July 22. 1785.

in Compliance with the direction of yr. Exclly. & the honble. Council I herewith send make a statement of what I know relating to the charge of Piracy agt. Belitha Taylor & Wm. Buckley, & deliver all the Papers I have relating to the same

RTP. Att G

his Exclly. Govr. Bowdoin & the honble. Council

Belitha Taylor & William Buckley now Prisoners in Goal at Boston were sent here from Machias by Stephen Jones & Alexr. Campbel Esqrs. Justices of the Peace in the Co. of Lincoln charged with an Act of Piracy on Christopher Millar master of the schooner Cates, their respective Examination and Confessions were sent with them, as also the Examination of one Richard Powell who with one William Dunham are said to have been apprehended at Machias & charged with the same Crime but made their Escape after they were ordered to Boston, a No. of Papers were sent me by the sd. Justices which are said to have first detected them. the Papers are as follows vizt. 1 an Invo. of Provns. shipped by Greg. Townsend Esqr. Asst. Commr. Genl. 2d a bill of Laden of the same visibly altered to the name of Buckley to give him the appearance of being master of the Vessell & the Place of Destination Altered. 3d. a clearance from the Collr. at Halifax, altered in the same manner. 4th. a long Clearance of the same, altered in the same manner. 5. a Letter from G. Townsend Esqr. to Mr. Wyatt. torn to peices & said to be found in the carling of the Schooner. 6th. a paper signed by Dun with the names of Dunham Powell & Taylor purporting to be a transfer of their Property in sd. schooner to Buckley, changing her name to that of the Polly. 7th a Paper purporting to be an Inventory of the Schooner Polly’s cargo. 8th. one other Paper of no apparent importance, 9th. the Exn. of Belitha Taylor 10th the Exn. of Wm. Buckley. 11th the Exn. of Richd. Powell:

these are all the papers sent me

338

the Evidence that these papers were found with the Prisoners together with the Vessel I suppose must be procurred from the two Justices before named & from Capt. blank Harkom Dputy. Naval Officer for the Port of Gouldborô

Dft. ; on same page as RTP to Bowdoin, July 13, 1785 (above).

Durham. August 23th 1785 Sir,

Mr. Moses Parsons having requested me1 to write you whether I suppose it would be of public advantage to admit Mr. Robert Peasley as a witness for the Common Wealth in the Cases now tryable in your state Government agt. counterfeiters. I can only say that I suppose him likely to know as much as any other person now with you & if he should upon conversation previous to the tryal promise to reveal all he knows & let you into the particulars which he will relate I think you may rely upon his not deceiving you.

I am with much respect, Sir your most obedient servant Jno. Sullivan

RC ; internal address: “Honble. Robert Treat Pain Esqr.”

1.

Gen. John Sullivan (1740–1795) was the first lawyer at Durham, N.H., and served in the army during the Revolution, as a delegate to the Continental Congress, and as New Hampshire attorney general (1782–1786). He was the brother of James Sullivan, later attorney general of Massachusetts (American National Biography).

Taunton Augt. 25. 1785 Dear Sir,

Inclosed is a writ which I wish you to be kind enough to Look over & See whether it is right drawn & hand it to an Officer that it may be Served. Hope you & good family are in health & that you have got thro your fatigue & trouble of Repairing your House.1 Expect to see 339 your at Septr. Court. Please present my & Mrs. Padelfords best respects to your Lady (whom we shall be glad to see with you) & Accept them same yourself.

In hast—I am your friend & Humble Sirvt., Seth Padelford

RC ; addressed: “Honbl. Robert T. Paine Esqr. Atty. Genl. Boston.”

1.

RTP Diary, July 25: “began to repair my house”; Aug. 27: “the Masons finished working on my house.” During this period, his son “Robert examined & admitted as a Student in Harvard Colledge” (July 23).