosion, and suspended further proceedings
until he could send to Baltimore for the trunk in
which he Btctcd it was.
Among my letters on the morning of the 2Gib
there was an anonymous one. dat< d the 25ih. of
wtiieli th. following is an extract, viz:
C‘I have been informed by a friend of Lieutenant
Randolph s, that y-'U refused to permit his cl.-rk to
give the explanations touching the business of Tim
berla.ee. and our intimate friend Eaton, and that ho
went immediately nft»r leaving' your office, fo his
friends in the Senate, and made them aeqainted with
the conduct which you were pursuing towards him
They expressed the utmost indignation as to vour
procedure, and that they would make you suffer for
it I could not learn he names of oil; there am
five of them: Air Tazewell and Air. Tyler, I am
informed, are bosom friends of his,'* &c. “I further
learnt that he has a document in his possession which
ho allowed Imp irietids, that will prostrate you if true
and he is prepared to substantiate it.” See (°) an’
noxed
I nuugn in a new disguise. it was easy to norrei™
in this letter. the hand-writing of “Paul Pry” and
^ol doubting4t was written with a view
at frightening me into a compliance with all which
Lieutenant Randolph asked, though under tho euise
of a friend. I laid it aside with perfect contempt In
a few minutes Lieutenant Randolph entered Ha
immediately inquired whether I had concluded to
give him access to Mr Timbcriakcs papers? I re
plied as before, that access would not be given until
the examination of Mr Norman was completed Ha
then menfoned that he had seen a letter from
to Mr. Tazewell, in which I had expressed a deter*
minatton to do hup julBice, and said that justice re
Mo re.i rhat he sliow^lave access to those papers
bejnst to atherV Ve
havina- ti m my opinion, justice forbade hj»
having that .••ccwrhntil we had finished the examina
.'on of I119 clerk. Under an impression that he had
called merely to see what effect the anonymous let
ter had produced upon me, I took it upAead ,t m
him, and demanded whether lie had any agene, in
us production. He denied all knowledge of it ?
cal.ed his attention to the passage which alluded to
his leaving me ns a reference 'o what took place
between us, without a witness; and told him
information could have been given only by him or
m -, and I knew it had not been given by me Ha
.e-asserled Ins ignorance in relation to the letter
hut said he had meriiioned the incidents to his friends’
I told him it was immaterial whether he had ami
agency in producing the letter or not, for it would
noiproduce the elighest effect on me, one way ortho
On the 1st March, Lieutenant Randolph arain
appeared, with Mr. Norman, who produced^he ofB
wn’hT"?? b°°I: to Mr. TimberUke.
which had been missing also produced a roll oF
certam men who had been discharged at Port Ma
hon, on the 31st March, 182R. We proceeded to
akc bis additional statement marked (3.) Whilo
Jus business was still progressing, Lieutenant Ran
dolph repeated his dercn-.! for access to Mr Timber
lakes books and paper.,. end on being told that, after
finishing Mr Norman’s examination, we would deu
t rraine that point, he became much excited charcreS
the b.-c..nd Compiroller und myself with iatendmf
wrongfully to charge him with Timberloke’s monev
threatened us with his friends in the Sena^ ,/j
said that be had still important papers in hi ’ p*os
session, which would affect somebody I inqidrcd
whether they were Mr Timberlake’s papir?, sSd
important :n explaining his accounts. He said thov
>er . 1 then, demanded their delivery to tne ; Ho
toen said they did not affect his public account, hot
Ins pnva c transactions, and refused to deliver tkom.
mnr h-d r°°,n’ and aflonTard« Wrote the noto
«7oH?Vtng corxiP5c‘cd.thc ox--niuati.,n of &fr Norman,
wo detcrmumJ to give him acc-rs to Air T,J,e?-’
la.es booIts and papers, to make out an account
current, of which we apprized Lioutenam Randolph,
see (o.) f he next dny we received from him a note
protesting o^ainet the course prescribed ,6 1 If*
nlao wrote to yon, requeuing you to direct me to
"ive him unrestrained access to those books and
paper*. You di.clcme,! all control over toZ
ol n,y office. .0,1 there the metter ended P P
It IS not usual or propor to give a man unrestrained
access to Ins own papers in this office, after they have
' feTwmsIf °fofflc,al act» or decisions?much
t to Air Tit t f ("f' ,Pp"P°r toff,v® unrestrained access
o ! { 7b * * par’crs 0,1 dafcd bcr°re h'u <^eatl>,
t enable Ins r-ucccssor to explain what had bec-mo
of the money and eficc's received by him after that
event it nothing but fairness was intended, the pre
sence and inspection of-one of mV clerks could do no
injury. I3..t it was c-asy from Mr. Timbcrlnke’s or
counts amounting to some hundred thousands of dnl
lars, to produce any balance which was deBirablo If
one set of items would not do, another could he
taken, t.ho only evidence of their nil!; I
Lieutenant Randolph being hie own and‘his clerk s
declarations, incot,trad,ct.°„ of the papers themself
Perhaps rigid duty required thJ.i „.i .
Vl* 750 did* ‘-'Ww fJS&SSi
i ikLuL'Zw!7&fc*br Mr Trb'-'!"‘v
to lorIl *£&\ZZTTZi
' nil < er J1°1f>b,,S'n-ir,n to wait until I could in
.. o, over half the world, the truth ofhis expln
... fJonV. 1 was obviously his duty to charge himself
.11 °*l too money received, and if ho paid »way any
mg on Mr. Tiroberlake’s account, to take receipts'
with true duties, setting forth 'ho facts Having failed
lo do so, on him and not on the Government onght to
rest 'he trouble and ^responsibility of repairing the
2,ect- #.Yet unwilling to charge him with® thS
money, until perfectly assured that ho hod not/!iepo