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Smith,   Henry  More 

Bates,  Walter 
Henry  More  Smith, 
[Ed. 6   ]. 


SIXTH 
EDITION 


HENRY  MORE  SMITH 


PRICE 
35  CENTS 


The  Mysterious  Stranger 


A  True  Story  of  the  Most 
Remarkable  Prisoner  Ever 
Detained  in  a  Jail  in 
New  Brunswick,  as  Told 
by  Walter  Bates,  one  time 
Sheriff  of  Kings  County* 


ST.  JOHN,  N.  B. 

JOHN  A,  BOWES 

J9JO 


33 
5 


HENRY  MORE   SMITH 
The  Mysterious  Stranger 

By  WALTER  BATES,  Esquire 
Sheriff  of  Kings  County 


Being  an  Authentic  Account  of  the  Numerous 
Arrests,  Remarkable  Doings  and  Wonderful 
Escapes  of  the  Most  Noted  Road  Agent  who 
ever  Pestered  the  Authorities  of  New  Brenswick 


PRINTED  AT  THE  STRATHMORE  PRESS 
SAINT  JOHN,  N.  B.,  FOR  JOHN  A.  BOWES 
PUBLISHER,  NINETEEN  HUNDRED  AND  TEN 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I.  PAGE 

The  "  Mysterious  Stranger  "  Arrives  at  Windsor,  N.  S.  — 
Obtains  Employment,  Professes  Religion  and  Marries  « 
Suspected  of  Theft  he  Leaves  Nova  Scotia,  Comes  to 
St.  John,  Returns  to  Nova  Scotia  and  is  Arrested  there  by 
the  New  Brunswick  Authorities  and  Lodged  in  Kingston 
Gaol. 9 

CHAPTER  H. 

Examination  Before  Justices  Pickett  and  Ketchum  and  Com- 
mitment for  Trial  —  Would  not  Join  the  112th  Regiment 
to  Secure  Freedom  —  Before  the  Trial  Smith  was  Attacked 
by  a  Strange  Disease  which  Baffled  Physicians  —  Sup- 
posed to  be  Dying  He  Escapes  from  the  Gaol.  .  .  18 

CHAPTER  III. 

Pursued  by  Officers  of  the  Law  His  Whereabouts  are  Fre- 
quently Discovered  but  he  Eludes  his  Pursuers  —  Commits 
a  Number  of  Thefts  —  Taken  Before  a  Magistrate  he 
Makes  Satisfactory  Explanation  —  He  Goes  on  His  Way  — 
The  Court  Convenes  at  Kingston  Before  he  is  Apprehended  38 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Smith's  Wanderings  Through  the  Province  -  Leaves  a  Trail 
of  Larcenies  —  Arrested  and  Brought  Before  the  l  ourt  at 
Fredericton  He  Admits  Escaping  from  Kingston  Gaol  and 
is  Sent  Back  by  Judge  Saunders  —  Escapes  on  the  Way — 
Burglarizes  the  Home  of  the  Attorney-General  and  is 
Re-arrested,  and  After  a  Month  of  Liberty  is  Again  Placed 
in  Kingston  Gaol  .  .......  48 

CHAPTER  V. 

Chained  to  the  Floor  of  His  Dungeon  He  Contrived  to  Cut 
the  Chain  and  Had  also  Sawn  the  Bars  of  the  Grated 
Window  —  Makes  a  Second  Attempt  at  Escape  —  Breaks 
Chains,  Padlocks  and  Handcuffs  and  an  Iron  Collar  About 
His  Neck  —  Tries  Suicide  by  Hanging.  .  61 


CHAPTER  VI.  PAGE 

Second  Trial  Ordered  —  Smith  Continues  to  Break  Chains  and 
Relieved  Himself  of  Fetters  Rivetted  on  by  a  Blacksmith  — 
Reads  Bible  and  Makes  Straw  Figures  —  Feigns  Insanity 
when  Placed  on  Trial  —  Refused  to  Plead  —  Found  Guilty 
and  Sentenced  to  Death 79 

CHAPTER  VII. 

After  Sentence  Smith  Assumes  Indifference  to  His  Fate  — 
Breaks  Fastenings  Again  —  His  Marionette  Family 
Described  by  Sheriff  Bates  —  Tells  Something  of  His  Past 
History  —  His  Case  Considered  by  Supreme  Court  at 
Fredericton  ......  .  .  94 

CHAPTER  VIII 

Smith  Becomes  a  Fortune  Teller  und  Startles  the  Gaoler  — 
Foretells  His  Own  Release  —  Pardoned  by  the  Court  he 
Refuses  to  Leave  the  Gaol  which  he  Sets  on  Fire  in  a 
Mysterious  Way  —  Finally  Shipped  on  a  Schooner  to  Nova 
Scotia  with  His  Marionettes 110 

•  CHAPTER  IX. 

Did  Not  Go  to  His  Wife  in  Nova  Scotia  but  Made  a  Tour 
Committing  Various  Depredations  —  Is  Seen  in  Portland, 
Maine  —  Is  Heard  of  at  Boston  and  New  York  and  Then 
at  New  Haven  Where  He  Robbed  a  Hotel  —  Arrest  and 
1  -'-M -ape,  Recapture  and  Conviction.  ....  127 

CHAPTER  X. 

Seen  in  the  Connecticut  Prison  by  Sheriff  Bates  He  Denies 
That  He  is  Henry  More  Smith  — After  His  Release  from 
Prison  He  Robbed  a  Passenger  in  the  Boston  Coach  — 
Visits  Upper  Canada  as  a  Smuggler  —  Turns  up  a 
Preacher  in  the  Southern  States  —  Is  Arrested  in  Maryland 
for  Theft  Possibly  Finished  His  Career  in  Toronto  .  144 


BY  WAY  OF  INTRODUCTION 

Sometime  in  the  month  of  July,  1812,  nearly  a 
hundred  years  ago  now,  a  well  dressed,  smooth 
spoken  man,  less  than  thirty  years  of  age,  made  his 
appearance  at  Windsor,  Nova  Scotia.  He  was 
looking  for  employment,  but  gave  those  who 
enquired  about  his  antecedents  but  little  satisfaction, 
further  than  he  had  recently  come  from  England, 
and  could  do  almost  anything  in  a  mechanical  way, 
and  was  familiar  also  with  farm  work.  He  was 
engaged  under  the  name  of  Frederick  Henry  More 
by  a  farmer  named  Bond,  who  resided  in  the  village 
of  Rawden,  and  remained  there  about  a  year  without 
attracting  unusual  attention,  except  for  his  piety. 
Elizabeth,  the  daughter  of  his  employer,  became 
enamored  with  the  stranger  More  and  on  March  12, 
1813,  they  were  married,  much  against  the  will  of 
her  parents  and  friends. 

After  his  marriage  More  took  up  "the  occupations 
of  pedlar  and  tailor,  which  gave  him  an  opportunity 
to  travel  about  the  country  and  to  make  frequent 
excursions  to  Halifax,  where  he  appears  first  to 
have  turned  his  remarkable  talent  as  a  thief  and 
burglar  to  profitable  account  for  upwards  of  a  year 
before  he  was  detected.  He  escaped  the  clutches 
of  the  law  in  Nova  Scotia  and  reached  St.  John  in 
July,  1814.  Less  fortunate  in  his  operations  in 
New  Brunswick  than  he  had  been  in  Nova  Scotia, 
he  was  arrested  and  lodged  in  Kingston  gaol  on 
July  24,  1814  on  a  charge  of  horse  stealing,  which 


in  those  days  was  punishable  by  death.  Here  he 
gave  the  name  of  Henry  More  Smith.  Walter  Bates 
was  then  Sheriff  of  Kings  county,  and  it  is  to  him 
that  the  public  is  indebted  for  the  story  of  this 
many-sided  man,  who  was  beyond  all  question  the 
most  remarkable  person  ever  confined  in  a  New 
Brunswick  prison. 

Before  he  could  be  placed  on  trial  Smith  effected 
his  escape  by  an  assumed  illness,  which  deceived 
even  the  doctor  in  attendance.  Supposed ,  to  be 
dying,  he  was  left  alone  for  a  short  while,  jumped 
from  his  supposed  death  bed  and  ran  from  the 
prison,  eluding  his  captors  for  nearly  two  months 
before  he  was  again  landed  in  prison.  On  his 
return  to  gaol  he  broke  the  chains,  with  which  he 
was  secured,  removed  an  iron  collar  which  had 
been  riveted  about  his  neck  and  while  loaded  with 
chains  almost  escaped  by  sawing  the  iron  gratings 
on  the  windows  of  his  cell.  All  these  performances 
are  vouched  for  by  Sheriff  Bates  and  Gaoler  Dibble, 
in  whose  custody  he  was,  and  attested  by  many  of 
the  most  prominent  residents  of  Kingston  a 
century  ago. 

The  marionettes  he  made  while  feigning  insanity, 
after  he  had  been  sentenced  to  death,  were  the 
wonder  of  hundreds  who  not  only  saw  them,  but 
were  present  in  his  cell  when  he  made  them  per- 
form. It  was  not  so  much  the  puppet  show,  which 
caused  astonishment,  as  that  the  pu-ppets  could  be 
made  by  a  man  whose  only  materials  at  hand  were 
the  straw  in  his  bed  and  strips  torn  from  his 
clothing ;  all  made  while  he  was  handcuffed  and 
chained  to  the  floor  of  his  cell  by  heavy  ox-chains. 


Although  convicted  and  sentenced  to  death 
Smith  was  pardoned  and  escorted  to  St.  John  by 
Sheriff  Bates  and  placed  on  a  schooner  bound  for 
Windsor,  his  former  home.  This  was  on  August 
30,  1815,  more  than  a  year  after  his  arrest. 
Although  he  was  within  a  few  miles  of  the 
residence  of  his  wife  it  does  not  appear  that  he  even 
visited  her,  but  after  a  short  stay  in  Nova  Scotia 
left  the  province  and  made  his  appearance  in 
Maine.  Occasional  glimpses  of  his  life  in  the 
United  States  are  given  by  Sheriff  Bates  in  his 
narrative,  the  most  interesting  of  which  occurred  in 
Connecticut,  where  he  gave  the  authorities  about  as 
much  trouble  as  he  did  those  of  New  Brunswick. 
During  his  career  he  was  heard  of  at  points  so 
widely  divergent  as  the  Southern  States  and  Upper 
Canada.  The  last  information  of  him  was  in  what 
is  now  the  Province  of  Ontario  nearly  twenty  years 
after  he  had  quitted  Kingston,  where  he  was  still 
plying  his  trade  of  theft. 

The  story  as  told  in  subsequent  pages  by  Sheriff 
Bates  is  unique  in  criminal  annals  and  is  worthy  of 
careful  perusal. 

THE  PUBLISHER. 


HENRY    MORE    SMITH 

THE  MYSTERIOUS  STRANGER 


H 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  "Mysterious  Stranger"  Arrives  at  Windsor,  N.  S. —  Obtains 
Employment,  Professes  Religion  and  Marries  —  Suspected  of 
Theft  he  Leaves  Nova  Scotia,  Comes  to  St.  John,  Returns  to 
Nova  Scotia  and  is  Arrested  there  by  the  New  Brunswick 
Authorities  and  Lodged  in  Kingston  Jail. 

|ENRY  MORE  SMITH,  the  noted  individual 
who  forms  the  subject  of  this  narrative,  made 
his  first  appearance  among  us  in  the  year 
1812.  Previous  to  this,  we  have  no  information 
concerning  him.  Some  time  in  the  month  of  July, 
in  that  year,  he  appeared  at  Windsor,  in  Nova  Scotia, 
looking  for  employment,  and  pretended  to  have 
emigrated  lately  from  England.  On  being  asked 
what  his  occupation  was,  he  stated  that  he  was  a 
tailor ;  but  could  turn  his  hand  to  any  kind  of 
mechanical  business  or  county  employment.  He 
was  decently  clothed,  genteel  in  his  appearance, 
and  prepossessing  in  his  manner,  and  seemed  to 
understand  himself  very  well. 

Although  an  entire  stranger,  he  seemed  to  be 
acquainted  with  every  part  of  the  Province,  but 
studiously  avoided  to  enter  into  close  intimacy  with 
any  person,  associated  with  few,  and  carefully 
concealed  all  knowledge  of  the  means  by  which  he 
came  to  this  country,  and  also  of  his  origin  and 


10  Henry  More  Smith 


connections,  keeping  his  previous  life  and  history 
in  entire  obscurity. 

Finding  no  better  employment  he  engaged  in  the 
service  of  Mr.  Bond,  a  respectable  farmer  in  the 
village  of  Rawden,  who  agreed  with  him  for  a  month 
on  trial,  during  which  time  he  conducted  himself 
with  propriety  and  honesty ;  was  industrious, 
careful,  and  useful,  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of 
Mr.  Bond,  his  employer,  and  even  beyond  his 
expectations.  He  was  perfectly  inoffensive,  gentle, 
and  obliging  ;  using  no  intoxicating  liquors,  re- 
frained from  idle  conversation  and  all  improper 
language,  and  was  apparently  free  from  every  evil 
habit.  Being  engaged  for  some  time  in  working 
on  a  new  road  with  a  company  of  men,  whose 
lodging  was  in  a  camp,  rather  than  subject  himself 
to  the  pain  of  their  loose  conversation  in  the  camp 
he  chose  to  retire  to  some  neighboring  barn,  as  he 
pretended,  to  sleep  in  quiet,  and  was  always  early 
at  work  in  the  morning ;  but  as  the  sequel  will 
discover,  he  was  very  differently  engaged. 

A  ready  conformity  to  Mr.  Bond's  religious 
principles,  who  was  a  very  religious  man  of  the 
Baptist  persuasion,  formed  an  easy  yet  succesful 
means  for  further  ingratiating  himself  into  the  favor 
of  Mr.  Bond  and  his  family  ;  his  attendance  on 
morning  and  evening  prayers  was  always  marked 
with  regularity  and  seriousness  ;  and  in  the  absence 
of  Mr.  Bond,  he  would  himself  officiate  in  the  most 
solemn  and  devout  manner.  This  well  directed  aim. 
of  his  hyprocisy  secured  for  him  almost  all  he  could. 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  11 


wish  or  expect  from  this  family  ;  he  not  only  obtained 
the  full  confidence  of  Mr.  Bond  himself,  but  gained 
most  effectually  the  affections  of  his  favourite 
daughter,  who  was  unable  to  conceal  the  strength 
of  her  attachment  to  him,  and  formed  a  resolution 
to  give  her  hand  to  him  in  marriage.  Application 
was  made  to  Mr.  Bond  for  his  concurrence,  and, 
although  a  refusal  was  the  consequence,  yet  so 
strong  was  the  attachment,  and  so  firmly  were  they 
determined  to  consummate  their  wishes,  that  neither 
the  advice,  the  entreaties,  nor  the  remonstrances  of 
her  friends,  were  of  any  avail.  She  went  with  him 
from  her  father's  house  to  Windsor,  and  under  the 
name  of  Frederick  Henry  More,  he  there  married 
her  on  the  12th  of  March,  1813,  her  name  having 
been  Elizabeth  P. 

A\7hile  he  remained  at  Rawden,  although  he 
professed  to  be  a  tailor,  he  did  not  pursue  his 
business ;  but  was  chiefly  engaged  in  farming  or 
country  occupations.  After  his  removal  to  Windsor, 
and  his  marriage  to  Miss  Bond,  he  entered  on  a  new 
line  of  business,  uniting  that  of  the  tailor  and  pedlar 
together.  In  this  character  he  made  frequent  visits 
to  Halifax,  always  bringing  with  him  a  quantity  of 
goods  of  various  descriptions.  At  one  time  he  was 
known  to  bring  home  a  considerable  sum  of  money, 
and  upon  being  asked  how  he  procured  it  and  all 
those  articles  and  goods  he  brought  home,  he  replied 
that  a  friend  by  the  name  of  Wilson  supplied  him 
with  anything  he  wanted  as  a  tailor.  It  is  remark- 
able, however,  that  in  all  his  trips  to  Halifax,  h& 


12  Henry  More  Smith 

uniformly  set  out  in  the  forenoon  and  returned  next 
morning.  A  certain  gentleman,  speaking  of  him  as 
a  tailor,  remarked  that  he  could  cut  very  well  and 
make  up  an  article  of  clothing  in  a  superior  manner. 
In  fact,  his  genius  was  extraordinary,  and  he  could 
execute  anything  well  that  he  turned  his  attention 
to.  A  young  man  having  applied  to  him  for  a  new 
coat,  he  accordingly  took  his  measure,  and  promised 
to  bring  the  cloth  with  him  the  first  time  he  went 
to  Halifax.  Very  soon  after  he  made  his  journey 
to  Halifax,  and,  on  his  return,  happening  to  meet 
with  the  young  man,  he  showed  him  from  his 
portmanteau,  the  cloth,  which  was  of  a  superior 
quality,  and  promised  to  have  it  made  up  on  a 
certain  day,  which  he  punctually  performed  to  the 
entire  satisfaction  of  his  employer,  who  paid  him 
his  price  and  carried  off  the  coat. 

About  this  time  a  number  of  unaccountable  and 
mysterious  thefts  were  committed  in  Halifax. 
Articles  of  plate  were  missing  from  gentlemen's 
houses  ;  silver  watches  and  many  other  valuable 
articles  were  taken  from  silversmith's  shops,  and 
all  done  in  so  mysterious  a  manner,  that  no  marks 
of  the  robber's  hands  were  to  be  seen.  Three 
volumes  of  late  Acts  of  Parliament,  relating  to  the 
Court  of  Admiralty,  were  missing  from  the  office  of 
Chief  Justice  Strange  about  the  same  time ;  he 
offered  a  reward  of  three  guineas  to  any  person  who 
would  restore  them,  with  an  assurance  that  no 
questions  would  be  asked.  In  a  few  days  after, 
Mr.  More  produced  the  volumes,  which  he  said  lie 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  13 


had  purchased  from  a  stranger,  and  received  the 
three  guineas  reward  without  having  to  answer 
any  enquiries.  This  affair  laid  the  foundation  for 
strong  suspicions  that  Mr.  More  must  have  been 
the  individual  who  committed  those  secret  and 
mysterious  thefts  which  produced  so  much  astonish- 
ment in  various  quarters  ;  and,  just  at  this  crisis, 
these  suspicions  received  not  only  strong  corrobora- 
tion,  but  were  decidedly  confirmed  by  the  following 
fact.  While  the  young  man  whom  he  had 
furnished  with  the  new  coat,  as  was  previously 
noticed,  was  passing  through  the  streets  of  Halifax 
with  the  coat  on  his  back,  he  was  arrested  by  a 
gentleman  who  claimed  the  coat  as  his  own,  affirming 
that  it  had  been  stolen  from  him  some  time  since. 
This  singular  affair,  which  to  the  young  man  was 
extremely  mortifying  and  afflictive,  threw  immediate 
light  upon  all  those  secret  and  unaccountable 
robberies.  A  special  warrant  was  immediately 
issued  for  the  apprehension  of  More ;  however 
before  the  warrant  reached  Rawden,  he  had  made 
his  escape,  and  was  next  heard  of  as  travelling  on 
horseback,  with  a  portmanteau  well  filled  with 
articles  which  he  offered  for  sale,  as  he  proceeded 
on  his  way  by  the  River  Philip  ;  and  early  in  the 
month  of  July,  1814,  he  made  his  appearance  in 
Saint  John,  New  Brunswick,  by  the  name  of  Henry 
More  Smith.  He  did  not,  however,  enter  the  City 
with  his  horse,  but  put  him  up,  and  took  lodgings 
at  the  house  of  one  Mr.  Stackhouse,  who  resided  in 
a  bye-place  within  a  mile  of  the  City,  and  came 


14  Henry  More  Smith 

into  the  town  upon  foot.  He  found  means  to  become 
acquainted  with  the  officers  of  the  99th  Regiment, 
who,  finding  him  something  of  a  military  character, 
and  well  acquainted  with  horsemanship,  showed 
him  the  stud  of  horses  belonging  to  the  regiment. 
Smith,  perceiving  that  the  pair  of  horses  which  the 
'Colonel  drove  in  his  carriage  did  not  match,  they 
being  of  different  colors,  and  one  of  them  black, 
-observed  to  the  Colonel,  that  he  knew  of  an  excellent 
black  horse  in  Cumberland,  that  would  match  his 
black  one  perfectly.  The  Colonel  replied,  that  if 
he  were  as  good  as  his  own,  he  would  give  fifty 
pounds  for  him.  Smith  then  proposed,  that  if  he, 
the  Colonel,  would  advance  him  fifteen  pounds,  he 
would  leave  his  own  horse  in  pledge,  and  take  his 
passage  in  a  sloop  bound  for  Cumberland,  and 
bring  him  the  black  horse.  To  this  the  Colonel 
readily  consented,  and  paid  him  down  the  fifteen 
pounds.  This  opened  the  way  to  Smith  for  a  most 
flattering  speculation  ;  he  had  observed  a  valuable 
mare  feeding  on  the  marsh  contiguous  to  the  place 
where  be  had  taken  his  lodgings,  and  cast  his  eye 
upon  a  fine  saddle  and  bridle  belonging  to  Major 
King,  which  he  could  put  his  hand  on  in  the  night, 
With  these  facilities  in  view,  Smith  entered  on  his 
scheme  ;  he  put  himself  in  possession  of  the  saddle 
and  bridle,  determined  to  steal  the  mare  he  saw 
feeding  on  the  marsh,  ride  her  to  Nova  Scotia,  and 
there  sell  her ;  then  steal  the  black  horse  from 
Cumberland,  bring  him  to  the  Colonel,  receive  his 
two  hundred  dollars,  and  without  Moss  of  time 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  15 


transport   himself    within   the    boundaries  of    the 
United  States. 

This  scheme,  so  deeply  laid,  and  so  well  concerted, 
failed,  however,  of  execution,  and  proved  the 
means  of  his  future  apprehension.  Already  in 
possession  of  saddle  and  bridle,  he  spent  most  of  the 
night  in  fruitless  efforts  to  take  the  mare,  which  was 
running  at  large  in  the  pasture.  Abandoning  this 
part  of  his  plan  as  hopeless,  and  turning  his  horse- 
stealing  genius  in  another  direction,  he  recollected 
to  have  seen  a  fine  horse  feeding  in  a  field  near  the 
higway  as  he  passed  through  the  Parish  of  Norton, 
about  thirty  miles  on,  on  his  journey.  Upon  this 
fresh  scheme,  he  set  off  on  foot,  with  the  bridle  and 
saddle  in  the  form  of  a  pack  on  his  back,  passing 
along  all  the  succeeding  day  in  the  character  of  a 
pedler.  Night  came  on,  and  put  him  in  possession 
of  a  fine  black  horse,  which  he  mounted  and  rode 
on  in  prosecution  of  his  design,  which  he  looked 
upon  now  as  already  accomplished.  But  with  all 
the  certainty  of  success,  his  object  proved  a  failure, 
and  that  through  means  which  all  his  vigilance 
could  neither  foresee  nor  prevent.  From  the  want 
of  sleep  the  preceding  night,  and  the  fatigue  of 
travelling  in  the  day,  he  became  drowsy  and 
exhausted,  and  stopped  in  a  barn  belonging  to 
William  Fairweather,  at  the  bridge  that  crosses  the 
Millstream,  to  take  a  short  sleep,  and  start  again  in 
the  night,  so  as  to  pass  the  village  before  daylight. 
But,  as  fate  would  have  it,  he  overslept ;  and  his 
liorse  was  discovered  on  the  barn  floor  in  the 


16  Henry  More  Smith 


morning,  and  he  was  seen  crossing  the  bridge  by 
daylight.  Had  he  succeeded  in  crossing  in  the 
night,  he  would  in  all  probability  have  carried  out 
his  design ;  for  it  was  not  till  the  afternoon  of  the 
same  day,  that  Mr.  Knox  the  owner  of  the  horse, 
missed  him  from  the  pasture.  Pursuit  was 
immediately  made  in  quest  of  the  horse,  and  the 
circumstance  of  the  robber  having  put  him  up  at 
the  barn  proved  the  means  of  restoring  the  horse  to 
his  owner,  and  committing  the  robber  to  custody  ; 
for  there,  at  Mr.  Fairweather's,  information  was 
given  which  directed  the  pursuit  in  the  direct  track. 
Mr.  Knox,  through  means  of  obtaining  fresh  horses 
on  the  way,  pursued  him,  without  loss  of  time, 
through  the  Province  of  Nova  Scotia,  as  far  as 
Pictou,  a  distance  of  one  hundred  and  seventy 
miles,  which  the  thief  had  performed  with  the 
stole.n  horse  in  the  space  of  three  days.  There,  on 
the  24th  July,  the  horse  having  been  stolen  on  the 
20th,  Mr.  Knox  had  him  apprehended  by  the  Deputy 
Sheriff,  John  Parsons,  Esq.,  and  taken  before  the 
County  Justices  in  Court  then  sitting.  Besides  the 
horse,  there  were  a  watch  and  fifteen  guineas  found 
with  the  prisoner  ;  and  a  warrant  was  issued  by  the 
Court  for  his  conveyance  through  the  several 
Counties  to  the  gaol  of  Kings  County,  Province  of 
New  Brunswick,  there  to  take  his  trial.  Mr.  Knox 
states  that  he,  the  prisoner,  assumed  different 
names,  and  committed  several  robberies  by  the- 
way  ;  that  a  watch  and  a  piece  of  Indian  cotton 
were  found  with  him  and  returned  to  the  owners  :. 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  17 

that  on  the  way  to  Kingston  gaol  he  made  several 
attempts  to  escape  from  the  Sheriff,  and  that  but 
for  his  own  vigilance  he  never  would  have  been  able 
to  reach  the  prison  with  him,  observing  at  the  same 
time,  that  unless  he  were  well  taken  care  of  and 
secured,  he  would  certainly  make  his  escape.  He 
was  received  into  prison  for  examination  on  the 
warrant  of  conveyance  without  a  regular  commit- 
ment. 


18  Henry  More  Smith 


CHAPTER  II. 

Examination  Before  Justice  Pickett  and  Ketchum  and  Commit- 
ment for  Tial  —  Would  not  Join  the  112th  Regiment  to 
Secure  Freedom  —  Before  the  Trial  Smith  was  Attacked  by  a 
Strange  Disease  which  Baffled  Physicians  —  Supposed  to  be 
Dying  He  Escapes  from  the  Gaol. 

SHE  prisoner  had  rode  all  day  in  the  rain, 
and  having  had  no  opportunity  of  chang- 
ing his  clothes,  which  by  this  time  had 
become  very  wet,  it  was  thought  necessary,  lest  he 
should  sustain  injury,  to  put  him  into  the  debtors' 
room,  handcuffed,  where  he  could  have  an  oppor- 
tunity of  warming  and  drying  himself  at  the  fire  ; 
the  stove  having  been  out  of  repair  in  the. criminal's 
room.  The  day  following  he  was  removed  into  the 
criminal's  room,  where  irons  were  considered 
unnecessary;  and,  as  he  appeared  quite  peaceable, 
his  handcuffs  were  taken  off,  and  being  furnished 
with  a  comfortable  berth,  he  seemed  reconciled  to 
his  situation. 

On  the  13th  of  August  I  received  the  following 
letter  from  the  Clerk  of  the  Circuit  Court  : 

DKAR  SIR,  —  Mr.  Knox  has  left  with  me  the 
examination,  etc.,  relating  to  More  Smith,  the  horse 
stealer,  now  in  your  gaol ;  these  are  all  taken  in  the 
Province  of  Nova  Scotia,  before  Magistrates  there, 
and  I  would  recommend  that  he  be  brought  up 
before  the  Magistrates  in  your  County  and  examined 
and  <he  examination  committed  to  writing.  I  do 
not  know  under  what  warrant  he  is  in  your  custody  ; 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  19 


but  I  think  it  would  be  as  well  for  the  same  Magis- 
trates to  make  out  a  Mitimus  after  the  examination, 
as  it  would  be  more  according  to  form. 

T  remain,  dear  sir,  yours, 

WARD  CHIPMA.N. 

After  proper  notice,  Judge  Pickett,  Mr.  Justice 
Ketchum,  and  Mr.  Knox,  all  attended  his  examin- 
ations ;  in  the  course  of  which  he  said  his  name  was 
Henry  More  Smith,  twenty  years  of  age,  came  from 
England  on  account  of  the  war,  had  been  in  America 
about  a  year  and  a  half,  that  lie  was  born  in  Brighton, 
that  his  father  and  mother  were  living  there  now, 
and  that  he  expected  them  out  to  Halifax  the  ensu- 
ing spring ;  that  he  purchased  a  farm  for  them  on 
the  River  Philip,  and  had  written  for  them  to  come. 
He  also  stated  that  he  came  to  St.  John  on  business, 
where  he  fell  in  with  Colonel  Daniel,  of  the  99th 
Regiment,  who  proposed  to  give  him  two  hundred 
dollars  if  he  would  bring  him  a  black  horse,  within 
a  fortnight,  that  would  span  with  his  own  of  the 
same  color,  that  he  told  the  Colonel  that  he  knew 
one  that  would  match  his  perfectly,  and  that  if  he 
would  lend  him  fifteen  guineas,  he  would  leave  his 
own  mare  in  pledge  until  he  would  bring  the  horse, 
as  he  knew  there  was  a  vessel  then  in  St.  John  bound 
to  Cumberland,  where  the  horse  was.  To  this 
proposal  he  said  the  Colonel  agreed,  and  having 
received  the  money  and  left  the  mare,  went  to  his 
lodgings  ;  but  before  he  could  return,  the  vessel 
had  left  him  ;  and  having  no  other  conveyance  by 
water,  he  was  obliged  to  set  out  on  foot ;  and  having 


20  Henry  More  Smith 


a  long  journey  to  travel,  and  but  short  time  to  per- 
form it  in,  he  travelled  all  night,  and  at  daylight 
was  overtaken  by  a  stranger  with  a  large  horse  and 
a  small  mare,  which  he  offered  for  sale,  and  that  he- 
being  weary  with  walking  all  night,  offered  him  ten 
pounds  for  the  mare,  which  he  accepted,  That  they 
continued  their  journey  some  time,  and  began  to  find 
out  that  the  mare  would  not  answer  his  purpose  ;  the 
horse  being  a  good  looking  one,  which  he  might  sell 
again  for  tile  money,  he  bantered  the  stranger  for 
a  swap,  which  was  effected  by  giving  the  in  are  and 
fifteen  pounds  in  exchange  for  the  horse,  saddle  and 
bridle.  He  then  produced  a  receipt  which  he  said 
the  stranger  game  him,  to  the  following  effect  : 

Received,  July  20,  1814,  of  Henry  More  Smith, 
fifteen  pounds,  in  swap  of  a  horse  between  a  small 
mare  and  a  large  horse,  I  let  him  have,  with  a  star, 
six  or  seven  years  old.  JAMES  CHURMAN. 

He  then  stated  that  he  proceeded  on  to  Cumber- 
land, and  bargained  for  the  black  horse  which  was 
the  object  of  his  pursuit ;  and  not  having  money 
enough  to  pay  for  him,  without  selling  the  one  he 
rode,  and  hearing  that  Captain  Dixon,  of  Truro, 
wanted  to  purchase  such  a  horse,  and  finding  that 
he,  Captain  Dixon,  had  gone  on  to  Pictou,  forty  miles 
further,  to  attend  Court,  he  was  obliged  to  follow 
him  with  all  speed.  That  the  next  day  being  Sun- 
day, he  was  obliged  to  wait  till  Monday  to  sell  his 
horse,  and  was  there  apprehended  by  Mr.  Knox  and 
charged  with  stealing  his  horse  ;  that  he  was  taken 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  21 

before  the  Court,  and  had  all  his  money,  his  watch, 
and  his  horse,  taken  from  him,  and  was  sent  back 
to  King's  County  gaol  to  take  his  trial ;  and  com- 
plained, that  as  he  was  an  entire  stranger,  and  had 
no  one  to  speak  for  him,  unless  the  man  was  taken 
•who  sold  him  the  horse,  his  case  might  be  desperate, 
for  he  had  neither  friends  nor  money,  nor  any  one 
who  knew  him  to  take  his  part.  He  complained  also 
of  having  been  badly  used  by  Mr.  Knox  on  the  way. 
Having  been  asked  by  Mr.  Knox,  in  the  course 
of  his  examination  what  occupation  he  followed  in 
the  country,  he  replied,  "  No  one  in  particular." 
Mr.  Knox  then  hastily  asked  him  how  he  got  his 
living.  He  replied,  with  great  firmness  and  self- 
possession,  "  By  my  honesty,  Sir."  After  this 
examination  a  regular  commitment  Avas  made  out, 
and  he  returned  to  prison.  He  submitted  to  his 
confinement  without  a  murmur,  and  with  much 
seeming  resignation  ;  but  complained  of  great  pain 
in  his  side  occasioned  by  cold  he  had  received.  He 
seemed  anxious  for  an  opportunity  to  send  for  his 
portmanteau,  which  he  had  said  he  had  left  with 
some  other  articles  in  the  care  of  Mr.  Stackhouse  near 
Saint  John.  The  portmanteau,  he  said,  contained 
his  clothes,  which  he  would  be  obliged  to  sell  to  raise 
money  for  the  purpose  of  procuring  necessaries  and 
engaging  a  lawyer,  repeating  again,  thai,  as  he  was 
a  stranger  and  had  no  friends  to  help  him,  there 
would  be  but  little  chance  for  him,  though  innocent, 
except  the  thief  who  stole  the  horse  was  taken  and 
brought  to  justice. 


22  Henry  More  Smith 

It  so  happened,  on  the  day  following,  that  I  had 
occasion  to  go  to  the  City  of  Saint  John  in  company 
with  Dr.  Adino  Paddock,  senr.,  when,  on  our  way, 
he  had  occasion  to  call  at  Mr.  Nathaniel  Golding's 
tavern,  in  Hampton  ;  and  while  placing  our  horses 
under  his  shed,  we  perceived  a  man  mounting  a 
horse  in  great  haste,  that  was  standing  at  the  steps 
of  the  door,  who  immediately  rode  off  with  all 
possible  speed,  as  though  he  were  in  fear  of  being 
overtaken.  On  inquiring  who  he  was,  we  were 
informed  by  Mrs.  Golding  that  he  was  a  stranger 
who  had  called  there  once  or  twice  before,  and  that 
she  believed  his  name  was  Chuman  or  Churman. 
I  observed  to  the  Doctor  that  that  was  the  name  of 
the  man  from  whom  the  prisoner,  Smith,  said  he 
purchased  the  horse  ;  upon  which  Mrs.  Golding  said 
that  she  could  ascertain  that  by  inquiring  in  the 
other  room,  which  she  was  requested  to  do,  and  was 
answered  in  the  affirmative. 

We  made  frequent  inquiries  by  the  way,  as  we 
proceeded  towards  Saint  John,  but  could  ascertain 
nothing  further  of  the  stranger  by  that  name. 
After  my  return  from  Saint  John  1  informed  the 
prisoner,  Smith,  of  what  happened  by  the  way ;  he 
appeared  exceedingly  elated  with  the  idea  of  his 
being  the  man  that  had  sold  him  the  horse,  and  said 
that  if  he  had  money  or  friends  he  could  have  him 
taken  and  brought  to  justice,  and  would  soon  be 
restored  to  liberty  again  himself  ;  but  that  if  he  were 
suffered  to  make  his  escape  out  of  the  country,  his 
own  case  would  be  deplorable  indeed,  though  he 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  23 

was  innocent.  He  again  reiterated  his  complaint, 
that  he  was  destitute  of  money  and  friends,  in  a 
strange  country,  although  anxious  to  employ  a 
lawyer,  he  did  not  know  of  any  to  whom  he  could 
apply  for  advice.  He  was  recommended  to  Charles 
J.  Peters,  Esq.,  attorney,  in  St.  John,  with  the 
assurance,  that  if  there  were  an}^  possibility  in  the 
case  of  getting  him  clear,  Mr.  Peters  woiild  exert 
himself  in  his  behalf  most  faithfully.  The  first 
opportunity  that  offered,  he  sent  an  order  to  Mr. 
Stackhouse  for  his  portmanteau,  with  instructions 
to  apply  the  proceeds  of  certain  articles,  which  he 
had  left  him  for  sale,  if  disposed  of,  in  retaining  Mr. 
Peters  as  his  attorney.  The  return  brought  a 
handsome  portmanteau  and  a  pair  of  boots,  leaving 
a  small  sum  in  the  hands  of  Mr.  Peters,  as  part  of 
his  retainer,  which  was  to  be  increased  to  five 
guineas  before  the  sitting  of  the  court.  This 
arrangement  seemed  to  be  productive  of  much 
satisfaction  to  the  prisoner,  and  for  the  purpose  of 
fulfilling  the  engagement  with  Mr.  Peters,  he 
expressed  a  desire  to  dispose  of  the  contents  of  his 
portmanteau,  as  far  as  it  was  necessary  for  making 
up  the  sum.  He  gave  me  the  key,  with  which  I 
opened  his  portmanteau,  and  found  it  well  filled 
with  various  articles  of  valuable  clothing ;  two  or 
three  genteel  coats,  with  vests  and  pantaloons,  of  the 
first  quality  and  cut  ;  a  superior  top-coat  of  the 
latest  fashion,  faced  with  black  silk,  with  silk 
stockings  and  gloves  and  a  variety  of  books,  con- 
sisting of  a  neat  pocket-bible  and  prayer-book,  a. 


24  Henry  More  Smith 

London  Gazetteer,  a  Ready  Reckoner,  and  several 
other  useful  books.       He  had  also  a  night  and  day 
spy-glass  of  the  best  kind,  and  a  small  magnifying 
glass  in  a  tortoise-shell  case,  with  many  other  useful 
articles.     Suspicions     of    his    not     having     come 
honestly  by  the  contents  of  his  portmanteau   was 
not  the  impression  that  was  made  ;  but  rather  that 
he  had  been  handsomely  and  respectably  fitted  out 
by  careful  and  affectionate  parents,  anxious  for  his 
comfort   and   happiness,  and  that   he  was,    in    all 
probability,  innocent  of  the  charge  alleged  against 
him .     He  soon  commenced  selling  off  his  little  stock, 
and   for  the  purpose   of  affording  him    a  facility, 
persons,  wishing  to  purchase  from  him,  were  per- 
mitted to  come  to  the  wicket  door,  through  which 
he  could  make  his  bargain,  and  dispose  of  his  things. 
He  never  failed  to  endeavor  to  excite  the  pity  of 
those  who  came  to  visit  him,  by  representing  his 
deplorable   situation,    he    being  reduced  to      the 
necessity  of  selling  his  clothes  to  raise  the  means 
of  defending  his  innocence  in  a  strange  country  from 
the  unfortunate  charge  preferred  against  him.     Nor 
did  he   fail  of   his  purpose,  for   many,    from  pure 
sympathy  for  his  unfortunate  situation  purchased 
from  him,  and  paid  him  liberally.  Among  those  who 
who  came  to  see  there  was  a  young  man,  who  said 
he  had  known  the  prisoner  in  St.  John  and  professed 
to   visit  him  from  motives  of  friendship  ;  he  had 
access  to  him  through  the  grates  of  the  window,  and 
some  of  the  glass  being  broken,  he  could  hold  free 
conversation  through  the  grates.     The  last  time  he 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  25 

came  lie  carried  off  the  night  and  day  glass  for  debt 
which  he  said  he  owed  him  while  in  St.  John ;  but 
the  probability  was  that  he  had  given  him  a  watch 
in  exchange. 

The  prison  was  then  kept  by  Mr.  Walter  Dibble, 
a  man  of  learning  and  talents,  who  for  several  years 
had  been  afflicted  with  a  painful  disease,  so  that  for 
a  great  part  of  the  time,  he  was  confined  to  the 
house,  and  frequently  to  his  room,  in  the  County 
Court  House,  where  he  taught  a  school,  by  which 
means,  together  with  the  fees  and  perquisites  of 
the  jail  and  court  house,  afforded  him  a  comfortable 
living  for  himself  and  family,  consisting  of  his  wife 
and  daughter,  and  one  son  named  John,  about 
nineteen  years  of  age,  who  constantly  attended  his 
father.  It  may  be  also  necessary  to  mention  that 
Mr.  Dibble  was  one  of  the  principal  members  of  the 
Masonic  Lodge  held  at  Kingston,  and  was  in  high 
esteem  among  them  ;  besides  he  was  regarded  by  all 
who  knew  him  as  a  man  of  honesty  and  integrity, 
and  well  worthy  to  fill  any  situation  of  responsibility 
or  trust.  I  am  induced  to  advert  to  those  particu- 
lars of  Mr.  Dibble's  character  because  I  am  indebted 
to  him  for  many  of  the  particulars  relative  to  the 
prisoner,  and  because,  having  had  a  person  who 
could  be  relied  on,  there  was  less  necessity  for  my 
visiting  the  prisoner  very  frequently,  which  did  not 
exceed  once  a  week  generally,  except  upon  special 
occasions. 

Shortly  after  the  commitment  of  the  prisoner  he 
was  visited  by  Lieutenant  Baxter,  an  officer  of  the 


26  Henry  More  Smith 

New  Brunswick  Regiment,  then  recruiting  at 
Kingston.  The  officer  proposed  to  the  prisoner  to 
enlist  him,  as  a  means  by  which  he  might  be 
released  from  his  confinement.  The  idea  he  spurned 
with  contempt,  and  chose  rather  to  await  the  issue 
of  his  trial,  depending  on  his  professed  innocence 
of  the. crime  for  which  he  stood  committed.  He  was, 
however,  prevailed  on  to  write  to  his  attorney  on 
the  subject,  and  received  for  his  answer  that  such  a 
measure  was  inadmissible,  and  advised  him  to 
content  himself  and  await  the  issue  of  his  trial. 
He  appeared  much  displeased  with  the  abruptness 
of  his  attorney's  answer,  and  seemed  rather  to  look 
upon  this  short  and  summary  reply,  as  an  indication 
of  his  displeasure  with  him,  and  as  an  omen  that 
he,  his  attorney,  would  not  interest  himself  much 
in  his  behalf. 

About  this  time,  Sept.  7th,  I  received  a  letter  from 
the  Clerk  of  the  Circuit  Court  enclosing  a  Precept 
to  summon  a  Court  of  Oyer  and  Terminer  and 
General  Gaol  Delivery,  to  be  held  at  Kingston,  on 
Tuesday,  the  27th  of  September.  On  the  approach 
of  the  period  for  his  trial,  he  was  encouraged  by  his 
friends  to  rely  with  full  confidence  on  his  attorney, 
with  repeated  assurances  that  he  would  give  his 
case  all  possible  attention :  but  with  all  his  professed 
ignorance  of  the  law,  (and  this  ignorance  he  had 
often  declared  with  apparent  simplicity),  the 
prisoner  knew  too  much  of  it  to  resign  himself  with 
confidence  to  the  issue  of  a  cause  which  could 
promise  him  nothing  but  conviction,  and  confirm 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  27 

his  guilt.  He  therefore,  upon  his  professed  dis- 
satisfaction with  his  attorney,  appeared  to  think 
no  more  about  him,  nor  to  renew  his  enquiries 
concerning  him,  but  set  about  a  more  summary 
method  of  extricating  himself  from  the  power  of  the 
law.  He  turned  his  attention  to  the  Bible,  and 
perused  it  with  an  air  of  much  seriousness,  as 
though  the  concerns  of  the  unseen  world  engrossed 
all  his  thoughts ;  he  behaved  himself  in  every 
respect  with  becoming  propriety,  and  his  wrhole 
demeanor  was  such  as  to  engage  much  interest  in 
his  behalf. 

About  this  time  he  discovered  symptoms  of  a 
severe  cold,  being  troubled  with  a  hollow  sounding 
cough,  and  complained  of  a  pain  in  the  side,  but 
still  submitted  to  his  confinement  without  a  murmur 
or  complaint.  He  would  frequently  advert  to  the 
ill  usage  which  he  said  he  had  received  by  the  way 
from  Pictou,  after  he  was  made  prisoner,  particularly 
of  a  blow  in  the  side  with  a  pistol,  given  by  Mr.  Knox, 
which  felled  him  to  the  ground,  as  he  expressed  it, 
like  a  dead  man  ;  that  when  he  had  recovered  his 
respiration  which  had  been  for  some  time  suspended, 
he  raised  blood,  and  continued  to  raise  blood 
occasionally  by  the  way  for  two  or  three  days  ;  that 
the  pain  had  never  left  him  since,  and  was,  as  he 
believed,  approaching  to  a  gathering  in  the  inside, 
which  he  feared  would  finally  prove  fatal  to  him. 
He  showed  a  bruised  spot  on  his  side  which  was 
swelled  and  much  discolored,  and  apparently  very 
painful.  All  this  was  accompanied  with  loss  of 


28  Henry  More  Smith 

appetite  and  increased  feebleness  of  body ;  but  he 
still  discovered  a  remarkable  resignation  to  his  fate. 
His  situation  was  such  as  to  excite  sympathy  and 
feeling,  so  that  an  endeavor  was  made  to  render  him 
as  comfortable  as  possible,  by  keeping  his  apartment 
properly  tempered  with  heat,  and  providing  him 
with  such  food  as  was  adapted  to  the  delicacy  of  his 
constitution. 

His  disease,  however,  continued  to  increase,  and 
his  strength  to  decline,  with  all  the  symptoms  of 
approaching  dissolution  ;  pain  in  the  head  and  eyes, 
dizziness,  with  sickness  at  the  stomach,  frequent 
raising  of  blood,  and  of  increased  painfulness  of  the 
contusion  on  his  side.  It  was  now  considered  high 
time  to  apply  to  a  physician,  and  on  the  llth  of 
September  I  sent  for  a  doctor,  who  examined  his  side, 
and  the  general  state  of  his  disease,  and  gave  him 
some  medicine.  On  the  12th,  he  appeared  a  little 
better.  Thirteenth,  at  evening,  grew  worse.  Four- 
teenth, unable  to  walk, —  very  high  fever,  with 
frequent  chills  of  ague.  Fifteenth,  vomiting  and 
raising  blood  more  frequently.  Sixteenth,  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Scovil  visited  him  in  the  morning,  found 
him  very  ill,  and  sent  him  toast  and  wine  and  some 
other  cordials.  Same  day  the  doctor  attended  him 
at  3  o'clock,  and  gave  him  medicine.  At  6  o'clock,  no 
better,  and  vomiting  whatever  he  took.  Eighteenth, 
appeared  still  to  grow  worse  ;  was  visited  by  Judge 
Pickett  and  several  other  neighbors,  and  being  asked 
whether  he  wanted  anything,  or  what  he  could  take, 
answered  "  nothing,  except  an  orange  or  a  lemon." 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  29 

Nineteenth,   appeared  to  decline  very  fast ;    at  2 
o'clock,  was  visited  by  the  doctor,  who  said  the  man 
must  be  removed  out  of  that  room,  that  he  was  too 
ill  to  be  kept  there,  and  that  it  was  of  no  use  to  give 
him  medicine  in  so  damp  a  place.    Twentieth,  in  the 
morning,  found  him  still  declining ;  at  ten  o'clock, 
Mr.  Thaddeus  Scribner  and  others  went  in  to  see 
him,  inspecting  the  room,  but  found  no  dampness 
that  could  injure  even  a  sick  man  taking  medicine. 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Scovil  visited  him  in  the  afternoon, 
and  introduced  the  subject  of  his  approaching  end. 
The  prisoner  conversed  freely  on  the  subject,  and 
expressed  his  conviction  that  there  was  little  or  no 
hope  of  his  recovery.     He  stated  to  Mr.  Scovil  that 
he  was  born  in   England,   that   his  parents  were 
formerly  attached  to  the  Church  of  England,  but 
had  lately  joined  the  Methodists  ;  that  he  came  from 
England,    on   account   of    the   war,    and   that   he 
expected  his  parents  to  come  to  the  country  next 
spring,  which  last  circumstance    seemed  to  excite 
in  him  strong   emotions.     Twenty-first,    the    Rev. 
Mr.  Scovil  with  others  of  the  neighborhood  visited 
him    in    the     morning ;  no    favorable    symptoms. 
Twenty-second,     the    prisoner   very    low ;    violent 
fever,  accompanied  with  chills  and  ague.     Inflam- 
mation of  the  bowels,  with  evacuations  of  blood  for 
the  last  two  days,  extremities  cold,    and   strength 
greatly   reduced,     insomuch   that    he    could    only 
just  articulate  above  his  breath.     AVas  understood 
to   say,  that   he  should  die   for  want   of   medical 
assistance,  as  the  doctor  had  refused  to  attend  him 


30  Henry  More  Smith 

any  more  in  that  place,  and  the  sheriff  refused  to 
remove  him. 

His  situation  had  by  this  time  excited  general 
sympathy  and  pity ;  his  seeming  simplicity, 
passiveness  and  resignation,  greatly  contributing  to 
produce  the  effect.  At  6  o'clock,  Rev.  Mr.  Scovil 
and  a  great  number  of  the  neighbors  came  and  sat 
with  him  till  ten  o'clock,  and  then  left  him  with 
the  impression  that  he  would  not  live  till  morning. 
Friday,  23rd,  went  to  the  gaol  early  in  the  morning, 
found  the  prisoner  lying  on  the  floor,  naked,  and 
seemingly  in  great  distress  ;  said  he  had  fallen 
through  pain  and  weakness,  and  could  not  get  up 
again.  He  was  taken  up  and  carried  to  bis  bed  ; 
appeared  as  though  he  would  instantly  expire ; 
continued  in  a  low  and  almost  lifeless  state  till 
5  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  when  he  appeared  to  all 
present  to  be  really  dying.  Rev.  Mr.  Scovil,  Mr. 
Perkins,  Mr.  G.  Raymond,  all  near  neighbors,  and 
Mr.  Eddy,  from  Saint  John,  who  happened  to  be  in 
Kingston  at  the  time,  all  supposed  him  to  be  in  the 
agonies  of  death.  He  fell  into  a  state  of  insensi- 
bility, and  continued  so  until  a  phial  of  hartshorn 
was  brought  from  an  adjoining  room,  the  application 
of  which  seemed  to  revive  him  a  little. 

After  some  time  he  recovered  so  far  as  to  be  able 
to  articulate,  and  upon  its  being  observed  to  him 
that  he  had  a  fit,  he  replied  that  he  was  sensible  of 
it,  and  that  it  was  his  family  infirmity,  and  that 
many  of  his  connections  had  died  in  the  same  way; 
and  further  remarked  that  he  did  not  think  he 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  31 


•could  survive  another,  which  would  probably  come 
upon  him  about  the  same  time  next  day  ;  that  he 
was  sensible  he  should  not  recover  ;  but  that  God 
would  have  him.  He  then  asked  Mr.  Scovil  to  pray 
with  him  ;  his  desire  was  complied  with,  and 
prayer  offered  up  in  the  most  solemn  and  devout 
manner  ;  the  occasion  was  deeply  affecting,  and  all 
departed  with  the  full  conviction,  that  the  patient 
would  not  linger  till  the  morning. 

Previous  to  this,  no  regular  watchers  had 
attended  him  ;  but  it  was  now  considered  highly 
necessary  that  some  persons  should  sit  with  him  till 
the  morning  ;  consequently  John  Dibble  and 
Charles  Cambreau  were  appointed  by  the  sheriff  to 
watch  him  through  the  night. 

The  next  morning  the  following  letter  was 
dispatched  to  Mr.  Peters,  the  prisoner's  attorney  : 

DEAR  SIR  :  —  I  fear  we  shall  be  disappointed  in 
our  expectations  of  the  trial  of  the  prisoner,  More 
Smith,  at  the  approaching  Court,  as  I  presume  from 
appearance,  he  will  be  removed  by  death  before 
that  time.  He  is  dying  in  consequence  of  a  blow 
that  he  received,  as  he  says,  from  Mr.  Knox,  with  a 
pistol,  which  he  has  regularly  complained  of  since 
he  has  been  in  gaol,  and  is  now  considered  past 
recovery.  As  it  will  be  a  matter  of  enquiry,  and 
new  to  me,  I  will  thank  you  to  let  me  know  by  the 
bearer  what  would  be  the  necessary  steps  for  me  to 
take  ;  and  not  fail,  as  I  have  but  little  hopes  of  his 
continuing  till  morning. 

Yours,  &c.,       WALTER 


The  return  of  the  bearer  brought  the  following  : 


32  Henry  More  Smith 

ST.  JOHN,  Sept.  24th,  —  Dear  Sir,  —  Your  favor 
of  yesterday  I  received  this  morning,  and  I  am 
sorry  to  hear  so  desponding  an  account  of  the 
unfortunate  man  in  your  custody.  It  will  be  your 
duty,  I  conceive,  to  have  a  Coroner's  inquest  on  the 
body,  and  then  have  it  decently  interred.  With 
respect  to  the  cause  of  the  death,  that  is  a  circum- 
stance which  must  rest  wholly  on  facts ;  if  any 
physician  shall  attend  him,  let  him  be  particular  in 
taking  down  in  writing  what  the  man  says  in  his 
last  moments,  as  to  the  circumstances  ;  and  if  a 
Justice  should  be  then  present,  it  would  not  "be- 
amiss. 

In  haste,  yours,  sincerely, 

C.  J.  PETERS. 

Saturday,  24th.  —  The  watchers  reported  that  he- 
had  passed  a  very  restless  night,  and  but  just- 
survived  the  morning ;  that  he  complained  for 
want  of  medical  assistance.  The  following  note- 
was  then  sent  to  the  doctor  who  had  attended  him : 

KINGSTON,  September  24th,  18-14,  —  Dear  Doctor  : 
Smith,  the  prisoner,  says  that  he  is  suffering  for 
want  of  medical  assistance,  and  that  you  will  not 
attend  him  unless  he  is  removed  into  another  room, 
which  cannot  be  permitted  ;  he  must  take  his  fate 
where  he  now  is,  and  if  he  dies  in  gaol,  an  enquiry 
will  take  place  which  may  prove  to  your  disadvant- 
age. I  must  therefore  request  your  attention. 

I  am  yours,  &c., 
DR.  A.  PADDOCK,  JR.  WALTER  BATES. 

At  this  time  the  sympathy  and  compassion  of  the 
whole  neighborhood  was  excited  to  the  highest 
degree.  The  .family  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Scovil?. 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  33 


especially  manifested  deep  concern  for  him,  and 
sent  him  everything  that  they  thought  would  either 
comfort  or  relieve  him  ;  as  did  also  the  the  family  of 
Mr.  Perkins,  and  that  of  Mr.  Raymond  ;  all  these 
having  been  in  the  immediate  neighborhood.  But 
the  prisoner  used  little  or  none  of  their  cordials  or 
delicacies.  Mr.  Perkins  visited  him  about  10 
o'clock,  a.m.,  and  kindly  proposed  to  watch  with 
him  the  ensuing  night,  for  which  he  discovered 
much  thankfulness.  In  the  course  of  the  day  the 
doctor,  came,  and  gave  him  some  medicine  ;  but 
found  him  so  weak,  that  he  required  to  be  lifted 
and  supported  while  he  was  receiving  it.  The 
doctor  acknowledged  his  low  state,  but  did  not 
think  him  so  near  his  end,  as  to  die  before  morning, 
unless  he  should  go  off  in  a  fit.  This,  the  patient 
said,  was  what  he  had  reason  to  fear  would  be  his 
fate  before  morning,  and  therefore  wished  to  make 
his  will. 

All  his  clothes,  at  his  death,  he  willed  to  John 
Dibble  ;  and  his  money,  about  three  pounds,  which 
he  always  kept  by  him  in  his  berth,  he  bequeathed 
to  the  jailor,  for  his  kind  attention  to  him  in  his 
sickness.  The  money  Mr.  Dibble  proposed  to  take 
charge  of ;  but  Smith  said  it  was  safe  where  it  was 
for  the  present. 

Mr.  N.  Perkins  having  had  occasion  to  call  that 
day  on  Mr.  W.  H.  Lyon,  was  enquired  of  by  him 
concerning  the  state  of  the  prisoner.  Mr.  Perkins 
informed  him  that  he  was  alive  when  he  left  him  ; 
but  thought  he  would  be  dead  before  night.  This. 


34  Henry  More  Smith 

information  Mr.  Lyon  communicated  the  same 
evening  to  a  number  of  persons  who  were  assembled 
at  the  house  of  Mr.  Scribner,  and  added  that  he 
was  dead,  for  that  while  he  was  on  his  way  to 
Mr.  Scribner' s,  (it  having  been  in  the  dusk  of  the 
evening,)  he  had  seen  Smith's  Ghost  pass  by  him  at 
a  short  distance  off,  without  touching  the  ground. 
This  singular  report,  as  it  came  from  a  quarter  that 
could  not  be  well  disputed,  very  much  alarmed  the 
whole  company,  and  formed  the  subject  of:  their 
conversation  for  the  evening. 

But  return  to  our  narrative.  After  the  prisoner 
had  made  his  will,  he  was,  for  a  short  time,  left 
alone,  with  the  probability  that  he  would  shortly  be 
seized  by  another  fit,  which  he  was  not  expected  to 
survive.  About  6  o'clock  in  the  evening,  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Scovil  observed  to  his  family,  that  it  was  then 
about  the  same  hour  of  the  day  at  which  Smith  had 
had  his  fit  on  the  day  preceding  ;  that  he  thought 
he  would  die  suddenly  ;  he  would  therefore  walk 
over  to  the  Court  House  and  be  ready  there  at  the 
time,  as  it  must  be  unpleasant  for  Mr.  Dibble  to  be 
alone.  This  so  much  awakened  the  sensibilities  of 
Mrs.  Scovil,  that  she  could  not  bear  the  reflection, 
that  a  child  of  parents  that  were  perhaps  respectable, 
should  be  so  near  her,  in  a  strange  country,  sick 
and  dying,  on  a  bed  of  straw.  She  therefore  called 
Amy,  her  wench.  "Here,"  said  she,  "take  this 
feather  bed,  and  carry  it  to  the  gaol,  and  tell 
Mr.  Dibble  that  I  have  sent  it  for  Snlith  to  die  on." 
Mr.  Scovil  had  been  in  the  house,  and  seated  with 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  35 

Mr.  Dibble  but  a  very  short  time,  when  a  noise  was 
heard  from  Smith  in  the  gaol.  John  Dibble,  who 
constantly  attended  on  him,  ran  in  haste,  unlocked 
the  prison  door,  found  him  in  the  agonies  of  a  fit, 
and  almost  expiring.  He  made  an  effort  to  speak, 
and  begged  John  to  run  and  heat  a  brick  that  was 
near,  and  apply  it  to  his  feet,  to  give  him  one 
moment's  relief  while  he  was  dying,  for  that  his 
feet  and  legs  were  already  cold  and  dead  to  the 
knees.  John,  willing  to  afford  what  relief  he  could 
to  the  dying  man,  ran  in  great  haste  from  the  gaol 
through  the  passage  round  the  stairway  that  led  to 
the  kitchen,  where  was  a  large  fire  of  coals,  into 
which  he  cast  the  brick,  waited  but  a  few  minutes, 
and  returned  with  the  heated  brick  to  the  prison  ; 
but  to  his  indiscribable  astonishment,  and  almost 
unwilling  to  believe  the  evidence  of  his  senses,  the 
dying  man  had  disappeared,  and  could  not  be 
found  !  !  !  John  ran  with  the  tidings  to  his  father 
and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Scovil,  who  were  sitting  in  a  room 
which  the  prisoner  must  have  passed  in  making  his 
escape.  They  were  entirely  incredulous  to  the 
report  of  an  affair  so  unparalleled,  and  would  not 
yield  their  belief  until  they  searched  every  corner 
of  the  apartment  themselves,  and  found  that  Smith 
had  not  only  effected  his  escape,  but  had  also  carried 
his  money,  his  boots,  and  every  article  of  clothing 
away  with  him. 

It  is  impossible  to  conceive  or  describe  the  feeling 
of  astonishment  with  which  every  one  about  the 
house  was  filled,  when  they  found  that  the  man,  who 


36  Henry  More  Smith 

had  been  groaning  and  agonizing  under  the  pain 
of  an  accumulation  of  diseases,  which  night  after 
night,  seemed  to  have  been  wasting  his  strength, 
and  bringing  him  nearer  the  close  of  his  unhappy 
life  —  had,  in  a  moment,  and  the  very  moment 
which  was  thought  to  be  his  last,  seized  the 
opportunity  of  his  prison  door  being  open,  and 
rushed  from  his  confinement,  leaving  not  a  vestige 
of  his  moveables  behind  him.  As  soon  as  a  search 
through  the  prison  confirmed  the  fact  of  the  elope- 
ment, the  inmates  hastened  outside,  and  continued 
their  search  around  the  premises.  At  this  moment, 
Amy,  the  wench,  made  her  appearance,  carrying 
the  feather  bed  ;  and  seeing  the  people  around  the 
house  said  to  them  :  "  Misses  send  this  bed  for  Smit 
to  die  on."  Her  master  told  her  to  take  it  home,, 
and  tell  her  mistress  that  Smith  was  gone.  Amy 
ran  home  and  told  her  mistress  that  massa  say  Smit 
dead  and  gone  —  he  no  want  ini  bed!  "Ah!" 
exclaimed  her  mistress,  "  poor  man,  is  he  dead  ? 
Then,  Amy,  you  may  run  and  carry  this  shirt  and 
winding  sheet,  to  lay  Smith  out  in."  Amy  instantly 
obeyed,  and  told  her  master  accordingly.  "  You 
may  take  them  back,"  said  he,  "  Smith  is  gone  !  " 
"  Where  he  gone,  massa?  "  "  I  don't  know,"  said 
he,  "except  the  devil  has  taken  him  off!"  Amy 
hastened  back  to  her  mistress,  and  told  her  that 
"massa  say  Srnit  be  dead  and  gone,  and  the  devil 
has  taken  him  away  !  "  So  much  was  the  mind  of 
every  one  prepared  to  hear  of  his  death,  that  the- 
expression,  "  Smith  is  gone  !  "  served  to  convey  na 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  37 

other  idea.  The  sheriff  himself,  who  had  not  been 
present,  and  did  not  hear  of  the  affair  immediately, 
gave  the  sentence  the  same  interpretation.  A 
messenger  having  been  dispatched  to  him  with  the 
tidings,  met  him  on  his  way  to  the  gaol,  expecting 
to  witness  the  last  moments  of  the  patient.  On 
being  informed  by  the  messenger  that  "  Smith  was 
gone,"  "Ah  poor  fellow,"  he  exclaimed,  "I  expected 
it,"  "What  time  did  he  die?"  "But  he  is  gone 
clear  off."  "  It  is  impossible,"  rejoined  the  Sheriff, 
"that  he  can  be  far  from  his  sick  bed."  "Why," 
replied  the  messenger,  "  they  were  all  about  the 
gaol  looking  for  him,  and  no  one  could  tell  which 
way  he  had  gone."  "  Unparalleled  and  abominable 
deception  !"  replied  the  sheriff.  "  How  did  he  get 
out  of  gaol !  "  He  believed  John  Dibble  left  the 
door  open  while  he  ran  to  heat  a  brick,  and  then 
Smith  made  his  escape. 

This  was  to  us  the  first  development  of  the  true 
character  of  Henry  More  Smith,  and  thus,  by  means 
of  a  counterfeit  illness,  which  melted  the  feelings 
and  drew  the  sympathies  of  the  whole  neighbor- 
hood ;  which  baffled  every  power  of  detection,  and 
imposed  even  upon  the  physician  himself,  did  this 
accomplished  villain  effect  his  release,  and  was  now 
again  running  at  large,  glorying  in  the  issue  of  his 
.scheme. 


38  Henry  More  Smith 


CHAPTER  III. 

Pursued  by  Officers  of  the  Law  His  Whereabouts  are  Frequently 
Discovered  but  he  Eludes  his  Pursuers  —  Commits  a  Number 
of  Thefts  —  Taken  Before  a  Magistrate  he  makes  Satisfactory 
Explanation —  He  Goes  on  his  Way  —  The  Court  Convenes  at 
Kingston  Before  he  is  Apprehended. 

|UT  before  we  pursue  his  history  in  his 
succeeding  adventures,  it  may  be  necessary, 
for  those  who  are  unacquainted  with  the 
local  situation  of  the  gaol,  from  which  the  prisoner 
made  his  escape,  to  give  a  short  description  of  it. 
Kingston  is  situated  on  a  neck  or  tongue  of  land, 
formed  by  the  River  Saint  John,  and  Bellisle  Bay, 
running  north-east  and  south-west  on  the  western 
side  of  the  neck,  and  by  the  Kennebeccasis  running 
the  same  course  on  the  western  side,  leaving  a 
tract  of  land  between  the  two  rivers  about  five  miles 
in  breadth  and  thirty  miles  in  length. 

The  winter  road  from  Fredericton,  the  seat  of 
Government,  to  the  City  of  Saint  John  crosses 
the  land  at  Kingston  to  the  Kennebeccasis,  and 
this  road  is  inhabitated  on  both  sides.  The 
road  is  intersected  in  the  center  of  Kingston  by 
another  road  running  northeasterly  to  the  head  of 
Bellisle  Bay,  and  is  also  inhabited  on  both  sides,  at 
the  intersection  of  these  roads ;  on  an  eminence, 
stands  the  Court  house  (under  which  is  the  prison) 
and  church,  facing  each  other,  east  and  west,  at  a 
distance  of  about  eight  rods.  At  the  distance  of 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  39 

about  ten  rods  from  the  gaol  stands  the  house  of  Mr. 
F.  N.  Perkins,  to  the  north,  and  at  an  equal  distance 
to   the  south  the  house  of  the  Rev.    E.   Scovil  is 
situated,    with  various  other  houses  in     different 
directions  ;  the  land  clear  all  around  to  a  consider- 
able distance,  affording  no  hiding  place.     From  a 
prison  thus  situated  and  surrounded  with  dwelling- 
houses,  did  our  hero  escape,  without  any  eye  having 
seen  him,  and  leaving  no  mark  nor  track  behind 
which  could  direct  in  the  pursuit  of  him.     Finding 
ourselves  unable  to  pursue  in  any  certain  direction, 
our  conclusions  were  that  he  must  either  have  taken 
the  road  to  Saint  John  or  that  leading  to  Nova  Scotia 
the  way  by  which  he  came,  and  the  only  road  he 
was   known  to  be  acquainted  with.     Accordingly 
men  .were  dispatched  in  pursuit  of  him  on  the  Saint 
John  road,  and  others  sent  to  the  different  ferries, 
while  I  myself,  with  Mr.  Moses  Foster,  the  deputy 
sheriff,  took  the  road  toward  Nova  Scotia,  with  all 
speed,  in  the  night,  and  rode  on  until  we  began  to 
think   that  we   must  have    passed  him.     Having 
arrived   at  a   house  which  he  could  not  well  pass 
without   being  seen,  we  stationed  watchers  there, 
and  also  set  watchers  in  other  stations,  and  main- 
tained a  close  lookout  all  night,  but  to  no  purpose. 
At  daylight  I  furnished  Mr.   Foster  with  money, 
and  sent  him  on  upon  the  same  road  with  directions 
to  proceed  as  far  as  Mr.  McLeod's  tavern,  distance 
forty  miles,  and  in  case  of  hearing  nothing  of  him, 
to  discontinue  the  pursuit  and  return.     At  the  same 
time  I  returned  to  Kingston  myself,  where   I  was 


40  Henry  More  Smith 

informed  towards  evening,  that  a  man,  who 
answered  his  description  had  crossed  the  ferry  over 
Bellisle  Bay  the  evening  before  in  great  haste, 
stating  that  he  was  going  on  an  express  to  Frecler- 
icton,  and  must  be  there  by  ten  o'clock  the  next 
morning.  This,  compared  with  Mr.  Lyon's  story, 
the  reader  will  recollect,  of  having  seen  Smith's 
ghost  or  apparition  the  same  e veiling  in  the  twilight, 
confirmed  the  opinion  that  we  had  now  got  upon 
the  direction  of  our  runaway.  And  when  we 
remember  further,  that  the  apparition  was  passing 
without  touching  the  ground,  we  will  have  some 
idea  of  the  rapidity  with  which  our  self-released 
hero  was  scudding  along  as  he  carried  his  neck  from 
the  halter.  It  was  now  Sunday  evening,  and  he 
had  twenty-four  hours  of  a  start,  leaving  little 
hopes  of  his  being  overtaken  by  me.  As  my  only 
alternative,  I  forwarded  advertisements,  and  pro- 
posed a  reward  of  twenty  dollars  for  his  apprehension 
and  re-commitment  to  custody ;  but  with  very  little 
prospect  of  success  knowing  that  he  was  escaping 
for  his  life,  and  would  succeed  in  getting  out  of  the 
country  before  he  would  be  overtaken. 

Monday  morning,  the  26th  instant,  Mr.  Moses 
Foster  returned  from  his  route,  and  by  this  time 
many  unfavorable  reports  concerning  the  prisoner's 
escape  had  begun  to  be  circulated.  The  Court 
at  which  he  was  to  receive  his  trial  was  now  to 
meet  on  the  Tuesday  following,  and  a  jury  sum- 
moned from  different  parts  of  the  county  for  the 
-express  purpose  of  trying  the  horse-stealer. 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  41 

My  whole  time  and  attention  were  now  required 
to  make  the  necessary  preparations  for  the  Court, 
and  I  felt  myself  not  a  little  chagrined  on  reflecting 
on  the  circumstances  in  which  I  was  placed.  This 
feeling  became  heightened  to  a  painful  degree  when 
I  came  to  understand,  by  Mr.  E.  Jones,  that  the 
villian,  instead  of  escaping  for  his  life,  and  getting 
out  of  my  reach  with  all  possible  haste,  had  only 
travelled  about  ten  miles  the  first  night,  and  was 
seen  lying  on  some  straw  before  the  barn  of  Mr. 
Robert  Bailes,  the  next  morning,  on  the  road  to 
Gagetown,  having  lain  there  till  12  o'clock  in  the 
day.  But  Smith  did  not  lie  on  his  bed  of  straw  for 
rest  merely ;  even  there  he  was  projecting  fresh 
schemes  of  villainy,  waiting  for  an  opportunity  to 
carry  away  some  booty  from  the  house  of  Mr.  Bailes  ; 
and  so  it  happened  that  he  did  not  miss  his  aim,  for 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bailes  had  occasion  to  leave  the  house 
to  go  some  distance,  leaving  the  door  unlocked, 
when  the  robber  entered,  broke  open  a  trunk  and 
carried  off  a  silver  watch,  eight  dollars  in  money,  a 
pair  of  new  velvet  pantaloons,  and  a  pocket-book, 
with  several  other  articles.  He  then  walked  leisurely 
on  his  way,  stopping  at  the  next  house  and  at  all 
the  houses  that  were  contiguous  to  the  road,  so  that 
he  did  not  make  more  than  three  or  four  miles 
before  dark. 

When  Mr.  Bailes  returned  to  his  house  and  found 
it  had  been  robbed,  he  immediately  fixed  his 
suspicion  on  the  man  who  had  lain  before  the  barn 
door,  from  having  observed  the  print  of  a  boot  heel, 


42  Henry  More  Smith 


which  was  thought  to  be  his,  and  gave  the  alarm  to 
his  neighbours.  They  immediately  set  out  in 
pursuit  of  him,  and  having  heard  that  he  had  been 
seen  on  the  road  at  no  great  distance  before 
them,  they  followed  on  in  high  spirits,  expecting 
shortly  to  seize  him;  but  in  this  they  were 
disappointed,  for  the  robber  warily  turned  aside 
from  the  road,  leaving  his  pursuers  to  exercise  a 
painful  and  diligent  search,  without  being  able  to 
ascertain  which  way  he  had  gone.  Having  followed 
as  far  as  Gagetown,  they  posted  up  advertisements, 
descriptive  of  his  person,  and  also  of  the  watch; 
and  sent  some  of  them  on  to  Fredericton. 

Late  on  Sunday  night,  a  man  called  at  the  house 
of  Mr.  Green,  who  resided  on  an  island  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Washademoak  Lake.  He  said  he  was  a 
Frenchman,  on  his  way  to  Fredericton  about  landr 
and  called  for  the  purpose  of  enquiring  the  way. 
Mr.  Green  informed  him  that  he  was  on  an  island, 
and  that  he  had  better  stay  till  the  morning,  and 
that  he  would  then  direct  him  on  his  journey.  He 
made  on  a  large  fire,  by  which  the  man  examined 
his  pocket  book,  and  was  observed  to  cast  several 
papers  into  the  fire,  and  finally  he  threw  in  the 
pocket  book  also.  Mr.  Green  on  seeing  this,  had  an 
immediate  impression  that  the  man  must  be  some 
improper  character,  which  idea  was  strengthened 
by  the  circumstance  of  its  being  a  time  of  war.  In 
the  morning,  therefore,  he  took  him  in  his  canoe, 
and  carried  him  directly  to  Justice  Colwell,  a 
neighboring  magistrate,  that  he  might  give  an 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  43 


account  of  himself.  On  his  examination,  he  answered 
with  so  much  apparent  simplicity,  that  the  Justice 
could  find  no  just  ground  for  detaining  him,  and 
consequently  dismissed  him.  He  then  made  his 
way  to  an  Indian  camp,  and  hired  an  Indian,  as  he 
said,  to  carry  him  to  Fredericton  ;  and  crossing  the 
river,  went  to  Vail's  tavern,  on  Grimross  neck, 
where  he  ordered  breakfast  for  himself  and  his 
Indian,  and  had  his  boots  cleaned.  At  this  moment, 
Mr.  Bailes,  whom  he  had  robbed  the  day  preceding, 
was  getting  breakfast  at  Mr.  Yail's,  and  writing 
advertisements  in  quest  of  the  robber.  About  eleven 
o'clock,  he,  with  the  Indian  started  again,  leaving 
Mr.  Vail's  unknown  and  undetected ;  but  not  without 
taking  with  him  a  set  of  silver  teaspoons  from,  a 
side  closet  in  the  parlour. 

The  time  was  now  come  for  the  sitting  of  the  Court, 
and  about  eleven  o'clock  on  Tuesday  morning, 
the  Attorney  General  arrived  from  Fredericton, 
with  very  unfavourable  impressions  on  his  mind, 
bringing  information  that  the  robber  was  still 
traversing  the  country,  stealing  and  robbing  wher- 
ever he  came,  without  sufficient  effort  being  made 
for  his  apprehension.  The  Jury  also  were  collecting 
from  the  different  Parishes  of  the  County,  bringing 
witli  them  unfavourable  ideas,  from  the  reports  in 
circulation  concerning  his  escape.  Among  the  many 
opinions  that  were  formed  on  the  subject,  one 
particularly,  was  very  industriously  circulated.  The 
prisoner  was  a  Freemason,  and  it  will  be  recollected 
that  Mr.  Dibble,  the  gaoler,  was  stated  in  a  former 


44  Henry  More  Smith 

part  of  the  narrative  to  be  a  Freemason  also,  and 
that  there  was  a  Freemason  Lodge  held  at  Kingston. 
The  public  mind  was  strongly  prejudiced  against 
us,  unwilling  to  believe  the  real  circumstances  of 
his  elopement ;  and  the  Court  assembled  under  the 
strongest  impressions  that  his  escape  was  connived 
at.  The  Honorable  Judge  Chipman  presided  on 
the  occasion. 

The  Court  was  now  ready  for  business,  but  no 
prisoner ;  yet  high  expectations  were  cherished 
that  every  'hour  would  bring  tidings  of  his 
apprehension,  as  he  was  pursued  in  every  direction. 
The  Grand  Jury  was  empannelled,  and  the  Court 
adjourned  till  next  day  at  eleven  o'clock,  waiting 
anxiously  for  the  proceeds  of  the  intermediate  time. 
And  to  render  the  means  for  his  apprehension  as 
effectual  as  possible,  Mr.  Benjamin  Furnald,  with  a 
boat  well  manned,  was  dispatched  in  the  pursuit 
with  directions  to  follow  on  as  far  as  he  could  get 
any  account  of  him. 

Wednesday,  the  Court  again  met  and  commenced 
other  business  ;  but  nothing  from  Smith  yet.  In 
the  afternoon,  Mr.  John  Pearson,  witness  against 
him,  arrived  from  Nova  Scotia,  a  distance  of  two 
hundred  and  eighty  miles.  Towards  evening  con- 
clusions were  beginning  to  be  drawn  that  he  had 
eluded  all  his  pursuers,  and  was  making  his  way 
back  to  Nova  Scotia,  and  the  conjecture  almost 
amounted  to  a  certainty  by  the  circumstance  of  a 
man  being  seen  crossing  the  Washademoak  and 
making  towards  Bellisle  Bay. 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  45 


Nothing  more  was  heard  till  Thursday  morning 
early,  when  Mr.  B.  Fnrnald  returned,  and  reported 
that  he  had  found  his  course  and  pursued  him 
through  Maugerville ;  that  the  night  before  he 
(Mr.  F.)  reached  Maugerville,  the  robber  had  lodged 
at  Mr.  Solomon  Perley's,  and  stole  a  pair  of  new 
boots,  and  had  offered  the  silver  teaspoons  for  sale 
that  he  had  stolen  at  Mr.  Vail's.  That  he  walked 
up  as  far  as  Mr.  Bailey's  tavern,  where  he  stopped 
some  time,  and  that  he  was  afterwards  seen  towards 
evening  under  a  bridge,  counting  his  money.  This 
was  the  last  that  could  be  heard  of  him  in  this 
place  ;  it  was  now  believed  that  he  had  taken  an 
Indian  to  pilot  him,  and  had  gone  by  way  of  the 
Washademoak  and  head  of  Bellisle  for  Nova  Scotia. 
This  was  in  accordance  with  the  idea  entertained 
at  Kingston  before  Mr.  Furnald's  return. 

At  ten  o'clock  on  Thursday  morning,  the  Court 
met  according  to  adjournment,  to  bring  the  business 
then  before  them  to  a  close,  without  much  hope  of 
hearing  any  further  of  the  horse  stealer  at  this 
time  ;  when  about  three  in  the  afternoon,  a  servant 
of  Mr.  Knox's,  (who  it  will  be  remembered  was 
the  plaintiff  in  the  cause,)  came  direct  to  the  Court 
with  information  to  his  master,  that  his  other  horse 
was  missing  out  of  the  pasture ;  that  he  had  been 
known  to  be  in  the  pasture  at  one  o'clock  at  night, 
and  was  gone  in  the  morning ;  and  that  a  strange 
Indian  had  been  seen  about  the  place.  This 
extraordinary  news  produced  much  excitement  in 
the  Court ;  and  the  coincidence  of  the  Indian 


46  Henry  More  Smith 

crossing  the  country  with  the  robber,  with  the 
Indian  seen  at  Mr.  Knox's,  confirmed  the  opinion 
that  Smith  had  made  himself  owner  of  Mr.  Knox's 
other  horse  also  !  !  !  Mr.  Knox,  on  hearing  this 
news,  became  exceedingly  agitated,  had  no  doubt 
but  that  Smith  was  the  thief  again,  would  not  listen 
to  the  sheriff,  who  was  not  just  willing  to  credit  the 
report  of  the  horse  being  stolen,  and  affirmed  that 
his  life  was  in  danger  if  Smith  was  suffered  to  run 
at  large.  His  Honor,  the  Judge,  expressed  his 
opinion  that  great  remissness  of  duty  appeared. 

A  general  warrant  was  issued  by  the  Court, 
directed  to  all  the  sheriffs  and  Ministers  of  Justice 
throughout  the  Province,  commanding  them  to 
apprehend  the  said  More  Smith  and  bring  him  to 
justice.  Li  the  meantime,  men  were  appointed  to 
commence  a  fresh  march  in  quest  of  him,  to  go 
in  different  directions.  Mr.  Knox,  with  Henry 
Lyon  and  Isaiah  Smith,  took  the  road  to  Nova 
Scotia  ;  and  Moses  Foster,  the  deputy  sheriff,  and 
Nathan  Deforest,  directed  their  course  to  Frederic- 
ton,  by  the  head  of  Belleisle  Bay,  with  orders  to 
continue  their  search  as  far  as  they  could  get 
information  of  him,  or  to  the  American  settlement. 
The  sheriff  then  wrote  advertisements  for  the  public 
papers,  offering  a  reward  of  forty  dollars  for  his 
apprehension  ;  and  the  Attorney  General  increased 
the  sum  to  eighty  dollars.  Indictments  were 
prepared,  and  the  Grand  Jury  found  a  bill  against 
the  sheriff  and  gaoler,  for  negligence  in  suffering 
the  prisoner  to  escape.  They  were  held  to  bail  to 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  47 

appear  at  the  next  Court  of  Oyer  and  Terminer  to 
traverse  the  indictments.  The  business  of  the 
Court  being  at  the  close,  the  sheriff  paid  the 
witness,  Mr.  Pearson,  from  Nova  Scotia,  for  his 
travel  and  attendance,  amounting  to  one  hundred 
dollars,  after  which  the  Court  finally  adjourned. 


48  Henry  More  Smith 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Smith's  Wanderings  Through  the  Province  —  Leaves  a  Trail  of 
Larcenies  —  Arrested  and  Brought  Before  the  Court  at 
Fredericton  He  Admits  Escaping  from  Kingston  Gaol  and  is 
Sent  Back  by  Judge  Saunders  —  Escapes  on  the  Way  — 
Burglarizes  the  Home  of  the  Attorney-General  and  is  Re- 
arrested,  and  After  a  Month  of  Liberty  is  Again  Placed  in 
Kingston  Gaol. 

>THING  was  heard  of  our  adventurer  till 
after  the  return  of  Mr.  Knox  with  his  party 
from  a  fruitless  search  of  ten  days  in  the 
Province  of  Nova  Scotia,  and  as  far  as  Richibucto. 
The  day  following,  Mr.  Foster  and  Mr.  Deforest 
returned  from  their  chase,  and  reported  that  after 
they  had  proceeded  to  within  three  miles  of 
Fredericton  they  heard  of  a  stranger  answering  to 
his  description,  having  lodged  all  night  at  a  private 
house ;  but  had  gone  on  the  road  towards  Wood- 
stock. They  continued  the  pursuit  and  found  that 
he  had  stopped  at  Mr.  Ingraham's  tavern  the  night 
following,  slept  late  in  the  morning,  being  fatigued, 
paid  his  bill  and  went  oft' ;  but  not  without  giving 
another  proof  of  his  characteristic  villainy.  He 
broke  open  a  trunk,  which  was  in  the  room 
adjoining  the  one  he  had  slept  in,  and  carried  off  a 
full  suit  of  clothes  belonging  to  Mr.  Ingraham,  that 
cost  him  forty  dollars,  and  a  silk  cloak,  with  other 
articles,  which  he  concealed  so  as  not  to  be 
discovered.  This  information  gave  his  pursuers 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  49 


sufficient  proof  that  he  was  indeed  the  noted 
horse-stealer.  But  Mr.  Ingraham,  not  having 
missed  his  clothes  immediately,  the  robber  travelled 
on  unmolested,  and  the  next  day  went  only  as  far 
as  Mr.  Robertson's,  where  he  found  a  collection  of 
young  people,  played  the  fiddle  for  them,  and 
remained  the  next  day  and  night. 

He  then  proceeded  towards  Woodstock,  leaving 
the  spoons  with  Mrs.  Robertson  in  exchange  for  a 
shirt,  and  taking  passage  in  a  canoe  happened  to 
fall  in  company  with  another  canoe  that  had  been 
at  Fredericton,  in  which  the  Rev.  Mr.  Dibble, 
missionary  at  Woodstock,  was  passenger,  with  a 
young  man  polling  the  canoe.  The  young  man 
had  seen  Mr.  Bailes'  advertisement  at  Fredericton, 
describing  the  man  and  watch,  which  had  a 
singular  steel  chain  ;  and  observed  to  Mr.  Dibble, 
that  they  both  answered  to  the  appearance  of  the 
stranger.  Mr.  D.  remarked  to  the  young  man  that 
he  might  be  mistaken,  and  asked  the  stranger  to 
let  him  see  the  watch.  The  stranger  handed  the 
watch  with  all  willingness,  and  it  was  found  so 
exactly  to  answer  to  the  marks  of  Mr.  Bailes'  watch 
that  Mr.  D.  challenged  it  as  the  property  of  Mr. 
Bailes.  Smith  very  gravely  replied,  that  it  was  a 
favorite  watch  that  he  had  owned  for  a  long  time  ;. 
but  that  if  he  had  heard  of  one  like  it  having  been 
stolen,  he  had  no  objection  to  leave  it  with  him 
until  he  returned,  which  would  be  in  about  two 
weeks.  Mr.  D.  replied  that  the  suspicion  was  so 
strong,  that  he  thought  he  would  detain  him  also,. 


50  Henry  More  Smith 


until  he  could  hear  from  Fredericton.  Smith 
rejoined  that  he  was  on  important  business  and 
could  not  be  detained  ;  but  if  he  would  pay  his 
expenses  and  make  himself  responsible  for  the 
damage  incurred  by  his  detention,  he  would  have 
no  objection  to  stop  till  he  could  send  to  Fredericton. 
Otherwise,  he  would  leave  the  watch,  as  he 
proposed  before,  and  would  return  in  tenor  twelve 
days,  during  which  time  Mr.  D.  might  satisfy 
himself  as  to  the  watch.  He  appeared  so  perfectly 
at  ease,  without  discovering  the  slightest  indica- 
tions of  guilt,  that  on  these  conditions  they  suffered 
him  to  pass  on.  He  continued  his  march  until 
he  came  to  the  road  that  leads  to  the  American 
settlement,  and  as  it  drew  towards  evening  he 
enquired  of  a  resident  by  the  way  concerning  the 
road  to  the  American  side  ;  but  was  asked  by  the 
man  to  tarry  till  morning,  as  it  was  then  near  night 
and  the  settlement  yet  twelve  miles  distant.  He  did 
not  choose  to  comply  with  the  invitation,  and 
advanced,  as  an  apology,  that  two  men  had  gone  on 
before  him,  and  he  feared  the}7  would  leave  him  in 
the  morning  if  he  did  not  proceed.  It  happened  in 
3.  very  short  time  after,  that  two  young  men  arrived 
there  from  the  settlement,  and  being  asked  whether 
they  had  met  two  men  on  the  road,  they  answered 
in  the  negative.  It  was  then  concluded  that  Smith 
was  a  deserter,  and  they  turned  about  and  followed 
him  to  the  American  settlement,  but  found  nothing 
of  him.  The  day  following,  Mr.  Foster  and  Mr. 
DeForest  arrived  at  Woodstock,  and  finding  them- 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  51 

selves  still  on  the  track  of  him,  they  pursued  on  to 
the  American  line,  but  could  hear  nothing 
concerning  him.  They  then  informed  the  inhabit- 
ants of  Smith's  character  ;  and  proposed  a  reward 
of  twenty  pounds  for  his  apprehension.  The  people 
seemed  well  disposed  and  promised  to  do  their 
utmost. 

Messrs.  F.  &  D.  then  made  their  way  back  to  the 
river  St.  John,  and  there,  most  unexpectedly,  came 
across  the  path  of  our  adventurer  again.  They 
found  that  he  had  crossed  the  river,  stopped  at 
several  houses  for  refreshments,  and  called  himself 
Bond.  That  he  had  assumed  the  character  of  a 
pursuant  in  quest  of  the  thief  who  had  broken  out 
of  Kingston  jail ;  said  that  he  was  a  notorious  villain, 
and  would  certainly  be  hung  if  taken,  and  appeared 
to  be  extremely  anxious  that  he  should  be 
apprehended.  The}7  traced  him  down  to  the 
river  where  the  Indians  were  encamped,  and  found 
that  he  had  agreed  with  an  Indian  to  conduct 
him  through  the  woods  to  the  United  States, 
by  the  way  of  Eel  River,  a  route  not  unfrequently 
travelled  ;  and  hence  had  baffled  all  the  efforts  of 
his  pursuers,  and  finally  escaped.  Messrs.  F.  &  D. 
thought  it  was  now  time  to  return  and  make  their 
report.  It  afterwards  appeared  that  the  Indian,  his 
conductor,  after  having  gone  about  two  days  on  the 
route,  began  to  be  weary  of  his  job,  (perhaps  finding 
that  it  might  not  be  productive  of  much  profit,)  and 
discovered  that  Smith  carried  a  pistol,  which  he  did 
.not  like  very  much,  refused  to  guide  him  any  longer, 


52  Henry  More  Smith 

gave  him  back  part  of  liis  money  and  returned. 
This  materially  turned  the  scale  with  our  adventurer 
and  fortune,  that  had  hitherto  smiled  on  his  enter- 
prise, refused,  like  the  Indian,  to  conduct  him  much 
further.  Unable  to  pursue  his  journey  alone,  he 
was,  of  course,  obliged  to  return,  and  he  had  now  no 
alternative  but  to  try  his  chance  by  the  known  road. 
It  was  now  the  tenth  of  October,  and  he  re-appeared 
on  the  old  ground,  wanting  refreshment  and  in  quest 
as  he  said,  of  a  deserter.  While  his  breakfast  was 
preparing,  information  of  his  presence  was  circu- 
lated among  the  inhabitants,  and  Dr.  Rice,  who  was 
a  principal  character  in  the  place,  effected  his 
apprehension,  and  had  him  secured. 

The  clothes  he  had  stolen  from  Mr.  Ingraham  he 
had  on,  excepting  the  pantaloons,  which  he  had 
exchanged  for  a  pistol.  He  said  he  had  purchased 
the  clothes  very  cheap  from  a  man  who  he  believed 
was  a  Yankee.  He  was  then  taken  in  charge  by 
Mr.  A.  Putnam,  and  Mr.  Watson,  who  set  out  with 
their  prisoner  for  Fredericton.  On  their  way  they 
stopped  at  the  Attorney-General's,  three  miles  from 
Fredericton,  and  then  proceeded  into  town,  where 
the  Supreme  Court  was  then  sitting.  The  prisoner 
was  brought  before  the  Court  in  the  presence  of  a 
a  large  number  of  spectators.  The  Honorable  Judge 
Saunders  asked  him  his  name,  and  he  unhesitat- 
ingly answered,  "  Smith."  "  Are  you  the  man  that- 
escaped  from  the  gaol  at  Kingston  ?"  "  Yes.  " 
On  being  asked  ho\v  he  effected  his  escape,  he  said 
the  gaoler  opened  the  door  and  the  priest  prayed 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  53 


him  out.  He  was  then  ordered  to  prison  for  the 
night,  and  the  next  day  he  was  remanded  to  Kings- 
ton gaol.  Putnam  and  Watson  set  out  with  him  in 
an  Indian  canoe,  one  at  each  end,  and  the  prisoner 
handcuffed  and  pinioned,  and  tied  to  the  bar  of  the 
canoe,  in  the  centre.  They  were  obliged  to  watch 
him  the  first  night  at  the  place  where  they  lodged, 
and  the  next  day  they  readied  the  house  of  Mr. 
Bailes,  opposite  Spoon  Island,  where  he  had  stolen 
the  watch  and  the  money,  etc.  It  was  near  night, 
and  the  passage  to  Kingston  rather  difficult ;  and 
they  being  strangers,  Mr.  B.  proposed  that  if  they 
would  stop  with  him  till  morning,  he  would  conduct 
them  to  Kingston  himself.  They  willingly  complied 
and  having  been  up  the  preceding  night,  Mr.  B. 
proposed  that  if  they  would  retire  and  take  some 
rest,  he  with  his  family  would  keep  watch  of  the 
prisoner.  After  they  had  retired,  the  prisoner 
enquired  the  way  to  Saint  John,  and  whether  there 
were  any  ferries  on  this  side  the  river.  He  then 
asked  for  a  blanket  and  leave  to  lie  down.  Mrs.  B. 
made  him  a  bed  on  the  floor  ;  but  before  he  would 
lie  down,  he  said  he  had  occasion  to  go  to  the  door. 
Mr.  B.  awakened  Mr.  Watson,  who  got  up  to  attend 
him  to  the  door.  Smith  said  to  him  that  if  had  any 
apprehensions,  he  had  better  tie  a  rope  to  Ins  arm, 
which  he  accordingly  did,  fastening  it  above  the 
handcuffs,  with  the  other  end  wound  round  his  own 
hand.  In  this  situation  they  went  out  of  doors  ;  but 
in  an  unguarded  moment,  Smith  watching  his 
opportunity,  knocked  him  down  with  his  handcuffs, 


54  Henry  More  Smith 

leaving  the  rope  in  the  hands  of  his  keeper,  having 
slipped  the  other  end  over  his  hand  without  untying 
the  knot. 

Thus,  handcuffed  and  pinioned,  and  bound  with 
a  rope,  the  ingenious  horse-stealer,  by  another  effort 
of  his  unfailing  ingenuity,  akin  to  his  mock-sickness 
in  the  gaol,  had  effected  a  second  escape  from  his 
keepers,  leaving  it  as  a  matter  of  choice,  whether  to 
institute  a  hopeless  search  for  him  in  darkness  of 
the  night,  or  sit  down  in  sullen  consultation  on  what 
plan  they  had  best  pursue  in  the  morning.  Nothing 
could  exceed  the  chagrin  of  Putnam  and  Watson  on 
finding  themselves  robbed  of  their  prisoner,  except 
the  confusion  which  filled  myself  and  the  gaoler  on 
the  knowledge  of  his  unexampled  and  noted  escape 
from  the  gaol.  To  pursue  him  in  the  night,  which 
was  unusually  dark,  and  rainy  besides,  was  both 
hopeless  and  vain ;  it  was  therefore  thought  best  to 
inform  the  sheriff  in  the  morning  of  what  had  taken 
place,  and  receive  his  advice  as  to  future  proceedings. 
In  the  morning,  accordingly,  Mr.  Putnam  proceeded 
to  Kingston,  and  on  communicating  the  news  to  the 
sheriff,  received  a  supply  of  money,  with  orders  to 
pursue  the  road  to  St.  John,  while  the  sheriff,  with 
two  men,  proceeded  to  Mr.  Bailes'.  There  they 
received  information  that  Smith  had  changed  his 
course,  and  crossing  the  Oaknabock  Lake  in  the 
night,  was  directing  his  course  towards  Fredericton 
again. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  previous  to  his  escape, 
while  a  prisoner  at  Mr.  Bailes',  he  made  particular 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  55 

enquiries  whether  there  were  any  ferries  on  the  way 
to  Saint  John,  on  this  side  the  river.  At  this  time 
it  would  seem  that  he  had  looked  upon  his  scheme 
as  successful,  and  evidently  directed  those  enquiries 
concerning  the  road  with  a  view  to  mislead,  while 
it  was  his  policy  to  return  upon  the  course  which 
would  be  judged  the  most  unlikely  of  all  he  should 
take.  But  to  return  to  our  story.  He  came  to  the 
lake  the  same  evening  he  had  got  clear  of  Mr.  Watson 
and  the  rope,  and  there  urged  as  a  reason  of  his 
haste  in  crossing  the  lake  in  the  night,  that  he  was 
on  his  way  to  Fredericton  to  purchase  land,  and 
that  he  had  arranged  it  with  Putnam  and  Watson, 
who  had  gone  to  Kingston  with  the  thief,  to  take 
him  up  in  their  canoe  on  their  return,  and  was  to 
meet  them  at  the  intervale  above,  early  the  next 
morning.  This  well  varnished  and  characteristic 
story  procured  him  a  speedy  passage  over  the  lake, 
and  now  our  adventurer  is  in  undisputed  possession 
of  the  country,  at  liberty  to  choose  which  way  he 
should  turn  his  face. 

On  being  put  in  possession  of  these  particulars, 
we  immediately  and  naturally  supposed  that  he  was 
wisely  and  prudently  directing  his  course  to  the 
United  States,  by  the  way  of  the  Oromocto  ;  and  so 
we  followed  up  his  retreat  accordingly ;  but  in  that 
direction  no  intelligence  could  be  obtained,  and  we 
remained  in  4otal  ignorance  of  his  proceedings  and 
history  up  to  the  26th  of  October.  At  this  date,  when 
it  was  supposed  that  he  had  transported  himself  into 
the  United  States,  to  our  astonishment  and  surprise 


56  Henry  More  Smith 

we  find  him  again  in  the  prosecution  of  his  usual 
business  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Fredericton. 
His  first  appearance  there  again,  was  in  a  bye-place* 
at  a  small  house  not  then  occupied  as  a  dwelling. 
It  was  drawing  towards  night,  and  the  day  having 
been  rainy,  he  came  to  the  house  wet  and  cold.  An 
old  man  by  the  name  of  Wicks,  with  his  son,  was 
engaged  in  repairing  the  house,  in  which  they  had 
some  potatoes.  There  was  also  a  quantity  of  dry 
wood  in  the  house,  but  as  the  old  man  was  about 
quitting  work  for  the  day,  he  had  suffered  the  fire 
to  burn  down.  The  stranger  was  anxious  to  lodge 
in  their  humble  habitation  for  the  night,  but  the  old 
man  observed  to  him,  that  they  did  not  lodge  there 
at  night,  and  gave  him  an  invitation  to  the  next 
house,  where  he  could  accommodate  him  better. 
He  did  not  accept  the  invitation,  but  said  that  he 
must  go  on  eight  or  ten  miles  that  night,  and  so  he 
departed. 

The  old  man  and  his  son  secured  the  door  and 
retired  to  their  lodgings ;  but  when  the  morning 
came  it  was  found  that  Smith  had  returned  to  the 
old  house,  spent  the  night,  burned  up  all  the  wood, 
regaled  himself  on  roasted  potatoes,  and  again  took 
his  departure.  The  following  night  he  paid  a 
sweeping  visit  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Wilmot  seven 
miles  from  Fredericton.  Finding  a  large  quantity 
of  linens,  sprinkled  and  ready  for  ironing,  he  made 
a  full  seizure  of  the  whole,  together  with  a  new  coat 
belonging  to  a  young  man  belonging  to  the  house. 
The  plunderer,  finding  his  booty  rather  burthen- 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  57 

some,  took  a  saddle  and  bridle,  which  he  happened 
to  discover,  put  them  on  a  small  black  pony,  which 
was  feeding  in  the  pasture,  and  thus  rode  with 
his  luggage  till  he  came  within  two  miles  of 
Fredericton.  There  he  found  a  barrack  or  hovel, 
filled  with  hay,  belonging  to  Jack  Patterson,  a 
mullato,  which  presented  a  convenient  retreat  where 
he  could  feed  his  horse  and  conceal  his  plunder. 
Here  he  remained  some  days  undisturbed  ;  would 
turn  his  horse  out  to  feed  on  the  common  in  the  day, 
concealing  himself  in  the  hay,  and  would  catch  him 
at  night,  ride  into  town,  make  what  plunder  he 
could,  return  to  his  retreat,  and  conceal  it  in  the 
hay, 

Our  adventurer  thought  it  was  now  high  time  to 
pay  his  respects  to  the  Attorney  General  himself, 
who  lived  about  three  miles  distant.  Here  he  was 
not  altogether  unacquainted,  having  made  a  previous 
call  on  his  passage  as  a  prisoner  from  Woodstock 
to  Fredericton.  He  arrived  on  the  spot  about  nine 
o'clock  in  the  evening,  retaining,  no  doubt,  an 
accurate  remembrance  of  the  entrance  to  the  house  ; 
and  everything  proved  propitious  to  the  object  of 
his  visit ;  for  it  happened  that  there  was  much 
company  at  the  Attorney  General's  on  the  same 
evening,  whose  overcoats,  cloaks,  tippets,  comforters, 
&c.,  &c.,  were  all  suspended  in  the  hall.  He  did 
not  obtrude  himself  upon  the  notice  of  the 
company,  but  paid  his  respects  to  their  loose 
garments,  making  one  sweep  of  the  whole  consisting 
of  five  top  coats,  three  plaid  cloaks,  a  number  of 


58  Henry  More  Smith 

tippets,  comforters  and  other  wearing  articles  L 
Having  been  more  successful  than  perhaps  he 
expected,  he  rode  back  through  the  town  to  the  place 
of  concealment,  deposited  his  boot}7,  and  gave  his 
horse,  after  his  travel,  a  generous  allowance  of  hay. 
This  generosity  to  his  horse  led  to  his  detection,  for 
Patterson  happening  to  perceive  that  his  hay  was 
lying  in  an  unusual  manner  out  of  the  window  of 
his  barrack  immediately  formed  an  opinion  that 
some  person  had  taken  up  lodgings  in  the  hay,  and 
in  this  he  was  not  mistaken  ;  for  on  coming  to  the 
spot,  he  found  Smith  lying  in  the  hay,  with  a  white 
comforter  about  his  neck.  On  perceiving  him  to 
be  a  stranger,  he  asked  him  where  did  he  come 
from,  and  was  answered  that  he  came  from  the 
Kennebecasis,  was  after  land,  and  getting  belated 
had  taken  up  his  lodging  in  the  hay,  and  hoped  it 
was  no  harm. 

After  Patterson  had  gone  into  his  house  lie- 
perceived  that  the  traveller  had  retired  from  the 
barrack  by  the  window  and  was  making  towards 
the  woods.  Upon  perceiving  this,  the  idea  of  his 
being  a  deserter  instantly  presented  himself  to  his 
mind  and  calling  for  assistance,  he  soon  made  the 
stranger  a  prisoner,  which  was  easily  affected,  as 
he  did  not  make  much  effort  to  escape.  It  was 
soon  discovered  that  their  prisoner  was  no  less  a 
person  than  the  far  famed  Henry  More  Smith,  and  no 
time  was  lost  in  committing  him  to  Fredericton  gaol. 

Patterson,  not    seeing  the    comforter   with    him 
which  he  wore  around  his  neck,  in  the  hay,  was. 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  59 

induced  to  examine  the  hay  if  perhaps  he  might 
find  it.  This  led  to  the  discovery  of  his  entire 
deposit ;  for,  he  not  only  found  the  immediate 
object  of  his  search,  but  also  all  the  articles 
previously  mentioned,  with  many  more,  which  were 
all  restored  to  the  owners  respectively. 

Upon  the  examination  of  the  prisoner,  he  gave 
no  proper  satisfaction  concerning  the  articles 
found  in  the  hay  ;  he  said  they  were  brought  there 
by  a  soldier,  who  rode  a  little  pony,  and  went  off, 
leaving  the  saddle  and  bridle.  He  was  then 
ordered  to  be  taken  by  the  sheriff  of  York  County 
and  safely  delivered  to  the  sheriff  of  King's 
County  in  his  prison.  Accordingly,  the  sheriff 
prepared  for  his  safe  conveyance  an  iron  collar, 
made  of  a  flat  bar  of  iron,  an  inch  and  a  half  wide, 
with  a  hinge  and  clasp,  fastened  with  a  padlock. 
To  the  collar,  which  was  put  around  his  neck,  was 
fastened  an  iron  chain,  ten  feet  in  length ;  thus 
prepared,  and  his  hands  bound  together  with  a 
pair  of  strong  handcuffs,  after  examining  his 
person  lest  he  should  have  saws  or  other  instru- 
ments concealed  about  him,  he  was  put  on  board 
a  sloop  for  his  old  residence  in  Kingston.  They 
started  with  a  fair  wind,  and  with  Patterson,  the 
mulatto,  holding  the  chain  by  the  end,  they  arrived 
with  their  prisoner  at  Kingston,  a  distance  of  sixty 
miles,  about  1-  o'clock  on  the  night  of  the  30th  of 
October,  which  was  better  than  one  month  from 
the  time  of  his  triumphant  escape  through  means 
of  his  pretended  indisposition.  On  his  reappearing; 


60  Henry  More  Smith 

in  the  old  spot  and  among  those  who  had  ministered 
so  feelingly  to  his  comfort  during  the  whole  period 
of  his  affected  illness,  and  whom  he  had  so 
effectually  hoaxed,  it  might  have  been  expected 
that  he  would  have  betrayed  some  feeling  or 
emotion  ;  or  that  a  transient  blush  of  shame,  at 
least  would  have  passed  over  his  countenance  ;  but 
ah  !  no ;  his  countenance  had  long  since  become 
seared,  and  there  was  no  sensibility  within,  strong 
enough  to  give  the  slightest  tint  to  his  shame  proof 
countenance.  He  appeared  perfectly  composed, 
and  as  indifferent  and  insensible  to  all  around  him 
as  though  he  were  a  statue  of  marble. 

On  the  ensuing  morning  he  was  conducted  to 
the  gaol,  which  he  entered  without  hesitation  or 
seeming  regret.  After  his  former  escape,  it  had 
been  cleared  out  of  everything,  and  carefully  swept 
and  searched.  In  the  course  of  the  search  there 
were  found  several  broken  parts  of  a  watch,  and 
among  the  rest,  the  box  which  contained  the  main 
spring,  this  convinced  us  that  the  watch,  (which  he 
received  from  the  young  man  before  his  escape,  in 
exchange  for  the  spy-glass,)  was  intended  to  furnish 
him.  the  materials  for  making  a  saw  in  case  all 
other  plans  he  might  adopt  to  accomplish  his  release 
should  fail  to  succeed.  We  found  a  large  dinner, 
knife  cut  in  two,  which  we  supposed  to  have  been 
done  with  a  saw  made  of  the  mainspring,  as  a  trial 
or  experiment  of  its  utility. 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  61 


CHAPTER  V. 

Chained  to  the  Floor  of  His  Dungeon  He  Contrived  to  Cut  the 
Chain  and  Had  also  Sawn  the  Bars  of  the  Grated  Window  — 
Makes  a  Second  Attempt  at  Escape  —  Breaks  Chains,  Padlocks 
and  Handcuffs  and  an  Iron  Collar  About  His  Neck  —  Tries 
Suicide  by  Hanging. 

r  w  w  i AVING  by  this  time,  from  painful  experience 
I j •  *j  become  a  little  acquainted  with  the  depth 
ygjjsfij)  of  his  genius,  we  thought  it  not  impossible 
nor  unlikely,  that  he  might  still  have  the  saw 
concealed  about  his  person,  although  Mr.  Berton, 
the  sheriff  of  York  County,  had  searched  him  before 
his  removal  from  Fredericton  gaol.  We  were, 
however,  determined  to  examine  him  more  closely, 
for  which  end  we  took  oft'  his  handcuffs,  and  then 
ordered  him  to  take  off  his  clothes.  Without 
hesitation  or  reluctance  he  divested  himself  of  his 
clothes,  all  to  his  shirt  ;  we  then  searched  every 
part  of  his  dress  —  the  sleeves,  wristbands,  collar 
of  his  shirt,  and  even  to  the  hair  of  his  head  ;  but 
found  nothing.  We  then  suffered  him  to  put  on 
his  clothes  again,  and  we  carried  out  of  the  gaol 
his  hat  and  shoes,  and  every  article  he  brought 
with  him. 

The  prison  in  which  he  was  confined  was  twenty- 
two  feet  by  sixteen ;  stone  and  lime  walls  three 
feet  thick  on  the  sides,  the  fourth  side  having  been 
the  partition  wall  between  the  prison  rooms.  This 
partition  was  of  timber,  twelve  inches  thick,  lathed 


62  Henry  More  Smith 

and  plastered.  The  door  was  of  two  inch  plank, 
doubled  and  lined  with  sheet  iron,  with  three  iron 
bar  hinges,  three  inches  wide,  clasped  over  staples 
in  the  opposite  posts,  and  secured  with  three  strong 
padlocks  ;  and  having  also  a  small  iron  wicket  door 
secured  with  a  padlock.  There  was  one  window 
through  the  stone  Avail,  grates  within  and  without, 
and  enclosed  with  glass  on  the  outside,  so  that  no 
communication  could  be  had  with  the  interior 
undiscovered.  The  passage  that  leads  to  the  prison 
door  is  twenty  feet  in  length  and  ithree  feet  in 
breadth,  secured  at  the  entrance  by  a  padlock  on 
the  door ;  the  outside  door  was  also  kept  locked,  so 
that  no  communication  could  be  had  through  the 
passage,  without  passing  through  three  securely 
locked  doors,  the  keys  of  which  were  always  kept 
by  Mr.  Dibble,  the  gaoler,  who  from  his  infirm 
state  of  health,  never  left  the  house  day  or  night. 

Having  learned  a  lesson  by  former  experience,  we 
maintained  the  most  unbending  strictness,  suffering 
no  intercourse  with  the  prisoner  whatever.  In  this 
manner  secured,  we  put  on  his  right  leg  an  iron 
chain  no  more  than  long  enough  to  allow  him  to 
reach  the  necessary,  and  take  his  provision  at  the 
wicket  door.  The  end  of  the  chain  was  fastened  to 
the  timber  of  the  floor  by  a  strong  staple,  near  the 
partition  wall,  so  that  he  could  not  reach  the  grated 
window  by  five  or  six  feet.  He  was  provided  with 
a  bunk,  straw  and  blankets,  as  a  bed;  and  his 
wrists  having  been  much  swelled  with  the  hand- 
cuffs, I  considered  it  unnecessary  to  keep  them  on, 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  63 

especially  as  he  was  so  thoroughly  secured  in  other 
respects.  In  this  situation  I  left  him,  with  direc- 
tions to  the  jailor  to  look  to  him  frequently  through 
the  wicket  door,  to  see  that  he  remained  secure, 
intending  at  the  same  time  to  visit  him  occasionally 
myself. 

The  jailor  came  to  look  at  him  frequently  at  the 
wicket  door,  as  directed,  and  always  found  him 
quiet  and  peaceable,  either  sitting  up  reading,  or 
lying  down  in  his  berth  ;  he  never  uttered  any 
complaints,  but  appeared  resigned  to  his  confine- 
ment. I  visited  him  once  or  twice  in  the  week  to 
see,  for  myself,  that  his  irons  remained  secure  :  and 
always  finding  him  as  yet,  in  the  same  state  of 
security  in  which  I  had  left  him,  I  made  up  my  mind 
that  we  should  be  able  to  keep  him  without  any 
additional  trouble.  He  manifested  good  nature  as 
well  as  resignation,  for  he  always  came  to  the  wicket 
door  when  I  wished  to  see  that  his  irons  were  in 
order,  with  the  greatest  seeming  willingness. 

On  the  twelfth  day  of  his  confinement,  1  was 
informed  that  Mr.  Newman  Perkins  had  heard  an 
unusual  noise  in  the  night,  which  induced  him  to 
think  that  Smith  had  been  at  work  at  the  grates. 
On  making  more  particular  inquiry,  I  learned  from 
Mrs.  Perkins  that  she  had  heard  a  noise  like  rubbing 
or  filing,  late  in  the  night ;  and  by  holding  her  head 
out  of  the  window,  she  considered  the  sound  to 
proceed  from  the  jail.  Knowing  the  situation  of 
the  prisoner,  chained,  that  he  could  not  reach  the 
grate  by  five  or  six  feet ;  and  knowing,  also,  that 


64  Henry  More  Smith 

after  the  search  we  had  made,  it  was  impossible  that 
he  could  have  retained  about  his  person  anything  by 
which  he  could  operate  on  the  grates,  we  judged  it- 
more  than  improbable  that  the  sound  could  have 
proceeded  from  him.  Nevertheless,  we  did  not  treat 
the  information  with  disregard  or  neglect.  I  went 
immediately  to  the  prison,  accompanied  by  Moses 
Foster,  George  Raymond,  Allen  Basten,  and  Mr. 
Dibble,  the  jailor,  with  several  others.  It  was  then 
the  evening,  and  we  carried  with  us  two  or  three 
candles.  On  opening  the  door,  we  found  him  lying 
in  his  berth,  chained  just  as  Iliad  left  him.  I  said 
to  him,  "  Smith,  you  have  not  got  out  yet ;"  he 
answered,  "  no,  not  quite.  "  I  then  examined  every 
bar  of  the  grates  as  closely  as  possible,  as  also  did 
every  one  present  again  and  again,  until  we  were  all 
satisfied  that  the  cause  of  the  alarm  was  only 
imaginary.  Smith  all  the  time  lying  quiet,  answer- 
ing readily  any  and  every  question  that  was  put  to 
him. 

Mr.  Basten  had  yet  continued  searching  and 
examining  the  inner  grates,  when  it  was  discovered 
by  all  present  that  there  was  a  small  chip  lying  on 
the  flat  bar  of  the  outer  grate,  which  was  supposed 
to  have  been  there  accidently.  Mr.  Basten,  however, 
being  fully  satisfied  that  the  inner  grate  remained 
secure,  was  led  rather  by  curiosity,  to  reach  through 
his  hand,  and  take  up  the  chip  that  lay  on  the  bar 
of  the  outer  grate;  on  doing  this,  he  thought  he 
could  perceive  that  the  bar  was  inclined  to  hang  in 
a  small  degree.  This  led  to  further  examination  ; 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  65 

and  to  the  utter  astonishment  of  all  that  were  present 
it  was  found  that  the  bar  was  cut  one-third  off,  and 
artfully  concealed  with  the  feather  edge  of  the  chip. 
Our  astonishment  was  increased  by  the  fact  that  it 
was  impossible  to  reach  the  outer  grate  without  first 
removing  the  inner.  This  gave  the  hint  for  a  more 
effectual  examination,  when  it  was  found  that  he  had 
cut  one  of  the  inner  bars  so  neatly,  that  he  could 
remove  and  replace  it  at  pleasure,  having  contrived 
to  conceal  the  incisions  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
almost  preclude  the  possibility  of  detection.  There 
is  little  or  no  doubt  in  two  or  three  nights  more  he 
would  have  effected  his  second  escape,  had  not  his 
works  been  discovered,  through  the  very  means 
which,  artful  as  he  was,  he  employed  to  conceal 
them.  On  being  asked  what  instrument  he  used  in 
cutting  the  grate,  he  answered  with  perfect 
indifference,  "with  this  saw  and  file  ;"  and  without 
hesitation  handed  me  from  his  berth  a  case-knife, 
steel-blade,  neatly  cut  in  fine  teeth,  and  a  common 
hand  saw  file.  I  then  asked  him  how  he  got  to  the 
grates,  or  whether  he  had  slipped  the  shackles  off 
his  feet?  he  answered  me,  no  ;  but  that  he  had  cut 
the  chain  in  the  joint  of  the  links,  a  part  where  the 
cut  could  not  very  readily  be  discovered. 

On  being  asked  where  he  got  his  toools,  he 
answered  that  he  had  left  them  in  the  gaol  when  he 
went  away,  and  that  those  he  had  given  me  were 
all  the  tools  he  had  left.  But  perceiving  from  the 
shape  of  the  knife,  (it  having  been  much  thicker 
on  the  back  than  the  edge,)  that  the  bars  could 


66  Henry  More  Smith 

never  have  been  cut  so  neatly  through  with  that 
instrument,  we  were  induced  to  make  a  stricter 
search,  and  found,  in  a  broken  part  of  the  lime 
wall,  near  the  grates,  a  very  neat  spring  saw,  having 
.a  cord  tied  at  one  end.  I  then  asked  him  who  gave 
him  those  tools ;  to  which  he  replied  with  great 
firmness  : — "You  need  not  ask  me  again,  for  I  never 
will  tell  you."  After  I  had  finished  these  enquiries, 
I  searched  his  bed  and  his  clothes,  and  renewed  the 
chain  again  to  his  leg,  fastening  it  firmly  to  the  floor 
with  a  staple  ;  and  putting  on  a  pair  of  strong 
hand-cuffs  of  7-8  bolt.  We  then  left  him,  it  being 
about  11  o'clock  on  Saturday  night.  On  the  next 
Sunday  at  4  o'clock,  I  revisited  the  jail,  Avhen  the 
gaoler  informed  me  that  the  prisoner  was  lying  in 
his  berth  with  all  his  irons  on,  and  had  been 
enquiring  of  him  if  the  sheriff  was  not  coming  to 
examine  his  chains.  About  12  o'clock  the  same 
night  I  was  alarmed  by  a  man  sent  by  the  gaoler, 
to  inform  me  that  Smith  had  got  loose  from  his 
irons,  and  having  worked  his  way  through  the  inner 
grate,  was  cutting  the  outer  grate,  and  had  nearly 
-escaped . 

Here,  at  the  dead  hour  of  midnight,  when  it 
might  be  expected  that  every  eye  would  be  sunk  in 
the  stillness  of  sleep  through  the  vigilant  attention 
of  Mr.  Dibble,  the  gaoler,  this  astonishing  being, 
who  set  hand-cuffs,  and  shackles,  and  chains  at 
defiance,  had  all  but  effected  another  escape.  Mr. 
Dibble,  on  finding  him  to  be  at  work  at  the  grates, 
was  determined,  if  possible,  to  take  him  in  the  act ; 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  67 


and  by  fastening  a  candle  to  the  end  of  a  stick  three 
feet  in  length,  and  shoving  the  light  through  the 
wicket  gate,  he  was  enabled  to  discover  him  at  work 
before  he  could  have  time  to  retreat  to  his  berth, 
Mr.  Diblee,  on  perceiving  how  he  was  employed, 
ordered  him  to  leave  everything  he  had,  and  take 
to  his  berth  ;  he  instantly  obeyed,  but  as  suddenly 
returned  to  the  grates  again,  placed  himself  in  a 
position  to  which  he  could  not  be  seen  by  the  gaoler. 
Remaining  here  but  a  moment,  he  went  quickly  to 
the  necessary,  and  threw  something  down  which 
was  distinctly  heard,  and  finally  retired  to  his  berth. 
Mr.  Diblee  maintained  a  close  watch  until  I 
arrived  at  the  gaol,  which  we  immediately  entered, 
and  to  our  amazement  found  him  extricated  from 
all  his  irons.  He  had  cut  his  way  through  the  inner 
grate  and  had  all  his  clothes  collected,  and  with  him 
ready  to  elope,  and  had  cut  the  bar  of  the  outer 
grate  two  thirds  off,  which  no  doubt,  he  would  have 
completed  long  before  morning,  and  made  his 
escape.  I  said  to  him,  "  Smith,  you  keep  at  work 
yet ;  "  he  answered  that  he  had  done  work  now, 
that  all  his  tools  were  down  the  necessary.  The 
truth  of  this,  however,  we  proved  by  letting  down 
a  candle,  by  which  A\re  could  clearly  see  the  bottom  ; 
but  no  tools  were  to  be  seen  there.  His  return  to 
the  necessary,  and  dropping,  or  pretending  to  drop 
something  down,  was  no  doubt,  an  artifice,  by  which 
he  attempted  to  divert  our  attention  from  the  real 
spot  where  his  tools  were  concealed.  But  in  this 
also,  with  all  his  cunning,  he  overshot  the  mark,  by 


68  Henry  More  Smith 

his  over  eagerness  to  tell  us  where  he  had  cast  his 
tools,  instead  of  allowing  ITS  rather  to  draw  the 
conclusion  ourselves,  from  his  return  to  the  place, 
and  dropping  something  clown.  We  next  proceeded 
to  strip  off  and  examine  his  clothing,  carefully 
searching  every  hem  and  seam.  His  berth  we 
knocked  all  to  pieces,  examining  every  joint  and 
split ;  we  swept  out  and  searched  ever}7  part  of  the 
prison,  knowing  that  he  must  have  his  instruments 
in  some  part  of  it ;  but  all  to  no  purpose  —  nothing 
could  be  discovered. 

We  next  replaced  all  his  chains  with  padlocks  ; 
put  on  him  a  pair  of  screw  handcuffs,  which  confined 
his  hands  close  together,  and  thus  left  him  about 
4  o'clock  on  Monday  morning.  On  the  day  following, 
Mr.  Jarvis,  the  blacksmith,  having  repaired  the 
grates  came  to  put  them  in,  when  he  found  Smith 
lying  on  the  floor  apparently  as  we  left  him  ;  but, 
on  examining  the  new  handcuffs,  which  screwed 
his  hands  close  together  when  put  on,  we  found 
them  separated  in  such  a  manner  that  he  could  put 
them  off  and  on  when  he  pleased.  On  being  asked 
why  he  destroyed  those  valuable  handcuffs, 
"because,"  said  he,  "  they  are  so  stiff  that  nobody 
can  wear  them." 

No  doubt  then  remained  that  he  must  have  his 
saws  concealed  about  his  body,  and  having  been 
ordered  to  take  off  his  clothes,  he  complied  with  his 
usual  readiness.  On  taking  off  his  shirt,  which 
had  not  been  done  at  any  time  previous  in  our 
searches  about  his  body,  Dr.  A.  Paddock,  who  was 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  69 

present,  and  employed  in  the  search,  discovered  a 
small  muslin  cord  about  his  thigh,  close  to  his  body, 
and  drawn  so  close  that  it  could  not  be  felt  by  the 
hand  passing  over  it  with  the  shirt  between.  This 
small  cord  was  found  to  conceal  on  the  inside  of  his 
thigh  a  fine  steel  saw  plate,  two  inches  broad  and 
ten  inches  long,  the  teeth  neatly  cut  011  both  the 
edges,  no  doubt  of  his  own  work.  After  this 
discovery  we  put  on  him  light  handcuffs,  secured 
his  chains  with  padlocks  again,  and  set  four  men 
to  watch  him  the  whole  night.  The  next  day  we 
secured  the  inner  grate,  filling  the  squares  with 
brick,  lime  and  sand,  leaving  a  space  at  the  upper 
corner  of  only  four  by  five  inches,  in  which  was 
inserted  a  pane  of  glass  in  the  centre  of  the  wall. 
This  small  opening  in  a  wall  three  feet  thick, 
admitted  little  or  no  light,  so  that  the  room  was 
rendered  almost  a  dungeon,  which  prevented  the 
prisoner  from  being  seen  at  any  time  from  the  door 
without  the  light  of  a  candle.  From  this  time  we 
never  entered  the  prison  without  candles  and  two 
or  three  men. 

On  the  13th  of  November,  I  addressed  a  letter  to 
Judge  Chipman,  to  which  I  received  the  following 
answer : 

"Saint  John,  November  14,  1814  — Dear  Sir, — 
I  received  your  letter  of  yesterday  relating  to  the 
new  attempts  of  H.  M.  Smith  to  escape.  I  have 
forwarded  the  same  to  Fredericton,  and  presume 
that  a  court  will  be  ordered  for  his  trial  as  soon  as 
may  be  practicable  for  the  state  of  the  travelling. 
and  the  necessity  of  procuring  the  witness  from 


70  Henry  More  Smith 

Nova  Scotia  ;  though  I  should  suppose  not  before 
the  ice  makes.  In  the  mean  time  the  utmost  vigil- 
ance and  precaution  must  be  made  use  of  to  secure 
him ;  you  will  be  justified  in  any  measures  of  severity 
that  you  may  find  it  necessary  to  adopt  for  this 
purpose. 

I  am,  dear  Sir,  faithfully  yours, 
WALTER  BATES,  ESQ.  WARD  CIIIPMAX." 

Wednesday,  the  16th,  we  entered  the  prison  and 
found  that  he  had  been  employed  in  breaking  the 
plaster  off  the  partition  wall  with  his  chains,  and 
broken  one  of  the  padlocks,  and  appeared  to  have 
been  loose  ;  seemed  very  vicious,  and  said  "he  would 
burn  and  destroy  the  building  —  would  make  it 
smoke  before  he  left  it"  and  that  we  would  see  it 
smoke.  I  then  prepared  a  pair  of  steel  fetters,  case 
hardened,  about  10  inches  long,  which  we  put  on 
his  legs,  with  a  chain  from  the  middle,  7  feet  long, 
which  we  stapled  to  the  floor  ;  we  also  put  an  iron 
collar  about  his  neck,  with  a  chain  about  8  feet  long, 
stapled  also  to  the  floor  in  a  direction  opposite  to 
the  other  ;  and  also  a  chain  from  his  fetters  to  the 
neck  collar,  with  handcuffs  bolted  to  the  middle  of 
his  chain  in  such  a  manner  as  to  prevent  his  hands 
from  reaching  his  head  and  feet  when  standing, 
leaving  it  just  possible  for  him  to  feed  himself 
when  sitting. 

All  these  irons  and  chains  he  received  without 
discovering  the  least  concern  or  regard.  When  the 
blacksmith  had  finished  riveting  the  whole,  1  said 
to  him,  "  Now,  Smith,  I  would  advise  you  to  be 
quiet  after  this,  or  if  you  are  not  you  will  next  have 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  71 

an  iron  band  put  round  your  body  and  stapled  fast 
down  to  the  floor."  He  very  calmly  replied,  "Old 
man,  if  you  are  not  satisfied,  you  may  put  it  on  now. 
I  do  not  regard  it,  if  you  will  let  me  have  niy  hands 
loose  you  may  put  on  as  much  iron  as  you  please^ 
I  care  not  for  your  iron."  In  this  situation  we  left 
him,  loaded  with  irons,  the  entire  weight  of  which 
was  forty-six  pounds,  and  without  anything  to  sit 
or  lie  upon  but  the  naked  floor. 

Although  he  was  thus  situated  and  in  an  entire 
dungeon,  he  appeared  not  in  the  least  humbled  ; 
but  became  more  troublesome  arid  noisy,  and 
exceedingly  vicious  against  the  gaoler.  Despair 
and  madness  seemed  now  to  seize  him,  and  raving 
and  roaring  would  unite  with  the  utterance  of 
prayers  and  portions  of  the  Scriptures.  With  a 
tremendous  voice  he  Avould  cry  out,  "  Oh  you  cruel 
devils  —  you  murderers  —  you  man-slayers  —  you 
tormentors  of  man  ?  How  I  burn  to  be  revenged  ; 
help,  help,  help  me  ;  Lord  help  me  to  be  revenged 
of  those  devils  ;  help  me  that  I  might  tear  up  this 
place,  that  I  may  turn  it  upside  down,  that  there 
may  not  be  one  stick  or  stone  of  it  left.  My  hair 
shall  not  be  shorn,  nor  my  nails  cut,  till  I  grow  as 
strong  as  Sampson,  then  will  I  be  revenged  of  all 
my  enemies.  Help,  help,  0  Lord  help  me  to  destroy 
these  tormentors,  murderers  of  man,  tormenting  me 
in  chains  and  darkness ;"  shouting,  "  darkness 
darkness,  0  darkness  —  not  light  to  read  the  Word 
of  God,  —  not  one  word  of  comfort  from  any.  All 
is,  —  you  rogue,  you  thief,  you  villian,  —  you 


72  Henry  More  Smith 

deserve  to  be  hanged.  No  pity,  not  one  word  of 
consolation,  —  all  darkness,  all  trouble;"  singing, 
"  trouble,  trouble,  trouble  ;  0  God  help  me,  and 
have  mercy  upon  me  ;  I  fear  there  is  no  mercy  for 
me  ;  —  yes,  there  is  mercy,  it  is  in  Jesus,  whose 
arms  stand  open  to  receive  ;  but  how  shall  I  dare  to 
look  at  Him  whom  I  have  offended." 

Then  he  would  call  upon  his  parents  and  depre- 
cate'his  wicked  life  ;  then  rave  again,  "murderers, 
tormentors,  consider  you  have  souls  to  save,  consider 
you  have  souls  to  lose  as  well  as  I,  a  poor  prisoner  ; 
consider  you  have  children  that  may  be  brought  to 
trouble  as  well  as  I ;  consider  I  have  parents  as  well 
as  they.  0  !  if  my  parents  knew  my  situation,  it 
would  kill  them.  My  wife,  begone  from  my  sight ; 
why  will  you  torment  me !  It  is  for  you 
that  I  suffer  all  my  sorrow  —  it  is  for  you 
my  heart  bleeds.  Not  a  friend  comes  to  see  me  — 
nothing  before  me  but  pain  and  sorrow,  chains  and 
darkness,  misery  and  death,  0 !  wretched  me,  how 
long  am  I  to  suffer  in  this  place  of  torment !  Am  I 
to  linger  a  life  of  pain  and  sorrow  in  chains  and 
misery?  "  No,  I  will  cut  the  thread  of  life  and  be 
relieved  from  this  place  of  darkness  and  trouble," 
singing  *'  trouble,  trouble,  trouble,"  a  thousand 
times  repeated.  In  this  manner  he  continued 
raving  till  he  became  very  hoarse  and  exhausted, 
would  take  no  notice  of  anything  that  was  said  to 
him,  and  finally  left  off  speaking  entirely. 

The  weather  having  become  very  cold,  he  was 
allowed  his  berth  again,  with  a  comfortable  bed  of 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  73 

straw  and  blankets ;  but  the  blankets  had  to  be 
taken  away  from  him  again,  on  account  of  his  having 
attempted  to  hang  himself  with  one  of  them  made 
into  a  rope.  He  next  attempted  to  starve  himself, 
but  this  he  gave  over,  after  having  fasted  three  or 
four  days.  He  now  dropped  into  a  state  of  quiet- 
ness, and  lay  in  his  bed  the  most  of  the  time,  day 
as  well  as  night ;  but  on  the  16th  of  December  we 
found  on  examining  his  prison,  that  he  had  broken 
the  iron  collar  from  his  neck,  and  drawn  the  staple 
from  the  timber ;  but  replaced  it  again  so  as  to 
prevent  detection. 

On  the  17th,  we  put  a  chain  about  his  neck,  and 
stapled  it  to  the  floor  in  such  a  manner  that  he 
could  not  reach  either  of  the  staples.  In  this 
situation  he  remained  secure  and  rather  more  quiet, 
yet  with  occasional  shouting  and  screaming  until 
the  15th  of  January.  The  weather  having  now 
become  very  cold,  and  no  fire  allowed  him,  fears 
were  entertained  that  he  might  freeze  ;  to  prevent 
\vhich  it  became  necesary  to  remove  his  irons,  which 
with  the  exception  of  his  fetters  and  handcuffs,  were 
accordingly  taken  off.  For  this  relief  Smith  showed 
no  sign  of  thankfulness,  but  became  more  noisy  and 
troublesome,  especially  in  the  night,  disturbing  all 
within  the  reach  of  his  voice,  with  screeching  and 
howling,  and  all  manner  of  hideous  noises,  entirely 
unlike  the  human  voice,  and  tremendously  loud, 
even  beyond  conception.  In  this  manner  he 
continued  for  five  months,  occasionally  committing 
violence  upon  himself  and  breaking  his  chains, 


74  Henry  More  Smith 

during  which  period  he  could  never  be  surprised 
into  the  utterance  of  one  single  word  or  articulate 
sound,  and  took  no  notice  of  any  person  or  thing. 
or  of  what  was  said  to  him,  no  more  than  if  he  had 
been  a  dumb,  senseless  animal ;  yet  performing 
many  curious  and  astonishing  actions  as  will  be 
related  hereafter. 

In  the  New  Testament,  which  he  always  kept  by 
him,  a  leaf  was  observed  to  be  turned  down,  under 
which,  upon  examination,  was  found  the  following 
Scripture,  in  the  3rd  Chapter  -of  1st  Corinthians, 
"And  I,  brethren,  could  not  speak  unto  you, "  &c. 

The  weather  having  been  intensely  cold  through- 
out the  month  of  January,  and  he  having  no  fire, 
great  fears  were  entertained  that  he  must  perish 
from  cold,  but  astonishing  to  relate  his  hands  and 
feet  were  always  found  to  be  warm,  and  even  his 
chains !  In  February,  when  the  weather  began  to 
moderate  a  little,  he  became  more  troublesome  ; 
began  to  tear  off  the  lime  wall  and  lathing,  from  the 
partition  and  break  everything  he  could  reach.  A. 
strong  iron-hooped  bucket  that  contained  his  drink 
he  broke  all  to  pieces  ;  the  hoops  he  broke  up  into 
pieces  not  exceeding  three  inches  long,  and  would 
throw  the  pieces  with  such  dexterity,  though 
handcuffed,  as  to  put  out  the  candle  when  the  goaler 
would  bring  the  light  to  the  wicket  door  to  examine 
what  he  was  doing. 

As  the  weather  moderated  he  became  more  noisy 
and  vicious,  as  will  appear  by  the  following  letter 
which  I  received  from  the  gaoler  on  February  10th  : 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  75 


"  DEAR  SIR,  —  There  must  be  something  done 
with  Smith  —  he  is  determined  to  let  me  know 
what  he  is  if  no  one  else  does  —  he  sleeps  in  the  day 
time,  and  when  I  go  to  tell  him  to  keep  still  at 
night,  he  yells  so  as  not  to  hear  what  I  say  to  him. 
Instead  of  thanks  for  taking  off  his  irons,  he  makes 
all  the  noises  he  can  by  yelling  and  screaming  all 
night,  and  knocking  very  loud  all  night  with  some 
part  of  his  irons.  I  wish  you  would  come  up  early 
and  advise  what  is  best  to  be  done. 

W.  DIBBLE.  " 

I  came  to  the  gaol  accordingly,  and  found  his 
irons  uninjured,  and  to  prevent  him  from  using  his 
hands  so  freely,  locked  a  chain  from  his  fetters  to 
his  handcuffs,  and  left  him. 

On  Sunday,  two  gentlemen  from  Nova  Scotia,  at 
the  request  of  Smith's  wife,  came  to  make  enquiry 
after  him.  I  went  with  them  to  the  gaol  to  see  if 
he  would  speak  or  take  any  notice  of  them,  or  of 
what  they  would  say  to  him  from  his  wife.  They 
told  him  that  his  wife  wished  to  know  if  he  would 
have  her  come  to  see  him,  and  what  she  would  do 
with  the  colt  he  left ;  that  she  would  sell  it  for  two 
hundred  dollars,  and  have  the  money  sent  to  him. 
But  all  they  said  had  no  effect  on  him,  any  more 
than  if  he  had  been  a  lifeless  statue,  which 
convinced  us  that  he  would  go  to  the  gallows  with- 
out speaking  a  word  or  changing  his  countenance. 

The  next  week  he  became  more  restless  and 
vicious,  and  on  Sunday,  on  going  to  the  gaol  with 
Mr.  Rulofson,  from  Hampton,  and  Mr.  Griffith, 
from  Woodstock,  found  he  had  broken  up  part  of 


76  Henry  More  Smith 

his  berth,  and  broken  his  chain  from  the  handcuffs, 
leaving  one  link  to  the  staple,  the  parted  links 
concealed  ;  tore  up  part  of  his  bedding  and  stopped 
the  funnel  of  the  necessary.  It  appeared  also  that 
he  had  been  at  the  grates  ;  but  how  he  got  there 
was  a  mystery,  for  the  chain  by  which  his  legs 
were  bound,  was  unbroken,  and  the  staple  fast  in 
the  timber.  We  then  raised  the  staple  and  again 
put  on  the  chain  to  his  handcuffs,  fastening  the 
staple  in  another  place,  more  out  of  his  reach. 

The  next  day  I  found  he  had  again  broken  the 
chain  from  his  handcuffs  and  torn  a  large  portion 
of  lathing  and  plastering  from  the  middle  wall. 
Finding  this,  I  determined  to  confine  him  more 
closely  than  ever,  and  so  put  a  chain  from  his  feet 
round  his  neck,  stapled  to  the  floor,  securing  the 
handcuffs  to  the  middle  of  the  chain.  He  had 
already  given  such  mysterious  and  astonishing 
proofs  of  his  strength  and  invention,  that  I  feared 
he  would  finally  baffle  all  my  ingenuity  to  prevent 
his  escape.  The  twisting  of  the  iron  collar  from 
his  neck  and  drawing  the  staple  from  the  timber, 
was  a  feat  that  filled  every  one  with  wonder.  The 
collar  was  made  of  a  flat  bar  of  iron,  an  inch  and  a 
half  wide,  with  the  edges  rounded.  This  he 
twisted  as  if  it  were  a  piece  of  leather,  and  broke  it 
into  two  parts,  which  no  man  of  common  strength 
could  have  done  with  one  end  of  the  bar  fastened 
in  a  smith's  vise.  The  broken  collar  was  kept  a 
long  time  and  shown  to  many  a  wonderer.  As 
might  be  expected,  his  wrists  were  frequently  much 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  77 

swelled  and  very  sore  from  his  exertion  to  break 
and  get  loose  from  his  irons  ;  yet  he  appeared  as 
insensible  and  as  regardless  of  his  situation  as  if  he 
had  in  reality  been  a  furious  maniac. 

Notwithstanding  the  seeming  insanity  which 
characterized  these  works  of  his  in  the  prison,  yet 
other  parts  of  his  performance  there  indicated  the 
most  astonishing  genius  and  invention  ;  perhaps  in. 
a  manner  and  degree  unequalled  in  the  memory  of 
man.  On  the  1st  of  March,  on  entering  his  prison 
in  the  evening,  we  found  him  walking  in  front  of 
an  effigy  or  likeness  of  his  wife,  which  he  had  made 
and  placed  before  him  against  the  Avail  as  large  as 
life.  When  the  light  was  thrown  upon  this  scene, 
which  he  had  prepared  and  got  up  in  the  dark,  it 
not  only  filled  us  with  amazement,  but  drew  out  all 
the  sensibilities  of  the  heart  with  the  magic  of  a 
tragedy,  not  so  much  imaginary  as  real.  This  effigy 
he  intended  to  represent  his  wife,  visiting  his 
wretched  abode,  and  manifesting  signs  of  disconso- 
!ation,  anguish  and  despair,  on  beholding  her 
wretched  husband  moving  before  her  in  chains  and 
fetters,  with  dejected  mein,  and  misery  and  despair 
depicted  in  his  countenance.  The  effigy  was  formed 
out  of  his  bedding  and  the  clothes  and  shirt  he  tore 
off  his  body,  together  with  a  trough  three  or  four 
feet  in  length,  which  was  used  in  the  jail  to  contain 
water  for  his  drink.  Rough  as  the  materials  were, 
yet  he  desplayed  such  ingenuity  in  its  formation, 
and  conducted  the  scene  in  a  manner  so  affecting, 
that  the  effect  it  produced  when  viewed  with  the 


78  Henry  More  Smith 


light  of  the  candles,  was  really  astonishing,  and  had 
a  kind  of  magical  power  in  drawing  out  the 
sympathies  of  every  one  who  witnessed  it. 

He  continued  noisy  and  troublesome  tfll  the  5th 
of  March,  when  we  took  his  irons  off,  and  caused  him 
to  wash  himself  and  comb  his  hair,  which  had  not 
been  cut  since  he  was  put  in  jail ;  neither  had  his 
beard  been  shaved.  On  receiving  a  piece  of  soap  for 
washing,  he  ate  a  part,  and  used  the  rest.  We  then 
gave  him  a  clean  shirt,  which  he  put  on  himself 
with  the  rest  of  his  clothing,  after  which  we 
replaced  his  irons,  which  he  received  in  the  same 
manner  as  an  ox  would  his  yoke,  or  a  horse  his 
harness. 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  79 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Second  Trial  Ordered  —  Smith  Continues  to  Break  Chains  and 
Relieved  Himself  of  Fetters  Rivetted|on  by  a  Blacksmith  — 
Reads  Bible  and  Makes  Straw  Figures — Feigns  Insanity 
when  Placed  on  Trial — Refused  to  Plead  —  Found  Guilty 
and  Sentenced  to  Death. 

HHE  term  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  was 
now  coming  on,  which  required  much  of 
my  attention  for  the  necessary  preparations; 
and  Mr.  Dibble,  the  jailer,  being  about  to  remove 
to  Sussex  Vale,  to  take  charge  of  the  Academy 
there,  my  situation  began  to  look  rather  awkward 
and  unpleasant.  Accordingly  the  jailer  moved 
away  on  the  llth  of  March,  after  the  sitting  of  the 
Court,  and  from  the  extraordinary  trouble  which 
the  prisoner  was  known  to  have  given,  I  had  little 
hope  of  finding  any  one  who  would  be  willing  to 
take  the  charge.  However  I  prevailed  with  Mr. 
James  Reid  (a  man  in  whom  I  could  confide)  to 
undertake  the  charge  of  him ;  who,  with  his  family 
moved  into  the  house  the  day  following. 

After  this,  Smith  appeared  more  cheerful,  and 
became  rather  more  quiet,  until  the  24th  of  March, 
when  I  was  called  on  by  the  jailer,  who  informed 
me  that  Smith  was  attempting  to  break  through  the 
partition  where  the  stove-pipe  passed  through  into 
the  debtors'  room.  On  entering  the  jail  we  found 
him  loose  from  all  his  irons,  —  his  neck-chain  was 
broken  into  three  pieces ;  the  chain  from  his  neck 


80  Henry  More  Smith 


to  his  feet  into  three  pieces  ;  the  screw  handcuffs 
into  four  pieces,  and  all  hanging  on  nails  on  the 
partition.  His  great  coat  was  torn  into  two  parts, 
through  the  back,  and  then  rent  into  small  strips, 
one  of  which  he  used  as  a  belt,  and  supported  with 
it  a  wooden  sword  which  he  had  formed  out  of  a 
lath,  and  with  which  he  amused  himself  by  going 
through  the  "sword  exercise,"  which  he  appeared 
to  understand  very  well.  The  chains  from  his  legs 
were  disengaged  from  the  staples,  and  tied  together 
with  a  strip  of  the  torn  coat.  His  hand,  his  feet 
and  his  clothes,  were  all  bloody  ;  and  his  whole 
appearance  presented  that  of  an  infuriated  mad- 
man. There  were  present  on  this  occasion  Messrs. 
Daniel  Micheau,  Moses  Foster,  George  Raymond, 
Walker  Tisdale,  the  jailer  and  some  others.  1 
then  raised  the  staple,  secured  him  by  the  leg  chain 
put  on  a  pair  of  stiff  handcuffs,  and  added  a  chain 
to  his  neck,  stapled  to  the  floor.  In  this  situation 
we  left  him  until  the  28th,  when  I  was  again  called 
by  the  jailer,  who  said  he  believed  he  was  loose 
again,  and  about  some  mischief. 

On  entering  the  jail,  I  accordingly  found  him 
loose,  —  the  chain  from  his  neck  in  three  parts  ;  lie- 
had  beaten  the  lime  off  the  wall  with  a  piece  of  his 
chain  three  feet  long.  We  left  him  for  the  purpose 
of  getting  his  chains  repaired  ;  at  night  we  added  a 
new  chain  from  his  fetters  to  his  neck,  and  stapled 
him  to  the  floor  with  a  chain  about  four  feet  long ; 
we  secured  his  handcuffs  to  the  chain  between  his 
neck  and  feet,  so  that  when  standing,  he  could  not 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  81 

reach  in  any  direction.  In  this  situation  he 
remained  until  the  31st,  spending  the  time  in  sing- 
ing and  hallooing  occasionally.  I  was  then  again 
called  by  the  jailer,  who,  on  opening  the  wicket- 
door,  found  a  piece  of  chain  hanging  on  the  inside. 
I  went  immediately  to  the  jail  and  found  that  he 
had  separated  all  his  chains,  had  tied  his  feet  chain  to 
to  the  staple  again,  and  was  lying  in  his  bed  as  uncon- 
cerned as  if  nothing  had  happened,  having  a  piece 
of  chain  about  his  neck.  We  then  took  his  bunk 
bedstead  from  him,  and  removed  everything  out  of 
his  reach  ;  no  link  in  his  chains  appeared  to  be 
twisted,  nor  were  there  any  broken  links  to  be  seen  ; 
from  this  we  inferred  that  he  still  must  have  some 
means  of  cutting  his  chains. 

At  this  moment,  however,  it  occurred  to  us  that 
he  might  have  the  broken  links  concealed  in  the 
privy.  We  accordingly  let  down  a  candle,  by 
which  we  could  see  the  bottom,  and  with  an  iron 
hook  prepared  for  this  purpose,  we  brought  up  a 
bunch  of  broken  links  which  he  had  tied  up  in  a 
piece  of  his  shirt,  together  with  a  piece  of  his  neck 
chain  a  foot  long.  This  convinced  us  that  he  had 
not  destroyed  his  chains  by  means  of  cutting  them, 
but  by  the  application  of  some  unknown  mysterious 
power.  I  then  determined  to  break  the  enchant- 
ment, if  strength  of  chain  would  do  it,  and  added 
to  his  fetters  a  large  timber  chain,  which  had  been 
used  as  the  bunk-chain  of  a  bob-sled,  by  which  four 
or  five  logs  were  usually  hauled  to  a  mill  at  once. 
The  chains  we  had  previously  used  were  of  a  size 


82  Henry  More  Smith 

between  that  of  a  common  ox-chain  and    a   large 
horse  trace-chain. 

Secured  in  this  manner  we  left  him,  and  on  the 
Cth  of  April  found  his  neck-chain  parted  again.  f  I 
then  replaced  it  with  a  strong  ox-chain  about  seven 
feet  long,  firmly  stapled  to  the  timber.  The  next 
morning  the  gaoler  informed  me  that  from  the 
uncommon  noise  he  made  in  the  night,  he  was 
convinced  he  must  be  loose  from  some  of  his  irons 
or  chains.  I  then  concluded  that  he  must  have 
broken  his  steel  fetters,  as  I  judged  it  impossible 
for  human  strength  or  invention,  in  his  situation, 
to  break  either  of  the  ox-chains  ;  but  to  my  utter 
astonisnment  I  found  the  ox-chain  parted  and  tied 
with  a  string  to  the  staple,  his  handcuffs,  fetters, 
and  log  chain  having  remained  uninjured.  We 
fastened  the  ox-chain  to  his  neck  again,  by  driving 
the  staple  into  another  link.  After  this,  he  remained 
more  quiet,  his  wrists  having  been  much  galled  and 
swelled  by  his  irons,  and  bruised  and  rendered  sore 
by  his  exertions  to  free  himself  from  them. 

At  this  time  I  received  a  letter  from  the  Clerk  of 
the  Circuit,  of  which  the  following  is  a  copy : 

ST.  JOHN,  March  15th.  —  Dear  Sir,  — At  length  I 
enclose  you  the  precept  for  summoning  a  Court  of 
Over  and  Terminer  and  Gaol  Delivery  in  your 
County,  on  Thursday,  the  20th  of  April,  for  the 
trial  of  the  horse-stealer — I  also  enclose  a  letter  from 
Major  King,  for  his  saddle,  stolen  from  him  at  the 
same  time. 

Yours,  &c.,  WARD  CHIP.M  vx. 

To  WALTER  BATES,  Esq.,  High  Sheriff. 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  83 


After  this  our  prisoner  remained  for  some  time 
rather  more  peaceable,  and  amused  himself  with 
braiding  straw,  which  he  did  in  a  curious  manner, 
and  made  a  kind  of  straw  basket  which  he  hung  on 
the  partition  to  contain  his  bread.  Sometimes  he 
would  make  the  likeness  of  a  man,  and  sometimes 
that  of  a  woman,  and  place  them  in  postures 
singularly  striking;  discovering  much  curious 
ingenuity.  At  this  he  would  amuse  himself  in  the 
day,  but  spent  the  night  in  shouting  and  hallooing, 
and  beating  the  floor  with  his  chains. 

On  entering  the  gaol,  we  discovered  the  image  or 
likeness  of  a  woman,  intended  to  represent  his 
wife.  He  had  it  placed  in  a  sitting  posture,  at  the 
head  of  his  bed,  with  the  New  Testament  open 
before  her,  as  though  reading  to  him,  while  he  sat 
in  the  attitude  of  hearing  with  serious  attention.  I 
was  induced  to  look  into  the  New  Testament,  and 
found  it  open  at  the  12th  chapter  of  St.  Luke,  and 
the  leaf  turned  down  at  the  58th  verse,  which  read 
as  follows  :  "  When  thou  goest  with  thine  adversary 
to  the  Magistrate,  as  thou  art  in  the  way,  give 
diligence  that  thou  mayest  be  delivered  from  him  ; 
lest  he  hale  thee  to  the  judge,  and  the  judge  deliver 
thee  to  the  officer,  and  the  officer  cast  thee  into 
prison."  It  would  seem  as  though  he  had  intended 
to  represent  her  as  reproaching  him  for  his  escape 
from  the  constables  on  his  wray  to  Kingston,  while 
he  would  defend  his  conduct  by  referring  to  the 
above  portion  of  the  Scripture.  He  produced  many 
other  likenesses,  which  he  would  place  in  different 


84  Henry  More  Smith 


significant  postures  manifesting  the  most  remarkable 
ingenuity  and  invention. 

A  special  Court  for  his  trial  had  been  summoned 
to  meet  at  Kingston  on  the  20th  of  April ;  but  it 
was  postponed  until  the  4th  of  May,  on  occount  of 
the  ice  having  remained  unusually  late  in  the  river, 
as  will  appear  by  the  following  letter : 

ST.  JOHN,  5th  April,  1815 — Dear  Sir, —  I  have 
received  your  letter  detailing  the  very  extraordinary 
conduct  of  the  culprit  in  your  custody.  There  is 
certainly  a  mystery  in  this  man's  means  and 
character,  which  is  unfathomable,  and  I  fear  there 
will  be  considerable  difficulty  with  him  on  the  trial. 
Your  vigilance  and  exertions  of  course  cannot  be 
relaxed.  As  the  best  thing  to  be  done,  I  despatched 
your  letter,  without  delay,  to  the  Attorney  General, 
that  they  might  adopt,  at  Head  Quarters,  any  such 
measures  as  they  might  think  expedient  for  the 
further  safeguard  and  security  of  the  prisoner. 

Very  respectfully  yours, 
To  W.  BATES,  Esq.  W.  CHIPMAN. 

SUNDAY,  16th  April,  1815  —  Dear  Sir — I  have 
just  received  by  express  from  Fredericton,  a  letter 
from  the  Attorney  General,  stating  that  from  the 
state  of  the  river,  it  will  be  impracticable  for  him 
to  be  at  Kingston  by  the  20th,  and  as  he  has 
hitherto  taken  the  whole  burthen  of  the  trial  upon 
himself,  it  cannot  go  on  without  him.  From  the 
circumstances,  therefore,  and  as  the  present  state 
of  the  travelling  would  probably  render  it  dangerous 
to  my  father's  health  (who  is  not  now  very  well)  to 
hold  the  court  this  week,  he  has  determined  to  put 
it  off  till  Thursday,  the  4th  of  May,  for  which  day 
he  wishes  you  to  summon  your  jury,  and  to  proclaim 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  85 


the  holding  of  the  Court.  He  regrets  much  giving 
you  this  additional  trouble,  but  it  must  be  attributed 
to  the  extraordinary  backwardness  of  the  season, 
which  was  not,  probably,  foreseen  when  it  was 
recommended  to  hold  the  Court  on  the  20th  of  April. 
I  have  not  time  to  forward  a  new  precept  by  this 
conveyance,  but  I  will  forward  one  in  time,  or  the 
one  you  have  may  be  altered.  This  can  be  easily 
arranged  when  we  go  up  to  the  Court. 

Yours  truly, 
W.  BATES,  Esquire.  W.  CHIPMAN. 

The  Court  was  accordingly  proclaimed,  and  at  the 
same  time  I  wrote  a  letter,  inclosing  the  proclamation 
to  Mr.  Dibble,  the  former  gaoler,  to  which  I  received 
the  following  answer : 

DEAR  SIR  —  I  yesterday  received  your  letter, 
inclosing  your  proclamation  of  the  Circuit  Court, 
for  the  trial  of  Smith,  the  horse-stealer.  I  shall  be 
very  sorry  if  Judge  Chipman's  health  should  be 
such  as  to  prevent  his  attending  the  trial.  Should 
the  Attorney  General  attempt  to  prosecute  on 
recognizance  for  the  escape,  I  think  his  (the  Judge's) 
influence  at  Court  would  prevent  it.  I  am  quite  of 
your  opinion,  that  it  will  be  the  most  difficult  case 
that  has  yet  been  before  any  Court  for  trial  in  this 
County.  As  for  his  behaving  much  better  after  I  left 
the  gaol,  it  was  what  I  expected  he  would  do,  to  put 
Reid  off  his  guard.  Those  parts  of  his  chains  that 
were  hanging  in  convenient  situations,  were  power- 
ful weapons,  and  had  Reid  come  into  the  gaol  alone, 
or  weak-handed,  he  would  have  felt  the  weight  of 
them.  It  is  remarkable  that  the  villain  with  all  his 
art  and  cunning,  should  manage  it  so  ill  ;  and  it 
seems  altogether  providential  that  from  the 


86  Henry  More  Smith 

beginning  (except  his  sickness)  he  has  either 
delayed  too  long  or  been  too  hasty,  which  has 
prevented  his  escape  before,  and  1  hope  and  trust 
will  be  the  same  with  you.  I  am  sorry  for  the 
trouble  you  have  with  him,  and  confidently  hope 
and  trust  he  will  not  evade  your  vigilance.  Yoir 
are  too  well  acquainted  with  his  conduct  to  need 
my  advice.  I  must  claim  from  you  the  particulars 
of  his  conduct  at  the  trial. 

I  remain  yours  truly, 
W.  BATES,  Esquire.  W.  DIBBLE. 

On  the  30th  of  April,  I  went  to  the  gaol  and 
found  Smith  lying  quietly  with  all  his  irons  and 
chains  uninjured,  and  told  him  that  on  Thursday 
next,  the  4th  of  May,  he  must  have  his  trial  before 
the  Court  for  his  life  or  death ;  and  that  Mr. 
Pearson,  the  Deputy  Sheriff  who  apprehended  him 
at  Pictou,  had  come  to  witness  against  him  ;  but 
he  paid  no  attention  to  what  I  said.  The  second 
day  Mr.  Pearson  came  to  see  him,  and  told  him 
that  his  (Smith's)  wife  had  come  to  see  him ;  but 
he  took  no  notice  of  him,  no  more  than  if  he  could 
neither  see  nor  hear,  and  set  at  defiance  all  attempts 
to  extort  one  single  expression,  as  though  he  were 
destitute  of  every  sense. 

The  third  day  we  found  that  he  had  been  at  the 
stone  wall,  his  face  bruised  and  bloody.  I  renewed 
my  attempts  to  elicit  something  from  him  by 
telling  him  that  the  next  day  he  would  be  brought 
before  the  Court  for  his  trial ;  but  all  was  in  vain. 
He  gave  me  the  most  decided  indications  of  con- 
firmed insanity ;  patted  his  hands,  hallooed,  sang 


Ths  Mysterious  Stranger  87 

without   articulating,   and  continued  to   sing   and 
beat  the  floor  with  his  chains  the  most  of  the  night. 
The  4th  of  May,  the  day  appointed  for  his  trial, 
being   now   come,    the    Court   began    to   assemble 
early   in    the   morning,    and    numerous  spectators 
crowded  from  every  part  of  the  county.     About  11 
o'clock  his  Honor  Judge  Saunders,  and  the  Attorney 
General  arrived  from  Fredericton.     About  1  o'clock 
the  whole  Court  moved  in  procession  to  the  Court 
House,  which  was  unusually  crowded  with  spectators. 
After  the  opening  of  the  Court  in  the  usual  form, 
the  prisoner  was  called  to  the  bar.     The  gaoler  and 
four  constables  brought  him  and  placed  him  in  the 
criminal's  box.     He  made  no  resistance,  nor  took 
any  notice  of  the  Court,  and,  as  usual,  acted  the 
fool   or   the   madman,    snapping   his    fingers   and 
patting  his  hands ;  he  hem'd  and  ha'd,  took  off  his 
shoes   and  socks,  tore   his  shirt.     Every   eye   was 
fixed   on    him    with    wonder    and   astonishment. 
After  the  Attorney  General  had  read  his  indictment, 
the   Judge   asked   him    how   he   pleaded   to   that 
indictment,  guilty  or  not  guilty.     He  stood  heedless 
and  silent,  without  regarding  what  was  said  to  him. 
The    Judge   then    remonstrated    with   him,    and 
warned  him  that  if  he  stood  mute  out  of  obstinacy, 
his  trial  would  go  on,  and  he  would  be  deprived  of 
the  opportunity  of  putting  himself  on  his  country 
for  defence ;    and    that   sentence  would   be  given 
against  him  ;  he  therefore  advised  him  to  plead  not 
guilty.     He  still  continued  mute,  and  acting  the 
fool  without  betraying  the  slightest  emotion.     The 


88  Henry  More  Smith 


Judge  then  directed  the  Sheriff  to  empannel  a  jury 
of  twelve  men,  to  enquire  whether  the  prisoner  at 
the  bar  stood  mute  wilfully  and  obstinately,  or  by 
the  visitation  of  God.  From  the  evidence  brought 
before  the  jury  on  this  enquiry,  it  appeared  that 
he  had  been  in  the  same  state  for  three  months 
preceding,  during  which  time  he  could  not  be 
surprised  into  the  utterance  of  one  word.  The 
jury  consequently  returned  their  verdict  that  the 
prisoner  stood  mute  by  the  visitation  of  God. 

The  Judge  then  directed  the  Attorney  General  to 
enter  the  plea  of  not  guilty ; "and  Counsel  for  the 
prisoner  was  admitted.  The  Court  then  adjourned 
till  ten  o'clock  the  next  morning.  The  next  morning, 
Friday,  the  Court  assembled  accordingly,  and  the 
prisoner  was  again  brought  to  the  bar,  and  placed 
in  the  criminal's  box  as  before.  He  sat  down 
quietly,  maintained  his  usual  silence  and  inattention. 
The  most  profound  silence  reigned  in  the  Court, 
which  was  still  crowded  with  spectators,  and  every 
eye  was  fixed  on  the  prisoner  with  the  most  eager 
attention.  The  Judge  then  arose,  and  observed 
that  the  prisoner  appeared  more  calm  this  morning, 
and  directed  the  Attorney  General  to  proceed  with 
the  trial. 

After  the  jury  had  been  empannelled  and  had 
taken  their  seats,  and  the  witnesses  brought  before 
the  Court,  the  prisoner  was  ordered  to  stand  up  for 
his  defence ;  hold  up  his  hand,  and  hear  the 
evidence ;  but  he  still  maintained  the  same  dis- 
regard and  indifference,  giving  no  attention  to 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  89 

-anything  that  was  said  to  him.  The  constables 
were  then  directed  to  hold  up  his  hand,  but  to  this 
he  oft'ered  the  most  determined  resistance,  and 
fought  and  struggled  so  furiously,  that  they  were 
unable  to  manage  him.  They  then  procured  a  cord 
and  pinioned  his  arms  ;  but  this  was  of  no  avail ; 
he  would  flounce  and  clear  himself  from  them  all, 
as  though  he  had  the  strength  of  some  furious 
animal. 

They  then  procured  a  rope  and  lashed  his  arms 
back  to  the  railings  of  the  box  ;  but  he  still  con- 
tinued his  struggling,  and  reaching  the  railings 
before  him  would  break  them  like  a  pipe-stem. 
They  then  procured  another  rope  and  bound  his 
hands  together,  and  secured  them  to  the  railing  in 
the  opposite  direction.  Finding  himself  overpowered 
in  his  hands,  he  immediately  availed  himself  of  his 
feet,  with  which  he  kicked  most  lustily,  and  soon 
demolished  all  the  railing  in  front  of  the  box,  not- 
withstanding all  the  efforts  of  the  constables  to 
prevent  him.  Another  rope  was  then  procured, 
and  his  feet  bound  each  way  from  the  posts  of  the 
box,  so  that  he  was  rendered  incapable  of  further 
mischief.  After  securing  him  in  this  manner,  all 
the  constables  being  in  readiness  for  his  movements, 
while  he  himself  sat  as  unconcerned  as  though 
nothing  had  happened,  the  Attorney  General 
proceeded  to  read  his  indictment,  in  which  the 
prisoner  stood  charged  with  having  feloniously 
stolen  a  certain  bay  horse,  the  property  of  Frederick 
Willis  Knox,  Esquire,  of  the  value  of  thirty-five 


90  Henry  More  Smith 

pounds.  Mr.  Knox  having  been  sworn,  stated  the- 
manner  of  his  pursuit  after  the  prisoner,  with  all 
the  circumstances,  until  he  came  to  Trr.ro,  as  has 
already  been  detailed.  At  Truro  he  engaged  Mr. 
Pearson,  Deputy  Sheriff,  to  pursue  on  to  Pictou, 
whither  he  was  informed  the  prisoner  had  gone  to 
sell  the  horse. 

Mr.  Peters,  counsel  for  the  prisoner,  on  the  cross- 
examination  of  Mr.  Knox,  asked  him  how  he  wrote 
his  Christian  name  — "Willis"  or  "Wills."  He 
answered,  "I  am  christened  and  named  after  my 
god-father,  Lord  North,  the  Earl  of  Wills  borough, 
and  I  never  write  my  name  Willis.  Mr.  Peters  then 
produced  authorities  to  show  where  one  letter 
omitted  or  inserted  in  a  man's  name  had  quashed  an 
indictment,  and  moved  that  the  prisoner  be  dis- 
charged from  this  indictment.  This  move  was 
over-ruled  by  the  judge,  but  was  reserved  for  a 
question  in  the  Court  above. 

The  witness  Pearson  having  been  sworn,  deposed 
and  said,  that  he  pursued  after  liie  prisoner  the 
whole  night,  and  early  the  next  morning  was  shown 
the  prisoner,  and  arrested  him  on  suspicion  of  having 
stolen  the  horse,  and  told  him  that  the  owner  of  the 
horse  would  soon  be  present.  He  seemed  but  little 
surprised,  and  only  replied  that  he  came  honestly 
by  the  horse.  The  witness  further  stated  that  he 
then  asked  the  prisoner  where  the  horse  was,  who 
unhesitatingly  pointed  to  the  house  whore  he.  soon 
after  found  him.  Witness  went  on  to  state  that  he 
took  the  prisoner  before  a  Justice  for  examination. 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  91 

and  thence  to  the  jail  at  Pictou.  That  he  then  went 
to  the  house  which  the  prisoner  had  pointed  out  to 
him,  and  there  found  the  horse  ;  that  he  returned 
homewards  with  the  horse  about  ten  miles,  and  met 
Mr.  Knox,  who  immediately  knew  the  horse,  and 
called  his  name  "Britain."  That  they  then  returned 
to  Pictou,  where  the  prisoner  remained  in  jail,  and 
on  examination  was  found  to  have  in  his  possession 
a  watch,  and  about  fifteen  guineas  in  money,  with  a 
number  of  watch  seals  and  other  articles,  some  of 
which  it  appeared  he  had  stolen  on  his  way  as  he 
escaped  with  the  horse.  That  he  was  committed 
to  the  charge  of  a  constable  and  Mr.  Knox,  to  be 
conveyed  by  a  warrant  from  Nova  Scotia  to  the  jail 
at  King's  County,  in  New  Brunswick.  That  before 
he  was  taken  from  the  jail  at  Pictou  he  had  cut  the 
bolt  of  his  handcuffs  nearly  through,  and  had  art- 
fully concealed  it,  which  was  fortunately  discovered, 
and  new  handcuffs  provided,  otherwise  he  must 
certainly  have  escaped  from  his  keepers  before  he 
arrived  at  Kingston. 

The  circumstances  against  the  prisoner  were, 
that  he  gave  contradictory  statements  as  to  the  way 
in  which  he  came  by  the  horse  ;  at  one  time  assert- 
ing that  he  bought  him  from  a  pedlar  ;  at  another 
from  a  Frenchman ;  again,  that  he  swapped  for 
him  ;  and  at  Amherst  produced  a  receipt  for  money 
paid  in  exchange. 

The  Counsel  for  the  prisoner,  in  cross-examining, 
asked  Mr.  Knox,  did  you  ever  see  the  prisoner  in 
possession  of  the  horse  !  "No ;  but  he  acknow- 


92  Henry  More  Smith 

ledged  it."  "  Did  you  ever  hear  him  acknowledge 
that  he  was  in  possession  of  the  horse  in  any  other 
way  than  by  saying  he  came  honestly  by  him  ?" 
"No."  Mr.  Pearson  was  cross-examined  in  the 
same  manner,  and  answered  to  the  same  effect. 

Mr.  Peters,  in  defence  of  the  prisoner  produced 
authorities  to  show  that  by  the  evidence  the 
prisoner  was  not  taken  in  the  manner  as  stated  in 
the  declaration,  and  that  it  was  sufficient  for  him  to 
prove,  in  a  general  way,  how  he  came  in  possession 
of  the  horse,  which  he  was  able  to  do  by  a  receipt 
he  produced  for  the  money  paid  in  exchange,  the 
best  general  evidence  that  can  be  given,  as  such  is 
the  common  way  in  dealing  in  horses.  He  acknow- 
ledged that  if  the  prisoner  had  been  taken  on  the 
back  of  the  horse,  he  would  then  have  been  taken 
in  the  manner  as  stated  by  the  Attorney  General, 
and  consequently  bound  to  prove  how  he  came  in 
possession  ;  but  in  the  present  case,  he  himself,  or 
any  one  present,  might  have  been  in  this  unfortu- 
nate prisoner's  situation ;  dragged  to  the  prison,  to 
court  and  to  the  gallows,  because  he  could  not 
produce  the  person  who  actually  sold  him  the  horse. 
The  prosecutor  had  not  produced  any  evidence  of 
the  horse  ever  having  been  in  the  possession  of  the 
prisoner,  any  other  w&y  than  by  his  own  confession  ; 
and  he  trusted  that  the  jury  would  not  hesitate  to 
find  that  the  prisoner  was  not  taken  in  the  manner 
as  stated  in  the  declaration,  but  would  pronounce 
him,  by  their  verdict,  "Not  Guilty." 

The  Judge,  in  his  charge  to  the  jury,  overruled 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  93 

the  plea,  by  stating  to  the  jury  that  his  having  been 
taken  in  the  manner,  was  proved  by  the  various 
accounts  he  gave  of  his  getting  possession  of  the 
horse,  thus  rendering  himself  liable  to  prove  how  he 
came  by  him,  or  to  stand  guilty  of  having  feloniously 
taken  him,  as  stated  in  the  indictment.  That  they 
had  heard  the  witnesses  and  if,  from  the  evidence 
and  circumstances  before  them,  they  would  find  him 
guilty  ;  but  if  they  had  any  doubts,  that  leaning  to 
mercy,  they  would  find  him  not  guilty. 

While  the  jury  was  out,  the  sheriff  invited  the 
Court  and  other  gentlemen  to  visit  gaol,  where  they 
were  shown  the  irons  and  chains,  and  the  situation 
in  which  the  prisoner  had  been  placed. 

The  jury,  after  an  absence  of  about  two  hours, 
returned  with  a  verdict  of  "  Guilty."  The  judge 
then  proceeded  to  pass  upon  him  the  awful  sentence 
of  the  law,  "Death,  without  the  benefit  of  Clergy;" 
but  the  criminal  remained  unmoved  and  unaffected, 
and  continued  shouting  and  hallooing.  The  court 
asked  the  counsel  for  the  prisoner  whether  he  had 
anything  to  offer  in  arrest  of  judgment,  or  why  the 
sentence  of  death  should  not  be  executed  upon  him. 
Mr.  Peters  then  arose  and  produced  authorities  to 
show  that  the  present  law  that  took  away  "  the 
benefit  of  Clergy "  for  horse-stealing,  was  not  in 
force  in  this  colony,  and  that  it  could  not  be 
construed  to  be  in  force,  and  must  be  a  question  to 
be  decided  in  the  higher  court,  where  he  hoped  to 
have  the  honor  of  discussing  it.  The  judge  admitted 
the  plea  ;  but  gave  his  opinion  against  him. 


94  Henry  More  Smith 


CHAPTER  VII. 

After  Sentence  Smith  Assumes  Indifference  to  His  Fate  —  Breaks 
Fastenings  Again — His  Marionette  Family  Described  by 
Sheriff  Bates  — Tells  Something  of  His  Past  History  — His 
Case  Considered  by  Supreme  Court  at  Fredericton. 

BHE  business  being  ended,  the  prisoner  was 
returned  to  his  cell,  where  he  received  his 
chains  with  willingness  and  apparent 
satisfaction  ;  and  the  court  adjourned  without  delay. 
The  Attorney  General,  however,  gave  me  to  under- 
stand that  the  prisoner  would  not  be  executed 
immediately  ;  and  requested  that  1  would  observe 
liis  behavior,  and  inform  him  by  letter  the  particulars 
of  his  conduct.  The  next  morning  I  visited  him, 
and  observed  to  him  that  he  was  now  under  sentence 
of  death,  and  he  would  be  allowed  only  one  pound 
of  bread  every  day,  with  water,  during  the  short 
time  he  had  to  live.  That  as  soon  as  the  death 
warrant  was  signed  by  the  president,  he  would  be 
executed,  and  that  a  short  time  only  was  left  him 
to  prepare  for  the  dreadful  event.  But  he  paid  no 
attention  ;  patted  his  hands,  sang  and  acted  the  fool 
as  usual.  One  of  his  visitors  being  much  surprised 
at  his  insensibility,  observed  to  him,  "  Smith,  it  is 
too  late  for  you  to  deceive  any  more  ;  your  fate  is 
fixed  now,  and  you  had  better  employ  your  little 
time  in  making  your  peace  with  God,  than  to  act 
the  fool  any  longer."  On  our  next  visit  to  the  gaol, 
which  was  soon  after,  we  found  his  Testament  open, 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  95 

and  a  leaf  turned  down  on  the  following  passage — 
"  If  any  man  among  you  seemeth  to  be  wise,  let  him 
become  a  fool,  that  he  may  be  wise.  "  From  this  it 
would  appear,  that  he  either  founded  his  pretended 
insanity  on  Scripture  precept,  or  affected  to  do  so  ; 
yet  it  cannot  be  supposed  that  he  intended  us  to 
know  what  use  he  made  of  this  Scripture,  as  he 
must  have  known  that  our  conclusion  would  be  that 
he  was  "  more  rogue  than  fool." 

I  kept  him  nine  days  on  bread  and  water,  during 
which  time  he  manifested  no  sign  of  hunger,  more 
than  when  fed  with  four  times  his  allowance,  and 
tore  off  every  particle  of  his  clothing,  leaving  himself 
entirely  naked.  After  this  time,  I  allowed  him 
other  provisions,  and  his  subsequent  behavior  was 
briefly  stated  in  a  letter  to  the  Attorney  General, 
and  afterwards,  published  in  the  "Royal  Gazette." 
The  following  is  a  true  copy  of  the  letter,  as  it 
appeared  in  that  paper,  July  llth,  1815  : 

"  Copy  of  a  letter  from  the  High  Sheriff  of  Kings 
County  : 

KIXUSTOX,  June  26th,  1815  — My  Dear  Sir- 
Having  heard  nothing  from  you  since  the  late  gaol 
delivery  at  Kings  County,  I  beg  leave  to  state  to 
you  some  circumstances  of  the  criminal,  Henry 
More  Smith,  since  his  trial  and  sentence.  After 
-securing  him  with  strong  chains  to  his  neck  and 
legs,  and  with  handcuffs,  he  continued  beating  the 
floor,  hallooing  day  and  night  with  little  inter- 
mission, making  different  sounds  ;  sometimes  with 
j  inkling  his  chains,  and  sometimes  without, 
-apparently  in  different  parts  of  the  gaol,  insomuch 


96  Henry  More  Smith 

that  the  gaoler  frequently  sent  for  me,  supposing 
he  must  be  loose  from  his  chains,  which  I  conceived 
and  frequently  observed  was  impossible,  being  far 
beyond  the  power  of  human  strength  or  invention, 
in  his  situation  ;  but  on  the  24th  of  May,  going  into 
the  gaol  early  in  the  morning,  (after  examining  his 
chains  at  2  o'clock  the  day  before,)  I  found  three 
links  of  his  heaviest  chains  separated,  and  lying  on 
the  floor,  being  part  of  the  chain  without  the  staple. 
He  continued  in  the  same  way  until  the  2nd  of  June, 
when  we  found  the  largest  chain  parted  about  the 
middle  and  tied  with  a  string,  which  clearly  proves 
that  irons  and  chains  are  no  security  for  him.  I  then 
put  on  a  light  chain,  with  which  he  has  been  ever 
since.  I  never  discovered  him  at  work  at  anything, 
but  he  frequently  produced  effigies  or  likenesses, 
very  striking,  representing  his  wife.  He  now 
produced  an  effigy  of  a  man  in  perfect  shape,  with 
his  features  painted,  and  joints  to  all  his  limbsr 
and  dressed  him  in  clothes  that  he  had  made  in 
good  shape  and  fashion  out  of  clothes  he  had  torn 
off  himself,  (being  now  naked,)  which  was  admired 
for  its  ingenuity.  This  he  would  put  sometimes  in 
one  position  and  sometimes  in  another,  and  seemed 
to  amuse  himself  with  it,  without  taking  the  least 
notice  of  anything  else ;  continuing  in  his  old  way 
hallooing,  without  any  alteration,  until  the  13th, 
when  the  gaoler  informed  me  that  he  refused  to  eat, 
and  no  doubt  was  sick.  I  went  to  see  him  every 
day  —  found  he  did  not  eat  —  all  the  bread  and 
other  provisions  conveyed  to  him  he  gave  to  his 
effigy,  strung  on  a  string,  and  put  in  his  hands. 
He  lay  perfectly  still  day  and  night,  and  took  no- 
notice  of  anything  —  would  drink  tea  or  milk,  which 
I  gave  him  twice  a  day  for  five  days,  he  then  refused 
to  drink  anything  for  two  days,  which  made  seven 
days  that  he  ate  nothing.  In  that  time  he  began  to- 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  97 

speak  —  would  ask  questions,  but  would  hold  no 
conversation.  But  the  most  extraordinary,  the  most 
wonderful  and  mysterious  of  all,  is  that  in  this  time 
he  has  prepared,  undiscovered,  and  at  once  exhibited 
the  most  striking  picture  of  genius,  art,  taste,  and 
invention,  that  ever  was,  and  I  presume  ever  will 
be  produced  by  any  human  being  placed  in  his 
situation,  in  a  dark  room,  chained  and  handcuffed, 
under  sentence  of  death,  without  so  much  as  a  nail 
of  any  kind  to  work  with  but  his  hands,  and  naked. 
The  exhibition  is  far  beyond  my  power  to  describe. 
To  give  you  some  faint  idea,  permit  me  to  say,  that 
it  consists  of  ten  characters  —  men,  women  and 
children  —  all  made  and  painted  in  the  most 
expressive  manner,  with  all  the  limbs  and  joints- 
of  the  human  frame  —  each  performing  different 
parts  ;  their  features,  shape  and  form,  all  express 
their  different  offices  and  character,  their  dress  is 
of  different  fashions,  and  suitable  to  the  stations 
in  which  they  are.  To  view  them  in  their  stations, 
they  appear  as  perfect  as  though  alive,  with  all  the 
air  and  gaiety  of  actors  on  the  stage.  Smith  sits  in 
his  bed  by  the  side  of  the  gaol,  his  exhibition' 
begins  about  a  foot  from  the  floor,  and  compasses 
the  whole  space  to  the  ceiling.  The  uppermost  is 
a  man  whom  lie  calls  his  tamborine  player,  or  some- 
times Dr.  Blunt,  standing  with  all  the  pride  and 
appearance  of  a  master  musician  ;  his  left  hand 
akimbo,  his  right  hand  on  his  tamborine,  dressed 
in  suitable  uniform.  Next  him,  below,  is  a  lady~ 
genteely  dressed,  gracefully  sitting  in  a  handsome 
swing  ;  at  her  left  stands  a  man,  neatly  dressed,  in 
the  character  of  a  servant,  holding  the  side  of  the 
swing  with  his  right,  his  left  hand  on  his  hip,  in  an 
easy  posture,  waiting  the  lady's  motion.  On  her 
right  hand  stands  a  man  genteely  dressed,  in  the 
character  of  a  gallant,  in  a  graceful  posture  for 


98  Henry  More  Smith 

dancing.  Beneath  these  three  figures,  sits  a  young 
man  and  a  young  woman  (apparently  -about 
fourteen.)  in  a  posture  of  tilting,  at  each  end  of  a 
board,  decently  dressed.  Directly  under  these 
stands  one  whom  he  calls  Bonaparte,  or  sometimes 
the  father  of  his  family ;  he  stands  erect,  his 
features  are  prominent-,  his  cheeks  red,  his  teeth 
-are  white  and  set  in  order,  his  gums  and  lips  red, 
his  nose  shaded  black,  representing  the  nostrils; 
his  dress  is  that  of  the  harlequin.  In  one  hand 
he  holds  an  infant,  with  the  other  he  plays  or  beats 
music  ;  before  him  stand  two  children,  apparently 
three  or  four  years  old,  holding  each  other  by  the 
hand,  in  the  act  of  playing  or  dancing,  which,  with 
.a  man  dressed  in  fashion,  who  appears  in  the 
character  of  a  steward,  sometimes  in  one  situation, 
.and  sometimes  in  another,  makes  up  the  show,  all 
•of  which  you  have  in  one  view.  Then  commences 
the  performance. 

The  first  operation  is  from  the  tamborine  player, 
or  master,  who  gives  two  or  three  single  strokes  on 
his  tamborine,  that  may  be  heard  in  any  part  of  the 
house,  without  moving  his  body.  He  then  dances 
gracefully  a  few  steps,  without  touching  his 
tamborine  ;  the  lady  is  then  swung  two  or  three 
times  by  the  steward  ;  then  the  gallant  takes  a  few 
steps  ;  then  the  two  below  tilt  a  few  times  in  the 
most  easy,  pleasant  manner ;  then  the  two  children 
dance  a  little,  holding  each  other  by  the  hand  ; 
:after  this,  Smith  begins  to  sing  or  whistle  a  tune, 
to  which  they  are  to  dance,  at  which  the  tamborine 
strikes,  and  every  one  dances  to  the  tune,  with 
motion,  ease,  and  exactness  not  to  be  described. 
Many  have  been  the  observations  of  spectators ; 
amongst  them,  an  old  German  observed  that, 
"  when  he  was  starving  the  seven  days,  he  was 
jnaking  a  league  with  the  devil  and  that  he  helped 


The  Mysterious  Stronger  99 

him.  "  All  acknowledged  with  me,  that  it  exceeds 
-anything  they  ever  saw  or  imagined.  His  whole 
conduct  from  the  first  has  been,  and  is,  one 
continued  scene  of  mystery. 

He  has  never  shown  any  idea  or  knowledge  of 
his  trial  or  present  situation  ;  he  seems  happy  ;  his 
irons  and  chains  are  no  apparent  inconvenience; 
contented  like  a  dog  or  monkey  broke  to  his  chain  ; 
shows  no  more  idea  of  anything  past,  than  if  he 
had  no  recollection. 

He,  in  short,  is  a  mysterious  character,  possessing 
the  art  of  invention  beyond  common  capacity.  I 
am  almost  ashamed  to  forward  you  so  long  a  letter 
on  the  subject,  and  so  unintelligible  ;  I  think,  if 
I  could  have  done  justice  in  describing  the  exhib- 
ition, it  would  have  been  worthy  a  place  in  the 
""Royal  Gazette,  "  and  better  worth  the  attention  of 
the  public  than  all  the  wax-work  ever  exhibited  in 
this  Province. 

I  am  with  all  respect,  Dear  Sir, 
Your  Humble  Servant, 

WALTER  BATES. 
To  THOMAS  WETMOKE,  Esquire,  Attorney  General. 

"  P.S.  —  Wednesday,  the  28th.  —This  morning  I 
found  he  added  to  his  works  a  d rammer,  placed  at 
the  left  of  his  tamborine  player,  equal  in  appearance, 
and  exceeding  in  performance ;  beats  the  drum 
with  either  hand,  or  both  occasionally,  in  concert 
with  the  tamborine,  keeping  time  with  perfect 
exactness  ;  sometimes  sitting,  at  others  standing  or 
dancing.  He  had  also,  in  the  most  striking 
manner,  changed  the  position  of  his  scene.  The 
lady  above  described  to  be  sitting  so  gracefully  in 
her  swing,  with  so  many  attendants  and  admirers, 
is  now  represented  sitting  in  a  dejected  posture, 
with  a  young  infant  in  her  arms  ;  her  gallant  has  left 


100  Henry  More  Smith 

her,  and  is  taking  the  young  girl  before  described, 
about  fourteen,  by  the  hand,  with  an  air  of  great 
gallantry,  leading  her,  and  dancing  to  the  tune  with 
perfect  exactness,  representing  more  than  can  be 
described.  On  viewing  this  an  old  Scotchman 
observed,  —  - '  Some  say  he  is  mad,  others  he  is  a 
fool ;  but  I  say  he  is  the  sharpest  man  I  ever  saw  ; 
his  performance  exceeds  all  I  have  ever  met  with, 
and  I  do  not  believe  he  was  ever  equalled  by  man.  " 
This  evening,  a  gentleman  from  Boston,  having 
heard  the  above  description,  came  to  see  the 
performance,  and  declared  he  could  say,  as  the 
Queen  of  Sheba  did,  that  '  the  half  had  not  been 
told. ' : 

To  this  the  editor  of  the  "Gazette"  adds  the 
following  remarks  : 

"  We  have  given  an  entire  copy  of  the  above 
letter,  which  has  excited  our  astonishment,  and 
will,  probably,  that  of  every  other  person  who  has 
not  seen  the  exhibition  and  performance  described 
in  it.  Those  Avho  are  acquainted  with  the  sheriff,, 
know  him  to  be  incapable  of  stating  falsehoods,  or 
attempting  in  any  way  to  practice  a  deception,  and 
will,  of  course,  give  credit  to  the  statement  of  facts, 
wonderful  as  they  may  appear  to  be,  which  he  ha& 
made.  " 

The  Supreme  Court,  in  July,  being  about  to  be 
held  in  Fredericton,  and  feeling  anxious  to  know 
the  fate  of  the  prisoner,  I  attended  for  this  purpose; 
and  having  ascertained  from  the  Attorney  General 
that  his  destiny  would  not  be  fatal,  I  returned  again 
to  Kingston,  when  the  gaoler  informed  me  that  the 
first  night  I  had  left  Kingston,  Smith  had  drawn  the 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  101 

staple  of  the  chain  that  was  about  his  neck,  and  had 
so  concealed  them  both  that  they  could  not  be 
found  ;  and  the  glass  in  the  brick  wall  was  broken 
at  the  same  time  ;  but  that  the  chain  could  not 
have  gone  through  that  way,  as  the  outside  glass  in 
the  window  was  whole ;  that  the  room  and  every 
other  part  of  the  gaol  had  been  thoroughly 
searched  ;  but  neither  the  chain  nor  staple  could 
be  found ;  neither  could  it  be  imagined  how 
he  broke  the  glass,  as  it  was  far  beyond 
the  reach  of  his  chains.  On  my  entering  the  jail, 
Smith  said  to  me,  "The  devil  told  my  drummer,  if 
I  did  not  put  that  chain  out  of  the  way,  you  would 
•certainly  put  it  about  my  neck  again  ;"  that  he 
hated  it,  and  had  murdered  it  and  put  it  under  the 
dirt ;  but  he  feared  he  should  have  no  peace  till  he 
raised  it  again.  I  then  told  him  he  must  raise  it 
again,  and  if  he  behaved  himself  well  I  would  not 
put  it  about  his  neck  again.  The  next  morning  the 
chain  was  seen  lying  on  the  jail  floor  ;  but  where  or 
T)y  what  means  he  concealed  it,  could  never  be  found 
out.  I  then  took  off  his  handcuffs,  and  gave  him 
water  to  wash  himself.  I  also  gave  him  a  clean 
shirt  and  a  jacket,  and  a  young  man  who  was 
present  gave  him  a  black  handkerchief,  which  he 
put  about  his  neck  and  seemed  much  pleased  ;  and 
said  if  he  had  a  fiddle,  or  any  instrument  of  music, 
he  could  play  for  his  family  to  dance  ;  if  he  had  a  set 
of  bagpipes,  he  could  play  on  them  very  well,  and 
that  if  we  gave  him  wood  and  leather,  he  would 
make  a  set.  He  was  offered  a  fife,  which  he 


102  Henry  More  Smith 

handled  in  a  clumsy  way  ;  but  lie  said  he  believed 
he  could  learn  to  play  on  it.  He  paid  the  boy  for 
it,  and  then  took  the  fife,  and  would  play  any  tune 
either  right  or  left  handed.  I  then  told  him 
if  he  would  behave  well  I  would  not  put  his 
handcuffs  on  that  day.  He  replied  that  lie  would 
then  have  his  family  in  goo  J  order  for  my  ball ;  but 
he  observed  that  when  he  put  one  hand  to  anything 
the  other  would  follow  as  though  the  handcuffs  were 
on.  We  gave  him  some  materials  that  he  wanted, 
and  then  left  him  ;  this  was  the  17th  of  July.  On 
the  18 tli  we  found  him  busily  employed  with  his 
family,  making  improvements  for  the  ball.  I  gave 
him  pen,  ink,  and  paint,  and  man}'  articles  for  cloth- 
ing, &c. 

All  his  figures  were  formed  of  straw  from  his 
bedding,  curiously  entwined  and  interwoven.  The 
colouring  he  had  used  "before  was  his  own  blood, 
and  coal  which  he  got  from  a  piece  of  burnt  timber 
in  the  jail ;  and  their  first  clothing  was  made  from 
his  own  torn  clothes.  He  now  began  to  talk  more 
coherently  and  accounted  for  the  broken  glass.  He 
said  to  me,  —  "My  drummer  cried  out  for  more  air  ;" 
his  family  stood  so  thick  about  him.  "Well,"  said 
I  "  tell  me  how  to  get  more  air  and  I  will  go  to  work 
at  it.  He  told  me  to  make  a  strong  whisp  of  straw, 
long  enough  to  reach  the  glass  and  break  it,  which 
I  did,  and  then  after  undoing  the  whisp  put  the 
straw  in  my  bed  again."  He  continued  improving 
his  family,  by  dressing  and  painting  them  ail  anew, 
and  by  adding  to  their  number.  He  said  there  was. 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  103 

a  gentleman  and  lady  coining  from  France  to  attend 
his  ball,  and  all  of  them  must  perform  well.  With 
the  money  he  received  from  visitors,  many  of  whom 
I  have  known  to  give  him  a  dollar  for  one  exhibi- 
tion, he  purchased  calico  enough  for  a  curtain  or 
screen.  In  front  of  the  partition  stood  all  his  family 
which  he  continued  to  improve  and  increase,  until 
he  said  they  were  all  present  and  were  coming  to 
the  ball  ;  and  about  the  10th  August  completed  his 
show  for  exhibition.  The  whole  consisted  of  twenty- 
four  characters,  male  and  female,  six  of  which  beat 
music  in  concert  with  the  fiddle,  while  sixteen 
danced  to  the  tune  ;  the  other  two  were  pugilists  ; 
Bonaparte  with  his  sword  fighting  an  Irishman 
with  his  shillelah.  His  musicians  were  dressed  in 
their  proper  uniform  ;  some  Avere  drummers,  some 
were  tamborine  players,  and  some  were  bell-ringers. 
In  the  centre  stood  his  dancing  master,  with  his  hat, 
boots  and  gloves  on.  In  an  advanced  station  stood 
an  old  soldier  in  Scotch  uniform,  acting  as  sentinel, 
while  Smith  himself  stood  before  them,  his  feet 
under  the  curtain,  playing  a  tune  on  the  fiddle,  to 
which  they  would  all  dance  or  beat  in  perfect  har- 
mony with  the  music  —  the  one  half  on  the  right  to 
one  part  of  the  tune,  and  the  other  half  on  the  left 
to  the  other  part,  and  then  all  together  as  regular 
and  as  natural  as  life.  The  dancing  master  with 
his  right  hand  and  foot  with  one  part,  and  his  left 
hand  and  foot  with  the  oilier,  and  then  with  the 
whole  together,  with  the  utmost  ease,  to  any  tune 
that  was  played.  So  ingenious,  and  I  may  say,  so 


104  Henry  More  Smith 

wonderful  was  the  exhibition,  that  it  is  impossible 
to  do  justice  to  its  description  ;  and  numbers  of 
persons  from  different  parts  came  to  indulge  their 
curiosity  by  witnessing  the  performance,  and  all 
expressed  their  astonishment  in  terms  the  most 
unqualified.  Doctor  Prior,  a  gentleman  from 
Pennsylvania,  was  among  the  number  of  visitors. 
He  told  me  that  he  had  spent  most  of  his  time  in 
foreign  parts,  travelling  for  general  and  literary 
information,  and  had  made  it  a  point  to  examine 
all  curiosities,  both  natural  and  artificial,  and  that 
having  heard  much  of  an  extraordinary  person  I  had 
in  prison,  he  came  for  the  express  purpose  of  seeing 
him  and  his  exhibition.  Having  viewed  his  person 
and  every  part  of  his  performance,  he  was  pleased 
to  say  that  he  had  travelled  through  all  the  con- 
tinent of  America,  and  a  great  part  of  Europe,  but 
had  never  met  anything  the  equal  of  what  he  there 
saw  performed  and  that  he  certainly  should  not  fail 
to  insert  a  notice  of  it  in  the  journal  of  his  travels 
and  observations. 

Another  gentleman,  Dr.  Couglen,  from  Ireland, 
who  had  been  surgeon  in  His  Majesty's  service  both 
by  land  and  sea,  came  also  to  visit  our  prisoner,  and 
see  his  extraordinary  exhibition,  and  after  having 
viewed  it  occasionally  for  several  days,  while  he 
remained  at  Kingston,  declared  that  he  had  lived 
in  England,  Ireland  and  Scotland  ;  had  been  in 
France  and  Holland  and  through  a  great  part  of 
Europe ;  had  been  at  Hamburg  and  other  places 
famous  for  numerous  exhibitions  of  various  kinds, 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  105 

but  had  never  met  with  any  that  in  all  respects 
equalled  what  he  there  saw  exhibited.  The  doctor 
then  belonging  to  the  Garrison  at  St.  Andrews,  hav- 
ing heard,  while  at  Head  Quarters,  from  the 
Attorney  General,  an  account  of  this  extraordinary 
character,  took  his  tour  from  Fredericton  by 
way  of  Kingston,  for  the  express  purpose  of 
satisfying  his  curiosity,  and  seeing  for  himself. 
When  on  entering  the  prison,  Smith,  seeing  the 
doctor  in  regimentals,  said  to  him  with  much  good 
humor,  "  1  suppose  you  are  come  here  looking 
for  deserters  ;  there  is  my  old  drummer,  I  don't 
know  but  he  deserted  from  some  regiment  —  the 
rest  are  all  my  family."  He  seemed  very  much 
pleased  with  his  new  visitor,  and  readily  exhibited 
every  part  of  his  performance,  to  the  full  satisfaction 
of  the  doctor,  who  expressed  his  astonishment  in 
the  most  unqualified  terms,  and  acknowledged  that 
it  far  exceeded  his  anticipations. 

August  13th  —  At  evening  we  found  that  he  had 
improved  his  Scotch  sentinel  by  giving  him  a  carved 
wooden  head,  finished  with  the  natural  features  of 
a  bold  Highlander.  This  was  the  first  of  his  carved 
work.  He  had  also  much  improved  his  pugilists. 
Bonaparte,  by  some  unlucky  stroke,  had  killed  the 
Irishman,  and  had  taken  off  his  head  and  hung  it 
up  at  his  right  hand.  A  brawny  old  Scotchman 
had  taken  the  Irishman's  place,  and  was  giving  the 
Corsican  a  hard  time  of  it,  knocking  him  down  as 
often  as  he  got  np. 


106  Henry  More  Smith 

Next  day  at  noon  I  called  to  see  him  ;  he  had  been 
fiddling  remarkably  well,  and  singing  very  merrily ; : 
but  on  my  entering  I  found  him  busily  employed 
at  carving  a  head  which  was  to  take  Bonaparte's 
place,  for  that  bold  Scotchman  would   overpower 
him  soon.     He  observed  that  carving  was  a  trade 
in  England,  and  that  he  did  not  expect   to  do  so- 
well  at  it  before  he  made  the  trial;    and  further 
remarked  that  a  man  did  not  know  what  he  could 
do  until  he  set  about  it;    and  that  he  had  never 
failed  in  anything  he  undertook.     He  said  he  had 
never  seen  any  such  show  in  England  as  that  he 
was  now  working  at ;  that  he  had  only  dreamed  of " 
his  family,  and  had  the  impression  that  he  must 
"  go  to  work  "  and  make  them  all ;  that  if  he  did,  it 
would  be.better  with  him,  and  if  he  did  not,  it  would 
be  bad  with  him  ;  that  he  had  worked  ever  since,  by 
night  and   by   day,    and  had  not  quite   completed 
them  yet ;  that  there  were  a  shoemakei*  and  a  tailor 
that  had  not  come  yet  for  want  of  room  ;    that  he- 
should  make  room  if  he  did  not  go  away  ;    that  lie- 
had   been   here   until   he    had    become    perfectly 
contented  ;    and  "  contentment,"  he  said  "  was  the- 
brightest  jewel   in  his  life ;  "    and  that  he    never 
enjoyed  himself  better  than  he  did  at  present  with 
his  family. 

In  the  evening  I  went  in  to  see  him  again  ;  and 
as  my  curiosity  to  know  the  origin  of  so  singular  a 
character  was  greatly  excited,  I  hoped  that  the 
present  would  have  proved  a  favorable  opportunity 
to  draw  some  information  from  him ;  but  he- 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  107 


cautiously  and  studiously  avoided  answering  any 
questions  relative  to  his  previous  life,  and  affected 
not  to  understand  what  I  said  to  him. 

Sometimes  he  would  talk  very  freely,  and  in  a 
prophetic  strain,  of  his  future  destiny.  He  said  he 
knew  he  was  going  away  from  home,  and  that  he 
should  find  enemies  ;  every  one  who  knew  him  would 
be  afraid  of  him,  and  look  upon  him  with  distrust 
and  horror.  That  occasionally  he  was  distressed  in 
his  sleep  with  all  kinds  of  creatures  coming  about 
him.  Great  hogs  and  all  kinds  of  cattle  and  creep- 
ing things,  snakes  and  adders,  frogs  and  toads,  and 
every  hateful  thing.  That  he  would  start  up  from 
sleep  and  walk  about  the  prison  ;  then  lie  down  and 
get  asleep,  and  be  annoyed  with  them  again.  That 
he  would  sit  up  and  talk  to  his  family,,  and  some- 
times take  his  fiddle  and  play  to  amuse  himself,  and 
drive  away  these  dreary  hours  of  night.  He  said 
these  snakes  and  adders  he  could  read  very  well ; 
that  he  knew  what  they  all  meant,  and  could 
understand  something  concerning  the  others  ;  but 
that  these  frogs  and  toads  coming  together  he  could 
not  understand  ;  only  that  he  knew  he  was  to  leave 
this  place  and  go  on  the  water,  and  that  he  could 
see  as  clearly  as  he  saw  me  standing  before  him, 
that  he  should  find  enemies,  and  everybody  would 
be  afraid  of  him. ;  but  he  would  hurt  no  one ;  that 
he  should  find  trouble,  and  have  irons  on  him,  but 
that  they  should  come  off  again  ;  that  the  crickets 
came  and  would  get  upon  his  children  and  would 
sing  among  them  ;  that  he  liked  to  hear  them  ;  that 


108  Henry  More  Smith 

his  mother  told  him  lie  must  not  hurt  them,  they 
were  harmless,  and  that  he  must  not  hurt  anybody. 
His  mother,  he  continued  to  say,  always  gave  him 
good  advice ;  but  he  had  done  that  which  he  ought 
not  to  have  done,  and  had  suffered  for  it ;  but  he 
forgave  all  his  enemies.  The  Lord  says,  if  you 
would  ask  forgiveness  of  Him,  forgive  thy  brother 
also.  We  cannot  expect  forgiveness  ,  except  we 
repent  arid  forgive  our  enemies.  The  word  of  God 
is  plain ;  except  you  forgive  your  brother  his 
trespasses,  neither  will  your  Heavenly  Father  forgive 
you  when  you  ask  of  him.  All  men  are  sinners 
before  God  ;  watch,  therefore,  and  pray  that  ye  enter 
not  into  temptation.  I  watch  here  and  pray  with 
my  family  night  and  day  ;  they  cannot  pray  for 
themselves.  But  I  shall  not  stay  long  ;  he  could  go 
to  sea  as  supercargo  of  some  vessel,  or  he  could  get 
his  living  with  his  family  as  a  show  in  any  country 
but  England,  and  he  had  never  seen  such  a  show 
in  England  ;  that  he  had  never  enjoyed  himself 
better  than  with  his  family  at  present.  He  did  not 
care  for  himself  so  long  as  his  family  looked  well ;  he 
would  be  willing  to  die,  and  he  should  like  to  die  here 
rather  than  go  among  his  enemies ;  but  he  believed 
he  had  one  friend  in  England,  old  Willie,  if  he  is 
yet  alive  ;  lie  was  always  his  friend,  and  he  should 
like  to  go  and  see  him.  And  he  had  one  sister,  he 
said,  in  England,  that  he  wanted  to  see  ;  she  played 
well  on  the  pianoforte,  and  he  himself  could  play  on 
it  also.  She  was  married  to  a  lieutenant  in  the  army 
but  he  was  promoted  to  be  captain  now.  If  he 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  109 

could  he  would  go  to  see  her  in  England,  where  he 
had  friends. 

He  also  said  that  he  had  an  uncle  in  Liverpool,  a 
merchant.  Then  looking  earnestly  upon  me,  he 
said,  "  My  name  is  not  Smith  —  my  name  is  Henry 
J.  Moon.  I  was  educated  in  Cambridge  College,  in 
England.  I  understand  English,  French  and  Latin 
well,  and  can  speak  and  write  five  different 
languages.  "  He  also  said  he  could  write  any  hand 
as  handsome  or  as  bad  as  I  ever  saw.  He  said  he 
had  five  hundred  pounds  in  the  Bank  of  England, 
which  was  in  the  care  of  Mr.  Turner,  and  that  he 
wished  to  have  his  wife  get  it,  as  he  did  not  know 
where  he  should  go  ;  but  he  knew  he  should  meet 
with  trouble  ;  yet  he  did  not  fear  what  man 
could  do  to  him,  for  he  could  but  kill  him,  and  he 
should  like  to  die  here.  After  hearkening  to  these 
inchoerent  observations  for  a  length  of  time,  with- 
out being  able  to  obtain  an  answer  to  any  question 
I  put  to  him,  I  left  him  for  that  time. 


110  Henry  Mere  Smith 


CHAPTERjVIII. 

Smith  Becomes  a  Fortune  Teller  and  Startles  the  Gaoler  —  Fortells 
His  Own  Release  —  Pardoned  by  the  Court  he  Refuses  to  Leave 
the  Gaol  which  He  Sets  on  Fire  in  a  Mysterious  Way  —  Finally 
Shipped  on  a  Schooner  to  Nova  Scotia  with  his  Marionettes. 

|HE  next  morning,  when  the  gaoler  went  in 
to  see  him,  Smith  said  he  had  been  fishing, 
and'  had  caught  a  large  fish.  The  gaoler, 
on  looking,  perceived  the  chain  which  Smith  had 
formerly  worn  about  his  neck,  and  had  been  missing 
&  long  time,  but  never  could  find  out  where  or  by 
what  means  he  concealed  it.  After  this  he  com- 
menced a  new  scene  of  mystery,  that  of  fortune- 
telling  ;  in  which,  if  he  did  not  possess  the  power 
of  divination,  he  was  wonderfully  successful. 

The  gaoler  carried  him  his  breakfast,  with  tea  ; 
Smith  observed  to  him  that  he  could  tell  him  any- 
thing, past  or  to  come.  The  gaoler  then  asked  him 
to  tell  him  something  that  had  happened  to  him. 
Smith  replied,  —  "  Some  time  ago  you  rode  a  great 
way  on  my  account,  and  carried  letters  and  papers 
about  me,  and  about  others  too.  Again  you  went 
after  a  man,  and  you  had  to  go  on  the  water  before 
you  found  him,  and  I  am  not  sure  that  you  found 
him  on  the  water.  While  you  were  after  him  you 
saw  a  man  at  work  in  the  mud  on  the  highway,  and 
you  enquired  of  him  for  the  man  you  wanted.  He 
told  you  what  you  asked.  You  then  asked  him  if 
there  was  any  water  near,  that  you  could  drink. 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  111 

'He  told  you  of  a  place  where  he  had  drank  ;  you 
went  to  it,  but  found  the  water  so  bad  you  did  not 
drink  it.  " 

The  gaoler  was  greatly  astonished  at  this, 
-knowing  the  whole  affair  to  be  true  just  as  he  had 
stated,  and  had  no  recollection  of  ever  having 
mentioned  the  circumstance  to  any  person.  Perhaps 
all  this  may  be  attempted  to  be  explained  away  in 
some  manner,  or  ma}7  be  attributed  merely  to  his 
imagination,  or  the  hazard  of  an  opinion  ;  but  it 
would  be  a  coincidence  not  to  be  expected,  and 
very  unlikely  to  happen.  Besides,  he  often  hit 
upon  a  development  of  facts,  which  could  not  be 
r  accounted  for,  but  upon  the  supposition  of  some 
mysterious  knowledge  of  things  beyond  the  reach 
of  common  conception,  as  the  following  particulars 
will  fully  testify : 

The  next  morning,  Aug.  13,  ,he  told  me  his  own 
fortune  out  of  his  tea-cup.  After  looking  into  the 
cup  for  sometime,  he  kissed  it,  and  told  the  gaoler 
he  was  going  away  from  this  place,  that  he  was 
going  over  the  water,  and  must  have  a  box  to  put 
his  family  in  ;  that  he  saw  three  papers  that  were 
written  and  sent  about  him,  and  that  one  of  them 
was  larger  than  the  other  two,  and  contained  some- 
thing for  him  that  he  did  not  understand,  but  he 
would  soon  know. 

The  next  morning,  Aug.  14th,  he  looked  in  his 
<jup  again,  and  told  the  gaoler  that  these  papers 
were  on  their  way  coming,  and  would  be  here  this 
at  4  o'clock,  and  he  would  soon  know  what 


112  [Henry  More  Smith 

they  contained  about  him.  Accordingly  I  received 
papers  from  Fredericton,  containing  his  pardon,  and 
two  letters  just  as  he  had  predicted  !  ! 

In  addition  to  this,  the  following  must  be 
regarded  as  a  very  singular  and  remarkable  pre- 
diction, which,  independently  of  some  unknown 
mysterious  means,  cannot  be  accounted  for.  Early 
in  the  morning  he  remarked  to  the  gaoler  in  his 
usual  manner  : 

"  This  man  over  the  way  has  a  son  who  has  gone 
to  sea,  and  is  at  sea  now ;  but  he  will  be  here  this 
night,  and  you  shall  see  that  I  will  affront  him.  " 
Now  mark  the  sequel.  It  so  happened  that  a  fresh 
breeze  springing  up  to  the  southward,  with  a  strong 
flood  tide,  the  vessel  which  contained  the  young 
man  was  alongside  in  the  dock  in  St.  John,  on  the 
same  day  about  two  o'clock.  He  was  then  and 
there  informed  that  one  of  his  sisters  lay  danger- 
ously ill  at  Kingston,  and  that  Dr.  Smith  was  just 
going  up  to  visit  her.  The  young  man  hired  a 
horse,  and  in  company  with  the  doctor,  arrived  at 
his  father's  about  the  time  that  we  usually  visited 
the  prisoner  in  the  evening. 

I  called  at  Mr.  Perkins',  and  found  that  the 
doctor  and  young  Perkins  had  just  arrived.  The 
doctor  said  to  me  that  he  had  heard  much  of 
my  extraordinary  prisoner,  and  if  I  had  no  objection, 
he  should  be  much  pleased  to  see  him  and  his 
show,  he  had  heard  so  much  of  his  great  perform- 
ance. Young  Mr.  Perkins  said  he  would  also  like 
to  see  the  show,  and  all  went  with  me  into  the  gaol 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  1 1£ 

and  found  Smith  lying  on  his  bed,  but  without 
appearing  to  take  notice  of  any  one  present.  Mr. 
Perkins,  like  everyone  else,  was  much  astonished  at 
the  appearance  of  his  show,  as  it  was  exhibited  on  the 
wall,  and  had  a  great  desire  to  see  the  performance. 

He  put  down  a  quarter  dollar  by  Smith,  and  said 
he  would  give  it  to  him  if  he  would  make  his 
puppets  dance  ;  but  Smith  would  not  take  any 
notice  of  him,  and  young  Perkins  continued  to 
urge  him  to  the  performance,  but  without  effect, 
until  now  he  was  quite  out  of  patience,  and  finally 
took  up  his  money,  which  he  had  proposed  giving 
for  the  exhibition,  and  left  the  gaol  in  quite  an  ill 
humor.  After  Perkins  left  the  gaol  Smith  said, 
"  now,  if  any  of  you  want  to  see  my  family  dance, 
you  may  see  them  in  welcome  ;  "  —and  took  up  his- 
fiddle  and  went  through  the  performance  to  the 
entire  satisfaction  of  all  present. 

Now  the  reader  may  account  for  this  mysterious 
prediction  and  its  fulfilment  upon  whatever  grounds 
he  pleases  ;  but  the  arrival  of  the  young  man  from 
sea  that  da}7,  his  coming  to  Kingston,  and  his  being 
affronted  by  Smith  in  the  jail,  are  facts  which  can- 
not be  disputed.  The  writer  is  aware  that  he  may 
incur  the  imputation  of  weakness  for  narrating  some 
things  relative  to  the  prisoner ;  but  as  they  are  all 
characteristic  of  him  in  a  high  degree,  and  when  all 
united,  set  him  forth  before  the  world  as  a  character 
singular  and  unprcedented,  he  considered  that 
every  part  of  his  sayings  and  doings  had  their 
interest,  and  were  necessary  to  be  narrated. 


114  Henry  More  Smith 


After  closing  the  exhibition  of  his  family  for  this 
time,  he  went  on  to  say,  that  he  had  told  his  fortune 
from  his  tea-cup,  and  it  came  always  alike  ;  that  he 
could  tell  a  great  deal  by  dreams.    The  devil  helped 
fortune  telling,  he  said,  but  dreams  were  the  inspir- 
ation of  God.     When  the  hogs  came  to  him  by  night 
he    could     tell     a   great    deal   by     them.     "  Your 
neighbor,  "  he  said  to  me,  "  had  a  black  sow  that 
had  pigs,  some  black,  some  all  white,  and  one  with 
red  dots  before  and  behind.  "     By  them  he  said  he 
could  tell  much.     I  was  aware  that  Mr.  Perkins  had 
a  sow  with  young  pigs,  and  I  had  the  curiosity  to 
look    at    them,    but    they    did   not    answer   to   his 
description,    and   I     consequently     allowed    these 
remarks  of  his  relative  to  the  sow  and  pigs  to  pass 
for   nothing.     However,  in  the  evening,  as  I   was 
leaving  the  jail,  Smith  said  to  me  (and  without  a 
word  having  been  said  about  my  looking  at    the 
pigs.)     u  The  pigs  I  told  you  about  are  not  those 
you  examined,  they  were  six  months  old.  "     I  made 
no  reply,  knowing  that  Mr.  Scovil  had  a  sow  with 
pigs,    answering     to     his     description     in     every 
particular. 

On  Saturday  morning,  Smith  said  to  the  jailer, 
"  Your  neighbor  over  the  way  there,  has  a  sow  that 
has  gone  away  into  the  woods,  and  she  has  pups,  - 
some  all  black,  some  all  white,  and  some  black  and 
white,  and  she  will  come  home  before  night,  and 
when  she  comes,  she  will  have  but  one  pig,  and  that 
will  be  a  plump  black  pig,  and  they  will  never  know 
what  became  of  the  others.  "  Accordingly,  the  sow 


Th^  Mysterious  Stranger  115 

about  4  o'clock,  came  home  with  her  one  "  plump 
black  pig,"  and  was  immediately  driven  back  into 
the  woods  the  way  by  which  she  appeared  to  have 
come  ;  but  according  to  the  precise  terms  of  Smith's 
prediction,  the  others  were  never  found  ! 

The  next  evening  after  I  had  received  his  pardon 
from  Fredericton,  I  went  to  see  him,  and  found 
him,  in  bed,  but  he  said  he  could  not  eat ;  asked 
for  some  new  potatoes,  and  remarked  that  the 
jailer's  wife  had  new  potatoes  yesterday  ;  and  did 
not  appear  in  his  usual  good  humor.  Although  he 
would  both  talk  and  act  at  times  rationally,  yet  he 
had  never  recovered  from  his  pretended  insanity, 
nor  even  until  his  release  from  my  custody,  thus 
carrying  out  his  scheme,  in  perfect  wisdom,  to  the 
last.  But  now,  with  the  pardon  in  my  hand,  I 
hoped  to  make  some  impression  upon  him,  and  if 
possible,  bring  him  to  some  sense  of  his  situation, 
by  compassionately  proposing  my  assistance  to  get 
him  out  of  the  Province.  I  then  proceeded  to 
inform  him  that  I  had  received  his  pardon,  that  his 
attorney  had  proved  his  friend,  and  had  petitioned 
the  president  and  court,  stating  that  he  was  a 
young  man,  and  this  having  been  the  first  instance 
of  a  case  for  horse-stealing  before  the  court  in  this 
Province,  prayed  that  mercy  might  be  extended 
and  his  life  spared  ;  and  that  president  and  council 
had  been  graciously  pleased  to  withdraw  the 
sentence  and  grant  his  pardon  ;  and  that  I  was  now 
authorized  to  release  him  on  his  entering  into 
recognizance  to  appear  in  the  Supreme  court  and 


116  Henry  More  Smith 

plead  his  pardon  when  called  upon.  The  only 
reply  made  was,  "  I  wish  you  would  bring  me  some 
new  potatoes  when  you  come  again. " 

I  proceeded  to  say  that  as  soon  as  he  was  ready, 
and  would  let  me  know  where  he  wished  to  go,  I 
would  give  him  clothing,  and  would- give  him  time 
to  put  his  family  in  order,  and  a  box  to  put  them 
up  in  ;  observing  that  they  might  be  a  means  of 
getting  him  a  living  until  he  could  find  better 
employment,  without  being  driven  to  the  necessity 
of  stealing. 

He  replied.  "Have  you  not  got  boys  and  girls 
that  wish  to  see  my  family  dance  ?  Bring  all  your 
family  to  see  them  ;  I  will  show  them  as  much  as 
you  please,  but  others  must  pay.  "  I  remained  with 
him  nearly  an  hour  afterwards  without  saying  any 
more  on  the  subject  of  his  PARDON  ;  during  which 
time  he  continued  to  talk  incoherently  as  he  had 
done  the  evening  before.  That  we  must  watch  and 
pray  lest  we  enter  into  temptation ;  that  he  prayed 
with  his  family  ;  they  could  not  pray  for  themselves  ; 
that  we  must  be  spiritually  minded,  for  to  be  spirit- 
ually minded  was  life ;  but  to  be  carnally  minded 
was  death  ;  and  much  more  of  this  kind,  repeating 
large  portions  from  the  New  Testament,  nearly 
whole  chapters. 

He  observed,  "  Now  you  see  I  can  read  as  well  to 
you  without  the  book  as  others  can  with  the  book. 
I  can  read  you  almost  all  of  any  other  chapter  in 
the  Bible  you  will  name,  either  in  the  Old  or  New 
Testament,  it  makes  not  much  difference ;  in  the 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  117 


dark  as  well  as  in  the  light.  My  wife  is  a  good  little 
woman ;  she  would  get  the  Bible  on  Sunday,  and 
say  t©  me,  '  Henry,  come  sit  down  and  hear  me  read 
the  Bible  ;  but  1  would  laugh,  and  tell  her  I  could 
read  better  without  the  book  than  she  could  with  it, 
and  go  out  and  look  after  my  horse,  or  do  anything 
on  Sundays.  I  have  been  a  bad  fellow  ;  when  I 
was  in  England  1  gave  all  my  attention  to  reading 
my  Bible,  and  became  a  great  Methodist,  and  went 
to  all  the  Methodist  meetings,  and  would  pray  and 
exhort  amongst  them,  and  finally  became  a  preacher 
and  preached  in  Brighton,  Northampton,  South- 
hampton,  and  in  London  ;  and  great  numbers 
came  to  hear  me.  I  was  sometimes  astonished  to 
see  how  many  followed  to  hear  me  preach  the 
Scriptures,  when  I  knew  they  were  deceived.  But 
I  did  not  follow  preaching  long  in  London."  He 
went  on  to  state  his  reasons  for  giving  up  preaching, 
or  rather  the  reasons  that  prevented  his  continuing 
to  preach.  He  had  given  himself  up  to  the  company 
of  lewd  women,  and  had  contracted  the  disease 
common  to  such  associations. 

A  course  like  this  could  not  remain  long  concealed, 
-and  the  issue  was  that  he  was  prevented  from 
preaching,  and  was  eventually  obliged  to  leave 
England,  and  come  to  this  country.  He  went  on  to 
say  —  "I  have  been  a  bad  young  man.  I  am  young 
now,  only  twenty-three  years  of  age  —  not  twenty- 
four  yet ;  and  did  not  know  but  he  would  preach 
again  ;  he  could  easily  find  converts  ;  many  would 
like  to  hear  him  preach.  When  he  was  a  preacher 


118  Henry  More  Smith 

he  was  spiritually  minded,  and  all  was  peace  and 
heaven  to  him  ;  but  ever  since  all  was  trouble, 
and  misery  to  him.  He  never  intended  to  leave 
this  place ;  he  was  contented  and  willing  to  stay 
here  until  he  died  ;  he  was  better  off  here  than 
anywhere  else,  and  never  wished  to  go  into  the* 
world  again  unless  he  was  a  preacher. 

After  hearing  him  talk  in  this  manner  for  some 
time,  I  left  him  till  the  next  day  at  noon,  when  I 
went  to  the  gaol  again,  and  gave  him  a  good  dinner, 
and  read  his  pardon  to  him.  When  he  saw  the 
paper,  he  said,  "  That  looks  like  the  paper  which  I 
dreamed  I  saw,  with  two  angels  and  a  ship  on  it,, 
with  something  that  looked  like  snakes."  When  I 
read  his  pardon  he  paid  not  the  least  attention  to 
the  nature  of  it,  but  asked  questions  as  foreign  to 
the  nature  of  the  subject  as  possible  ;  only  he  said 
he  wished  I  would  give  him  that  paper ;  he  dreamed 
it  was  coming.  I  told  him  as  soon  as  I  would  get 
him  some  clothes  made,  I  would  give  him  the  paper ;. 
and  that  I  would  help  him  away  with  his  show  in  a 
box,  and  that  he  might  not  be  driven  to  the  necessity 
of  stealing  ;  and  in  the  evening  I  went  with  a  tailor 
to  take  his  measure  for  a  coat. 

When  he  saw  the  tailor  with  his  measure,  he  said,. 
"I  wish  you  would  give  me  that  ribbon  in  your" 
hand."  "It  is  no  ribbon,"  said  the  tailor,  "but  a 
measure  to  measure  you  for  a  new  coat ;  come  stand 
up."  :'  What !  "  said  he,  "  do  you  think  you  are 
tailor  enough  to  make  me  a  coat !  "  "  Yes."  "  But 
you  do  not  look  like  it ;  let  me  look  at  your  hands- 


Henry  More  Smith 


and  fingers."    and  upon  seeing  them,  he  added,. 
"  you  are  no  tailor,  you  look  more  like  blacksmith, 
you  shall  never  make  a  coat  for  me,"  and  would  not 
be  measured,  but  he  said  he  would  make  it  better 
himself,  and  wished  I  would  give  him  a  candle  to 
work  by,  and  he  would  make  himself  a  waistcoat. 
He  said  I  need  not  be  afraid  of  his  doing  any 
harm  with  the  candle,  he  would  put  it  in  the  middle 
of  the  floor,  and  take  care  that  his  straw  and  chips 
did  not  take  fire  and  burn  up  his  family,  which  he 
could  not  live  without,  as  he  could  not  labor  for  his 
living.     Besides,  he  said,  if  he  were  so  disposed,  he* 
could  burn  up  the  house  without  a  candle  ;  for,  said 
he,  I  can  make  fire  in  one  hour  at  any  time.     "  When 
I  was  a  boy,"  continued  he  "every  one  took  notice 
of  me    as   a   very  forward   boy,  and  I  obtained  a 
license  for  shooting  when  I  was  but  fifteen.     One 
day  when  shooting  I  killed  a  rabbit  on  a  farmer's 
land  where  I  had  no  right.     The  old  farmer  came 
after  me,  and  I  told  him  if  he  would  come  near  me 
I  would  knock  him  down,  but  he   caught  me,   and 
tied  me  fast  to  a  large  stack  of  faggots,  and  sent  for 
a  constable.     While  he  was  gone  I  made  fire,  and 
burned  up  the  whole  stack,  and  got  off  clear  ;  but 
the  old  farmer  never  knew  how  the  faggots  took  fire. 
"  You  do  not  use  faggots  in  this  country  —  they  are 
little  sticks  tied  up  in  bundles,  and  sold  to  boil  the 
tea-kettle  with  ;  and  if  I  would  give  him  a  candle, 
he  would  make  a  fire  to  light  it.     Accordingly  I 
provided  materials  for  his  clothes,  and  a  lighted 
candle  to  work  by.     He  continued  to  sew  by  the- 


120  Henry  More  Smith 

light  of  the  candle  but  a  short  time  and  put  it  away 
from  him,  and  said  he  could  see  better  without  it ; 
he  completed  his  waistcoat  in  the  neatest  manner, 
and  occasionally  attended  to  the  improvement  of 
his  family. 

August  29th,  at  evening,  many  persons  came  to 
see  his  performance,  as  was  usual,  and  when  they 
were  all  gone  out,  he  told  me  that  he  had  carved  a 
new  figure  of  Bonaparte  ;  that  the  first  he  had  made 
after  his  own  image  and  likeness,  for  he  was  the 
man  after  his  own  heart,  but  he  had  fallen.  God, 
he  said,  made  man  out  of  the  dust  of  the  earth,  but 
he  had  made  man  out  of  the  wood  of  the  earth. 

He  had  jiow  been  in  my  custody  more  than  a 
year,  and  almost  every  day  developed  some  new 
feature  of  his  character,  or  produced  some  fresh 
effort  of  his  genius.  I  had  had  much  trouble  with 
him,  and  my  patience  often  severely  tried  ;  but  now 
I  viewed  him  rather  as  an  object  of  commisseration, 
and  I  could  not  think  of  turning  him  out  of  the 
gaol  naked,  destitute  and  friendless.  In  such  a 
situation  he  must  starve  or  steal,  so  that  his  pardon 
and  release  must  become  rather  a  curse  than  a 
blessing.  I  represented  these  things  as  feelingly  as 
I  could  to  him,  gave  him  a  box  to  put  his  family  in, 
and  told  him  he  must  be  ready  to  leave  the  Province 
on  Tuesday  morning,  and  I  would  procure  him  a 
passage  either  to  Nova  Scotia  or  the  United  States. 
To  all  this  he  gave  no  attention,  but  asked  some 
frivolous  questions  about  Mohawks  and  snakes,  and 
.acted  the  fool,  so  that  I  began  to  conclude  that  I 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  121 

would  now  have  much,  more  trouble  to  get  him  out 
of  gaol  than  I  formerly  had  to  keep  him  in  it. 

The  next  day  Judge  Pickett  and  Judge  Micheau 
attended  at  the  court  house,  to  take  the  recogniz- 
ances required  of  him  to  appear  and  plead  his 
pardon  when  called  upon  to  do  so.  After  divesting 
him  of  his  irons,  and  furnishing  him  with  decent 
clothing,  it  was  with  much  difficulty  I  could 
prevail  on  him  to  leave  the  gaol.  However,  he 
finally  took  one  of  his  family  in  one  hand,  and  a 
pair  of  scissors  in  the  other,  and  with  much  effort 
we  got  him  up  into  one  of  the  jury  rooms,  when 
Judge  Micheau  read  his  pardon  to  him,  and 
explained  all  the  circumstances  which  united  to 
produce  it,  to  which,  as  usual,  he  gave  no  attention, 
but  looked  about  the  room  and  talked  of  something 
else. 

Judge  Pickett  required  his  recognizance,  and 
informed  him  that  if  he  did  not  leave  the  Province 
immediately  he  would  be  taken  and  tried  on  two 
indictments  in  the  county  of  York.  He  took  no 
notice  of  what  was  said,  but  talked  and  danced 
about  the  room,  told  the  judge  he  looked  like  a 
tailor,  and  asked  him  to  give  him  his  shoe  string. 
His  pardon,  lying  on  the  table,  he  caught  hold  of, 
and  before  it  could  be  recovered  from  him,  he 
clipped  off  the  seal  with  the  scissors  ;  he  said  he 
wanted  the  ship  that  was  on  it  to  carry  him  away 
with  his  family.  He  tore  the  collar  off  his  coat,  and 
cut  it  in  pieces  with  the  scissois.  Finding  that 
nothing  else  could  be  done  with  him,  I  returned 


122  Henry  More  Smith 

him  again  into  prison,  when  he  said  to  us  that  for 
our  using  him  so  kindly,  he  would,  for  one  shilling,, 
show  us  all  his  performance  with  his  family.  Upon 
which  Judge  Micheau  gave  him  half  a  dollar,  and 
told  him  to  return  a  quarter  dollar  change,  and 
then  he  would  have  more  than  a  shilling.  He 
took  it,  and  said  it  was  a  nice  piece  of  money,  and 
put  it  in  his  pocket,  but  the  judge  could  not  make 
him  understand  the  meaning  of  change. 

He  then  performed  the  exhibition  in  fine  style, 
but  when  we  were  leaving  him  he  seemed  out  of 
humor  with  Judge  Picket!,  and  told  him  that  he 
had  thrown  stones  at  him,  that  he  would  burn  his 
house,  and  that  this  place  would  be  in  flames  before 
morning.  He  could  make  a  fire  in  half  an  hour,, 
and  wanted  a  fire,  and  would  have  a  fire,  and  I 
should  see  that  he  could  make  fire.  Upon  which 
we  left  him,  without  apprehending  anything  from 
his  threats  more  than  usual. 

But  the  next  day,  the  29th,  when  entering  the 
gaol  for  the  purpose  of  preparing  for  his  removal,, 
I  perceived  that  there  was  much  smoke  in  the  hall,, 
which  I  supposed  had  come  from  the  gaoler's  room,, 
but  he  said  that  no  smoke  had  been  caused  that 
morning,  but  that  it  proceeded  from  the  prison  door. 
I  immediately  opened  the  door,  and  found  Smith 
sitting  quite  unconcerned  before  a  fire  which  he- 
had  made  with  the  chips  of  his  carved  work,  and 
other  materials.  He  observed  to  me  that  fire  was- 
very  comfortable,  that  he  had  not  seen  any  before 
for  a  long  time,  that  he  had  made  the  fire  with  his- 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  123 

own  hands,  and  that  he  could  make  it  again  in  ten 
minutes;  that  he  could  not  do  without  one.  I 
immediately  extinguished  the  fire,  and  shut  him  up 
in  the  suffocating  smoke,  which  did  not  seem  to 
give  him  the  least  inconvenience.  The  account  of 
his  having  made  the  fire  excited  the  neighbors, 
who  came  in  to  see  the  feat.  I  ordered  him  to  put 
his  family  into  his  box  immediately ;  he  took  no 
notice  of  my  orders.  I  hastily  took  down  one  of 
them,  and  laid  it  in  his  box,  at  which  he  seemed 
pleased,  and  said  he  would  put  them  all  in  that 
box,  and  began  to  take  them  down  very  actively, 
observing  that  he  did  not  want  assistance  from  any 
one,  but  leave  him  with  the  light  and  he  would 
have  them  all  ready  in  half  an  hour. 

We  left  him  with  the  candle,  and  returning  in 
about  an  hour,  found  him  walking  the  floor,  and 
every  thing  he  had  packed  up  in  the  box  very 
neatly.  It  was  remarkable  to  see  with  what  skill 
and  ingenuity  he  had  packed  them  up.  I  gave 
him  a  pair  of  new  shoes  and  with  the  box  on  his 
shoulders,  he  marched  off  to  the  boat  that  I  had 
prepared  for  his  conveyance,  and  with  three  men  in 
the  boat  we  set  out  with  him  for  the  city  of 
Saint  John.  On  the  way  he  told  the  gaoler,  if  he 
would  give  him  but  one  dollar  he  would  teach  him 
the  way  to  make  fire  on  any  occasion.  Receiving 
no  reply  from  the  gaoler,  he  commenced  preaching, 
praying,  and  singing  hymns,  and  sometimes  acting 
as  if  crazy,  during  the  passage  down.  We  made 


124  Henry  More  Smith 

no  stop  by  the  way,  and  reached  Saint  John  about 
8  o'clock  in  the  evening. 

On  his  perceiving  the  moon  as  she  made  her 
appearance  between  two  clouds,  he  observed  that 
here  was  a  relation  of  his  that  he  was  glad  to  see  ; 
that  he  had  not  seen  one  of  his  name  for  a  long 
time.  On  our  arrival  at  the  prison  in  Saint  John, 
he  said  he  must  have  a  hot  supper  with  tea,  and 
then  wished  to  be  locked  up  in  a  strong  room, 
where  he  might  have  all  his  family  out  to  take  the 
air  to-night,  else  they  would  all  die  in  that  box 
before  morning.  However,  we  found  all  the  rooms 
in  the  prison  occupied,  or  undergoing  repairs,  so 
that  there  was  no  place  to  confine  him.  I  directed 
the  gaoler  to  provide  him  with  his  supper,  while  I 
would  call  upon  the  sheriff  to  know  what  would  be 
done  with  him  for  the  night,  and  how  he  would  be 
disposed  of  in  the  morning.  I  understood  from 
the  sheriff  that  there  was  no  vessel  to  sail  for  the 
States  for  some  days,  and  therefore  made  up  my 
mind  that  I  should  send  him  to  Nova  Scotia.  When 
I  returned  to  the  gaol  I  found  Smith  at  his  supper ; 
when  he  had  finished  his  tea,  he  looked  into  his 
cup  and  remarked  that  he  must  not  disturb  his 
family  to-night ;  that  he  there  saw  the  vessel,  then 
lying  at  the  wharf,  that  would  carry  him  to  his 
wife  "-^and  there  would  be  crying.  While  in  con- 
finement, the  following  letter  was  received  from 
his  wife : 

DEAR  HUSBAND  —  I  received  your   letter   of   the 
22nd  Oct..  1815.     You  sav  you  have  sent  several 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  125 

letters  —  if  you  have,  I  have  never  received  them. 
You  wish  me  to  come  and  see  you,  which  I  would 
have  done,  if  I  had  got-  the  letter  in  time  ;  but  I 
did  not  know  whether  you  were  in  Kingston  or  not. 
My  clear,  do  not  think  hard  of  me  that  I  do  not 
come  to  see  you  —  if  you  write  back  to  me  I  shall 
come  immediately.  My  dear,  as  soon  as  you  receive 
this  letter  send  me  an  answer,  that  I  may  know 
what  to  do  ;  so  no  more  at  present,  but  that  I  remain 
your  loving  and  affectionate  wife. 
H.  F.  M.  S.,  Kingston.  ELIZABETH  P.  M.  S. 

The  gaoler,  by  direction  of  the  sheriff,  cleared 
out  a  small  room  above  stairs,  with  an  iron-grated 
window  where  we  confined  him,  with  his  family, 
for  the  night.  On  the  next  morning,  the  30th  of 
August,  finding  that  there  was  no  vessel  bound  for 
the  States,  I  determined  to  send  him  to  Nova  Scotia  ; 
and  happening  to  meet  with  my  friend,  Mr.  Daniel 
Scovil,  he  informed  me  that  he  had  a  vessel  then 
lying  at  the  wharf,  which  would  sail  for  Windsor, 
Nova  Scotia,  in  half  an  hour.  I  accordingly 
prevailed  on  him  to  take  Smith  on  board,  which  was 
done  without  loss  of  time,  and  at  high  water  the 
vessel  hauled  off  from  the  wharf,  to  my  great 
satisfaction  and  relief. 

While  the  vessel  was  getting  under  weigh,  Smith 
was  in  the  cabin  alone,  and  seeing  a  great  number 
of  chain  traces  lying  on  the  cabin  floor,  he  took  them 
up  and  threw  them  all  out  of  the  cabin  window  ! 
"  Because,  \  said  he,  "they  would  get  about  my 
neck  again."  During  the  passage  he  appeared  very 
active  ;  he  played  on  his  fife  and  was  quite  an 


126  Henry  More  Smith 

agreeable  passenger.  But  on  the  vessel's  arrival  at 
Windsor,  he  left  her  immediately  without  any 
ceremony;  and  notwithstanding  the  very  strong 
regard  which  he  had  always  possessed  for  his 
family  as  he  called  them,  he  left  them  also,  and 
everything  else  that  he  had  brought  with  him.  He 
was  seen  only  a  very  short  time  in  Windsor  before 
he  entirely  disappeared,  and  never  was  known  to  be 
there  afterwards,  but  was  seen  at  some  distance 
from  Windsor,  in  several  other  places,  and 
recognized  by  many,  but  always  carefully  evaded 
being  spoken  to. 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  127 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Did  Not  Go  to  His  Wife  in  Nova  Scotia  but  Made  a  Tour 
Committing  Various  Depredations  —  Is  Seen  in  Portland, 
Maine  —  Is  Heard  of  at  Boston  and  New  York  and  Then  at 
New  Haven  Where  He  Robbed  a  Hotel  —  Arrest  and  Escape, 
Recapture  and  Conviction. 

FTER  having  made  his  appearance  in 
different  parts  of  Nova  Scotia,  he  called  at 
a  certain  house  one  morning,  on  a  bye-road, 
and  ordered  breakfast,  and  asked  for  a  towel  also, 
and  a  piece  of  soap  that  he  might  wash  at  a  small 
brook  that  was  near  the  house.  The  woman  of  the 
house,  and  a  maid,  were  the  only  persons  in  the 
house  at  the  time.  Smith  left  a  large  bundle,  which 
he  carried,  on  a  chest  which  was  standing  in  the 
room,  and  went  out  to  wash.  The  bundle  presented 
rather  a  singular  appearance,  and  attracted  the 
young  woman's  notice,  so  that  she  said  to  the  other  : 
"  I  wonder  what  he  has  in  that  bundle.  If  you  will 
keep  watch  at  the  window  while  he  is  washing  at 
the  brook,  I  will  open  and  see  what  is  in  it."  They 
did  so  and  found  a  great  number  of  watches,  of 
which  they  counted  fifteen,  with  many  other 
valuable  articles. 

She  tied  up  the  bundle  again,  and  placed  it  where 
he  had  left  it  and  said,  "  This  man  has  stolen  these 
watches."  When  he  came  in,  he  handed  the  towel 
to  the  young  woman,  and  said,  "  There  were  just 
fifteen  watches,  were  there?"  and  with  such  an 
expression  of  countenance,  that  she  could  not  refrain 


128  Henry  More  Smith 

from  answering,  "Yes."  "But,"  said  he,  "you 
were  mistaken  about  my  stealing  them,  for  I  came 
honestly  by  them."  Upon  which  the  young  woman 
instantly  recognized  him  to  be  Henry  More  Smith, 
and  concluded  that  he  was  collecting  his  "hidden 
treasure,"  which  he  had  deposited  while  he  was  in 
Roden. 

This  information  I  received  from  Mrs1.  Beck  with, 
a  respectable  lady  from  Nova  Scotia,  who  resided 
at  the  time  in  that  neighborhood,  who  also  said  it 
was  not  known  that  he  had  ever  seen  his  wife  at 
that  time,  from  the  time  of  his  release  from 
confinement.  The  next  account  I  heard  of  him 
stated  that  he  had  been  seen  on  board  of  a  plaster 
vessel  at  Eastport,  but  he  was  not  known  to  have 
been  on  shore  during  the  time  she  remained  there. 
He  employed  himself  while  on  board  engraving  a 
number  of  small  articles,  some  of  which  he  made 
presents  of  to  young  ladies  who  chanced  to  come 
on  board. 

He  was  next  seen  at  Portland,  by  a  gentleman  who 
had  known  him  at  Kingston  ;  nothing,  however, 
transpired  there  concerning  him,  only  that  he  was 
travelling  with  considerable  weight  of  baggage 
through  the  State  of  Maine,  which  gave  rise  to  the 
following  ludicrous  story,  which  I  saw  published 
at  Eastport,  of  a  Mysterious  Stranger  travelling  in 
a  stage.  One  cold  and  stormy  night,  the  bar  room 
of  an  hotel  was  filled  with  sturdy  fanners 
surrounding  a  cheerful  fire,  and  discussing  the 
affairs  of  state  over  a  mug  of  flip.  The  night  having 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  129 

been  tremendously  stormy  and  wet,  the  wind 
whistling  all  around  the  house,  and  making  every 
door  and  window  rattle,  the  landlord  expressed 
much  fear  for  the  safety  of  the  stage-coach  ;  but 
suddenly  the  sound  of  a  distant  stage-horn 
announced  the  approach  of  the  coach  and  removed 
the  landlord's  anxiety.  He  replenished  the  fire, 
that  the  approaching  travellers  might  have  as  warm 
a  retreat  as  possible  from  the  unusual  inclemency 
of  the  night. 

Some  time  passed,  and  yet  the  expected  coach  did 
not  come  up.  The  landlord's  fears  grew  up  anew, 
and  with  an  expressson  of  concern  he  put  the 
question  around,  "  Did  not  some  of  you  hear  a 
horn  ?  "  and  added,  "  I  have  expected  the  stage  a 
long  time,  and  I  thought  that  a  few  minutes  ago  I 
heard  the  horn  near  at  hand  ;  but  I  fear  that 
something  has  happened  in  the  gale  that  has  caused 
it  to  be  thus  belated."  "I  thought  I  heard  the 
stage-horn  some  time  ago,"  answered  the  arch 
young  farmer  Hopkins  ;  "  but  then  you  must  know 
that  ghosts  and  witches  are  very  busy  on  such  nights 
as  this,  and  what  kind  of  pranks  they  may  cut  up 
we  cannot  tell.  You  know  the  old  adage, — "Busy 
as  the  devil  in  a  gale  of  wind."  Now  who  knows 
but  they  may  have  —  Here  he  was  interrupted 

b}^  the  sudden  opening  of  the  door,  accompanied  by 
a  violent  gust  of  wind  and  the  dashing  of  rain,  when 
in  rushed  from  the  fury  of  the  storm,  drenched  with 
wet  from  head  to  foot,  a  tall  stranger,  dressed  in  a 
fur  cap  and  shaggy  great  coat. 


130  Henry  More  Smith 

From  an  impulse  of  politeness  and  respect,  not 
unmingled  with,  fear,  all  arose  on  his  entrance,  - 
the  expression  "  The  devil  in  a  gale  of  wind,  "  rush- 
ing upon  their  minds  with  a  signification  to  which 
a  profound  silence  gave  expressive  utterance.  The 
stranger  noticed  their  reserved  yet  voluntary 
respect  with  a  slight  nod,  and  proceeded  to  disen- 
cumber himself  of  his  wet  clothes  and  warm  his 
fingers  by  the  fire.  By  this  time  the  driver  entered 
bearing  the  baggage  of  his  passenger.  "  The  worst 
storm  I  was  ever  troubled  with  blowing  right  in  my 
teeth,  and  I  guess  the  gentleman  there  found  it  the 
same.  "  Here  a  low  whisper  ensued  between  the 
driver  and  the  landlord,  from  which  an  unconnected 
word  or  phrase  dropped  upon  the  ear  of  the 
inmates.  "Don't  know,  —  came  in  the, — as  rich 
as  a  mine,  "  &c.  Upon  this  informant-ion  the  land- 
lord immediately  took  his  wet  garments  and  hung 
them  carefully  before  the  fire.  "  I  hope  that  your 
wetting  will  not  injure  your  health,  sir.  "  "I 
hardly  think  it  will,  my  good  friend  ;  I  am  no  child 
to  catch  cold  from  a  ducking.  "  "  Shall  I  show  you 
a  room,  sir  ?  "  said  the  landlord.  ''  We  can  let  you 
have  as  good  a  room  and  as  comfortable  a  supper  as 
any  in  the  country.  " 

The  stranger  was  immediately  conducted  into  a 
handsome  parlor,  in  which  blazed  a  cheerful  fire  ; 
and  in  a  short  time  a  smoking  supper  was  placed  on 
the  board.  After  supper  was  over,  he  called  the 
landlord  into  his  room,  and  sent  for  his  trunk.  "  I 
like  your  accommodations,  "  accosting  the  landlord, 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  131 

"  and  if  you  like  my  proposals  equally  well,  I  will 
be  your  guest  for  some  time,  though  I  know  not 
how  long.  Nay,  I  shall  stay  at  any  price  you  please 
—  but  remember,  I  must  have  my  rooms  to  myself, 
and  they  must  not  be  entered  without  my  leave  ; 
and  whatever  I  do,  no  questions  to  be  asked.  Do 
you  consent  to  these  terms  ?  "  "  I  do  sir,  "  replied 
the  landlord,  "  and  you  shall  not  have  cause  to 
complain  of  your  treatment."  "Very  well," 
rejoined  the  stranger, "  then  the  agreement  is 
eorppleted.  You  may  go  now. "  "Yes,  sir, " 
replied  the  landlord,  "  but  what  may  I  call  your 
name,  sir?"  "Beware,  you  have  broken  the 
bargain  already,  "  replied  the  stranger.  "  I  forgive 
you  for  this- once  only  ;  now  ask  no  more  questions, 
or  you  will  certainly  drive  me  from  your  house.  " 
After  this  the  landlord  returned  to  his  bar-room, 
from  which  the  merry  farmers  had  not  yet  with- 
drawn, but  were  endeavoring  to  penetrate  the 
mystery  that  hung  around  the  stranger.  :c  Well, 
landlord,"  said  the  arch  Hopkins,  "what  do  you 
make  him  out  to  be  ?  "  "  That  is  a  question  I  dare 
hardly  answer.  He  is  a  gentleman,  for  he  does  not 
grudge  his  money. "  "I  would  not  think  he 
should, "  replied  Hopkins,  shaking  his  head 
mysteriously.  "  And  why  not  ?  "  exclaimed  several 
of  the  company.  "  Ah,  just  as  I  thought,  "  returned 
Hopkins,  with  another  shake  of  the  head  and  signi- 
ficant look  at  the  landlord.  "  What,  in  the  name  of 
all  that's  silly,  is  the  matter  with  you,  Hopkins?  " 
exclaimed  the  landlord.  "  What  on  earth  can  you 


132  Henry  More  Smith 

know  ?  "  "I  know  what  I  know,  "  was  his  reply. 
"  Rather  doubtful,  that, "  rejoined  the  landlord. 
"  You  doubt  it,  "  returned  Hopkins,  rather  warmly  ; 
"  then  I  will  tell  you  what  I  think  him  to  be  ; 
he  is  nothing  more  or  less  than  a  pirate ;  and 
you  will  all  be  murdered  in  your  beds,  Smith, 
(which  was  the  landlord's  name,)  you  and  your 
whole  family,  before  morning.  Now  what  think 
you.  of  your  guest  ?  " 

All  the  company  stood  aghast,  and  stared  .at  each 
other  in  silence  for  some  time,  until  the  landlord 
again  ventured  to  interrupt  the  silence  by  asking 
Hopkins  "How  do  you  know  all  that?"  Hopkins 
answered,  in  rather  a  silly  manner,  u  I  guessed 
at,  it,  "  which  did  away  with  the  effect  pro- 
duced by  his  previous  assertions  ;  and  the  land- 
lord dismissing  his  fears,  exclaimed,  "As  long  as 
he  pays  well,  be  he  man  or  devil,  he  shall  stay  here.  " 
"  A  praiseworthy  conclusion,  "  proceeded  from  a 
voice  at  the  back  part  of  the  room,  and  at  that  instant 
the  mysterious  stranger  stood  before  them.  All 
started  to  their  feet,  seized  their  hats  and  waited  to 
ask  no  questions,  nor  make  additional  comments, 
but  went  home  and  told  their  wives  of  Smith's  guest, 
and  Hopkins'  opinion  of  his  character. 

Every  woman  fastened  her  door  that  night  with 
suspicious  care,  and  the  mysterious  stranger,  and 
the  delineation  of  his  real  character  by  Hopkins, 
became  a  subject  of  general  conversation  and  com- 
ment throughout  the  village,  and  gradually  became 
the  received  opinion  among  all  the  settlers,  so  that 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  133 


they  set  down  the  mysterious  stranger  for  what 
Hopkins  guessed  him  to  be,  and  concluded  that  the 
articles  which  composed  his  baggage  could  not  have 
been  obtained  honestly. 

The  stranger,  finding  now  the  conversation 
turned  upon  him,  did  not  think  it  prudent  to  pro- 
tract his  stay  in  this  place,  and  proceeding  to  Boston 
in  the  coach,  was  known  from  that  time  by  the  name 
of  Maitland.  He  reached  Boston  about  the  1st  of 
November,  where  it  was  supposed  he  must  have,  in 
some  way,  disposed  of  much  of  his  treasures. 
From  thence  he  proceeded  for  New  York ;  on  the 
7th  November  arrived  at  New  Haven  in  the  Boston 
stage  coach,  by  the  way  of  New  London,  with  a 
large  trunk  full  of  clothing,  a  small  portable  desk, 
and  money  in  his  pockets.  He  was  dressed  in  a 
handsome  frock  coat,  with  breeches,  and  a  pair  of 
top  boots,  and  remained  at  the  steamboat  hotel 
several  days.  While  he  remained  there,  he  always 
ate  his  meals  alone,  and  preferred  being  alone  in 
different  parts  of  the  hotel  at  different  times,  every 
part  of  which  he  had  an  opportunity  of  becoming 
acquainted  with,  while  he  remained  waiting  for  the 
arrival  of  the  steamer  from  New  York. 

The  hotel  was  then  kept  by  Mr.  Henry  Butler  ; 
and,  as  it  afterwards  appeared,  the  traveller 
found  his  way  by  means  of  keys,  into  Mr. 
Butlers's  desk  and  sideboards,  as  well  as  every 
part  of  the  house.  He  left  New  Haven  in  the 
steamboat  at  5  a.m.  on  the  10th  November,  1815. 
After  his  departure  from  New  Haven,  Mr.  Butler's 


134  Henry  More  Smith 

servants  discovered  that  their  whole  quantity  of 
silver  spoons,  to  the  number  of  four  or  five  dozen,, 
which  had  been  carefully  put  away  in  a  side-board 
was  missing,  and  not  to  be  found  on  the  premises ; 
and  it  was  found,  upon  further  search  by  Mr.  Butler, 
that  a  watch  and  several  other  articles,  with  money 
from  the  desk,  had  sympathetically  decamped  with 
the  spoons.  Mr.  Butler  imagined  that  the  theft 
must  be  chargeable  on  some  lodger  in  the  hotelr 
and  immediately  fixed  his  suspicions  upon  Smith, 
whose  appearance  and  movements  about  the  house 
furnished  suspicions  too  strong  to  pass  unnoticed. 
Mr.  Butler,  without  loss  of  time,  set  out  for 
New  York,  and  arriving  there  before  the  boat  that 
carried  the  adventurer,  he  furnished  himself  with 
proper  authority,  and  boarded  the  boat  in  the 
stream.  After  Mr.  Butler  had  made  some  enquiries 
of  Captain  Bunker,  who  could  not  identify  the- 
traveller  among  all  his  passengers,  Smith  made  his- 
appearance  from  some  part  of  the  engine  room  and 
was  immediately  ordered  by  Mr.  Butler  to  open  his 
trunk,  with  which  he  complied  unhesitatingly  ;  but 
the  trunk  did  not  disclose  the  expected  booty. 
There  was,  however,  in  the  trunk  a  very  neat 
portable  writing  desk,  which  he  refused  to  open, 
and  Mr.  Butler  could  not  find  out  how  it  was 
fastened.  However,  he  called  for  an  axe  to  split  it 
open,  upon  which  Smith  said,  "  I  will  show  you,"" 
and,  touching  a  spring,  the  lid  flew  open.  The 
desk  contained  a  set  of  neat  engraving  tools,  with 
old  silver  rings  and  jewelry,  amongst  which 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  135 

Mr.  Butler  perceived  a  small  ear-ring,  which  he 
supposed  belonged  to  a  young  lady  that  had  slept 
in  his  house,  and  laid  her  ear-rings  on  a  stand  at 
the  head  of  her  bed,  which  were  missing  the  next 
morning.  After  her  departure  one  of  the  rings- 
was  found  at  the  door  of  the  hotel.  Upon  the 
evidence  of  this  single  ear-ring,  he  was  arrested  and 
put  into  the  Bridewell  in  the  city  of  New  York. 

The  keeper  of  the  Bridewell  at  that  time  wa& 
Archimial  Allen,  an  old  friend  of  mine,  and  a  man 
of  respectable  character.  On  my  visit  to  New  York 
afterwards,  I  called  on  Mr.  Allen,  and  enquired  the 
particulars  concerning  W.  H.  Newman,  (for  this- 
was  the  name  he  had  assumed  then)  while  in  his- 
custody.  He  informed  me  that  when  he  was  put 
in  he  behaved  for  some  time  very  well ;  that  he 
offered  him  a  book  ;  but  he  could  neither  read  nor 
write  a  word.  He  soon  began  to  complain  of  being 
sick  from  confinement,  raised  blood,  and  seemed  so 
ill  that  a  doctor  attended  him,  but  could  not  tell 
what  was  the  matter  with  him.  However,  he  kept 
up  the  farce  of  being  ill  until  he  was  removed  from 
Bridewell  to  New  Haven,  there  to  take  his  trial  at 
the  Supreme  court  in  January. 

His  change  of  situation  had  the  effect,  as  it  would 
seem,  of  restoring  his  health,  which  brought  along 
with  it  that  display  of  his  ingenuity  which  the- 
peculiarity  of  his  new  situation  seemed  to  call  forth. 
During  the  period  of  his  confinement  at  New  Haven, 
he  amused  himself  by  carving  two  images — one- 
representing  himself,  and  the  other  Butler,  in  the- 


136  Henry  More  Smith 

attitude  of  fighting.  And  so  mechanically  had  he 
adjusted  this  production  of  his  genius,  that  he 
would  actually  cause  them  to  fight,  and  make  the 
image  representing  himself  knock  down  that  of 
Butler,  to  the  wonder  and  amusement  of  many  that 
came  to  see  him.  By  his  insinuating  manner  and 
captivating  address,  he  not  only  drew  forth  the 
sympathies  of  those  who  came  to  visit  him,  but  even 
gained  so  far  upon  their  credulity,  as  to  induce  a 
belief  that  he  was  innocent  of  the  crime  with  which 
he  was  charged. 

The  lapse  of  a  few  clays,  however,  made 
impressions  of  a  different  nature.  The  January 
Court  term  drew  nigh,  at  which  our  prisoner  was 
to  receive  his  trial,  but  on  the  very  eve  of  his  trial, 
and  after  the  Court  had  been  summoned,  he,  by  the 
power  of  a  mind  which  seldom  failed  him  in  the 
hour  of  emergency,  contrived  and  effected  his 
escape  in  the  following  curious  and  singular 
manner.  And  here  it  will  be  necessary  to  give 
some  description  of  the  prison,  with  the  situation 
of  the  apartments,  which  the  writer  was  himself,  by 
the  politeness  of  the  keeper,  permitted  to  survey. 
There  was  a  wide  hall  leading  from  the  front  of 
the  County  House,  and  from  this  hall,  two  separate 
prisons  were  entered  by  their  respective  doors ; 
between  these  doors,  a  timber  partition  crossed  the 
hall,  having  in  it  a  door  also,  to  allow  an  entrance 
to  the  inner  prison.  The  object  in  having  this 
partition,  was  to  prevent  any  intercourse  between 
the  two  prison  doors,  and  it  was  so  placed  as  to  leave 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  137 

a  distance  of  about  two  feet  on  each  side  between 
it  and  the  prison  doors  respectively.  Newman, 
(for  this  it  will  be  remembered  is  the  name  by 
which  our  prisoner  is  now  known);  was  confined 
in  the  inner  prison. 

The  doors  of  the  prison  opened  by  shoving 
inwards,  and  when  shut  were  secured  by  two  strong 
bolts,  which  entered  into  stone  posts,  with  clasps 
lapped  over  a  staple,  to  which  were  fixed  strong 
padlocks.  These  padlocks,  our  prisoner,  by  some 
means,  managed  to  open  or  remove,  so  that  he 
could  open  the  door  at  pleasure,  and  fix  the  padlocks 
again  in  so  geniously,  that  it  could  not  be  detected 
from  their  appearance.  On  the  night  of  the  12th 
January,  at  the  usual  time  of  feeding  the  prisoners, 
Newman,  availing  himself  of  these  adjustments, 
opened  his  door,  came  out,  and  replacing  the  locks, 
took  his  stand  behind  the  door  of  the  partition, 
which,  when  open,  would  conceal  him  from 
observation.  The  prisoners  in  the  other  apartments 
received  their  supply  first,  and  the  instant  when 
the  servant  was  proceeding  from  the  door  to  go  and 
bring  Newman's  supper,  he  stepped  through  the 
partition  door,  which  had  been  first  opened  and 
not  shut  again,  and  followed  the  servant  softly 
through  the  hall  to  the  front  door,  and  walked  away 
undiscovered  !  When  the  servant  returned  with 
his  supper  to  the  wicket,  she  called  him,  but  receiv- 
ing no  answer,  placed  his  supper  inside  of  the 
wicket,  saying,  "  you  may  take  it  or  leave  it ;  I  am 
not  going  to  wait  here  all  night."  She  then 


138  Henry  More  Smith 

secured  the  outer  door,  and  so  the  matter  rested  till 
the  morning. 

The  next  morning,  finding  that  the  prisoner  had 
not  taken  his  supper,  the  servant  observed  to  the 
keeper,  that  she  feared  Newman  was  dead,  for  he 
had  not  taken  his  supper ;  and  she  called  him,  but 
could  not  hear  or  see  anything  of  him.  Upon  this,. 
the  keeper  came  with  his  keys  to  unlock  the  door, 
and  to  his  utter  astonishment,  found  both  locks 
broken  and  the  prison  empty.  The  keeper  made 
known  the  matter  to  the  sheriff,  and  on  the  13th, 
the  day  subsequent  to  his  escape,  the  following 
notice  was  inserted  in  the  Connecticut  Journal : 

"  BEWARE  OF  A  VILLAIN  !  —  One  of  the  most 
accomplished  villains  that  disgraces  our  country, 
broke  from  the  jail  in  this  city  on  Friday  evening 
last,  between  the  hours  of  five  and  six  o'clock,  and 
succeeded  in  making  his  escape.  The  fellow  calls, 
himself  Newman,  and  was  bound  over  for  trial  at 
the  sitting  of  the  next  Supreme  Court,  on  the  charge 
of  burglary,  having  robbed  the  house  of  Mr.  Butler, 
of  plate,  money,  etc.  He  is  supposed  to  be  an 
Englishman,  and  is  undoubtedly  a  most  profound 
adept  in  the  arts  of  knavery  and  deception.  He- 
speaks  the  English  and  French  languages  fluently, 
and  can  play  off  the  air  of  a  genteel  Frenchman  with 
the  most  imposing  gravity.  He  is  of  middling 
stature,  slender  and  active,  and  appears  to  possess 
an  astonishing  variety  of  genius.  He  is  sick  or  well, 
grave  or  gay,  silent  or  loqiiacious,  and  can  fence, 
box,  fight,  run,  sing,  dance,  play,  whistle,  or  talk, 
as  occasion  suits.  He  amused  himself  while  in 
prison,  by  making  and  managing  a  puppet  show, 
which  he  performed  apparently  with  such  means  as. 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  139 

to  excite  the  wonder  of  the  credulous,  having  a 
piece  of  an  old  horse-shoe,  whetted  on  the  wall  of 
his  dungeon,  as  the  only  instrument  of  his 
mechanism,  and  complaining  only  of  the  scarcity 
of  timber  to  complete  his  group.  He  had  the 
address,  by  an  irresistable  flow  of  good  humor  and 
cheerfulness,  to  make  some  believe  that  he  was  quite 
an  innocent  and  harmless  man ;  and  excited 
sympathy  enough  in  those  who  had  the  curiosity  to 
see  him,  to  obtain  several  gratifications  which 
prisoners  do  not  usually  enjoy ;  yet  the  depth  of 
his  cunning  was  evinced  in  accomplishing  his 
means  of  escape,  which  he  effected  by  sawing  a  hole 
in  the  prison  door,  which  is  several  inches  thick,  so 
neatly,  that  the  block  could  be  taken  out  and 
replaced  without  any  marks  of  violence.  Through 
this  hole  he  could  thrust  his  arm,  and  by  wrenching 
off  strong  padlocks,  and  shoving  back  the  bolts,  at 
the  hour  of  supper,  when  the  person  who  waited  on 
the  prisoners  was  giving  them  their  food,  found  a 
free  passage  to  the  hall  of  the  counting  house,  and 
thence  to  the  street." 

The  saw  which  he  used  in  cutting  the  cloor  of  the 
prison,  is  supposed  to  have  been  one  which  he  stole 
on  board  the  steamboat  Fulton,  on  his  passage  from 
New  York  to  New  Haven,  and  so  artfully  did  he 
conceal  the  saw,  though  repeatedly  searched  both 
before  and  after  his  confinement,  at  the  suggestion 
of  Capt.  Bunker,  that  he  retained  it  about  his  person 
until  by  it's  means  he  effected  his  escape. 

About  the  time  that  Newman  made  his  elope- 
ment, Mr.  Butler  happened  to  be  in  New  York,  and 
on  his  return  by  land,  he  met  Newman  travelling 
leisurely  along,  a  few  miles  distant  from  the  city. 


140  Henry  More  Smith 

Mr.  Butler  readily  recognized  him,  and  immediately 
instituted  a  pursuit,  but  he  baffled  his  attempt  to 
apprehend  him  and  made  his  retreat  into  the 
woods.  Upon  this  Mr.  Butler  engaged  a  party  of 
men,  with  dogs  and  fire-arms  to  ferret  him  out  if 
possible,  but  he  had  vigilance  and  art  sufficient  to 
elude  their  efforts  to  take  him. 

The  next  morning  after  the  chase,  he  made  his 
appearance  at  a  certain  house,  where  he  found  the 
table  placed  for  the  family  breakfast,  and  without 
invitation  or  ceremony,  sat  down  at  the  table  and 
began  to  eat.  While  he  was  eating  he  observed  to 
the  family,  that  he  would  not  let  them  take  him 
yesterday  —  referring  to  his  pursuers.  "Was  it 
you  they  were  after  ?"  enquired  some  of  the  f amity. 
"  Yes,  but  I  would  not  let  them  find  me.  "  "  How 
came  you  from  New  Haven?  "  was  next  enquired. 
"  I  staid  a  great  while,  "  he  replied,  "  but  they  did 
not  find  anything  against  me,  only  that  a  young 
woman  pretended  to  say  that  I  had  an  ear-ring  of 
hers  which  belonged  to  my  wife,  which  was  not 
worth  waiting  for,  and  so  I  came  away. " 

Here,  however,  he  was  apprehended,  and  sent 
again  to  Bridewell ;  but  when  he  came  there,  he 
denied  being  the  man,  and  had  so  altered  his 
appearance  and  dress,  that  no  one  knew  him,  until 
Mr.  Allen,  the  keeper  of  the  prison  at  New  Haven, 
came  and  recognized  him.  He  took  him  in  charge  at 
the  Bridewell  and  returned  with  him  to  New  Haven 
in  the  steamboat.  On  his  arrival  at  the  county 
house,  the  sheriff  had  him  closely  searched,  to  see 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  141 

that  he  had  no  saws,  or  any  other  instruments  by 
which  he  might  effect  another  escape.  After  the 
search,  he  was  confined  in  the  criminal's  room, 
handcuffed,  with  a  shackle  about  one  of  his  legs,  to 
which  was  attached  a  long  iron  chain  firmly  stapled 
to  the  floor,  and  in  company  with  two  negro  boys 
who  were  confined  for  stealing. 

In  this  situation  he  was  left  in  the  evening ;  and 
the  next  morning,  when  the  keeper  came  to  the 
door  of  his  prison,  he  found  him  walking  the  room 
smoking  his  pipe,  with  the  chain  on  his  shoulder, 
and  the  handcuff's  in  his  hand,  which  he  presented 
to  the  keeper,  saying,  "you  may  take  these,  they 
may  be  of  use  to  you,  for  they  are  of  no  use  to  me." 
The  keeper,  on  attempting  to  open  the  door,  found 
that  he  had  not  only  drawn  the  staple,  but  had 
raised  the  floor  also,  which  was  of  strong  plank 
firmly  fastened  to  the  sleepers  with  spikes.  The 
heads  of  some  of  the  spikes  were  drawn  through  the 
planks  which  he  had  taken  up,  and  with  which  he 
had  so  barricaded  the  door  that  the  keeper 
attempted  in  vain  to  enter.  Upon  this,  he  called 
upon  the  sheriff,  who  came  and  ordered  the  prisoner 
to  open  the  door,  to  which  he  replied  from  within, 
"  My  house  is  my  castle,  and  none  shall  enter  alive 
without  my  leave.  "  The  sheriff  then  ordered  the 
two  colored  boys  (who  stood  trembling  with  fear) 
to  come  and  remove  the  fastening  from  the  door, 
but  the  prisoner  told  them  that  death  would  be 
their  portion  if  they  attempted  it. 


142  Henry  More  Smith 

The  sheriff  finding  him  determined  not  to  open 
the  door,  and  having  attempted  in  vain  to  get  in 
by  other  means,  sent  for  a  mason,  and  ordered  him 
to  break  an  opening  through  the'  brick  partition 
which  divided  the  lower  room.  When  the  mason 
commenced  operations  on  the  wall,  Newman  said  to 
the  sheriff,  "It  is  no  use  to  make  a  hole  through 
the  wall,  for  I  could  kill  every  vagabond  as  fast  as 
they  put  their  heads  in,  but  if  the  sheriff  will 
bring  no  one  in  but  gentlemen,  T  will  open  the 
door  for  him.  " 

The  door  was  then  opened,  and  the  sheriff  went 
in  and  secured  him  ;  and  soon  after,  more  strongly, 
with  additional  irons  and  chains.  Finding  himself 
now  over-powered,  and  another  escape  rather  hope- 
less, he  had  recourse  to  his  old  scheme  of  yelling 
and  screaming  like  anything  but  the  human  voice, 
and  seemingly  in  every  part  of  the  house.  This  he 
kept  up  all  night,  until  the  whole  town  was  literally 
alarmed.  A  special  court  was  therefore  immediately 
called,  and  in  a  few  days  he  was  brought  to  his 
trial. 

The  trial  was  brought  on  as  a  case  of  burglary, 
the  prisoner  having  entered  a  chamber  of  Mr. 
Butler's,  and  stole  an  ear-ring  belonging  to  a  young 
lady  then  lodging  at?  the  house.  Newman  obtained 
counsel  to  plead  his  case  ;  but  not  being  satisfied 
with  the  manner  in  which  the  trial  was  conducted, 
he  pleaded  his  own  case,  in  which  he  maintained 
that  the  ear-ring  did  not  belong  to  the  lady,  but  to 
his  own  wife  ;  that  very  like  was  not  the  same,  and 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  143 

that  the  evidence  before  the  court  did  not  establish 
the  charge.  He  was  found  guility,  however,  and 
sentenced  to  three  years  confinement  in  the  Newgate, 
Simsbury  Mines,  which  was  considered  rather  a 
stretch  of  power,  on  account  of  his  infamous  and 
notorious  character.  He  was  consequently  sent  off 
next  day  to  the  place  of  his  future  confinement  and 
labor,  ironed  and  chained,  and  in  a  wagon  under  a 
strong  guard. 


144  Henry  More  Smith 


CHAPTER  X. 

Seen  in  the  Connecticut  Prison  by  Sheriff  Bates  He  Denies  That 
He  is  Henry  More.  Smith  —  After  His  Release  from  Prison  He 
Robbed  a  Passenger  in  the  Boston  Coach  —  Visits  Upper 
Canada  as  a  Smuggler  —  Turns  up  as  a  Preacher  in  the 
Southern  States  —  Is  Arrested  in  Maryland  for  Theft  —  Possibly 
Finished  His  Career  in  Toronto. 

FTER  I  arrived  in  New  Haven,  where  I  was 
put  in  possession  of  these  particulars  con- 
cerning him,  no  person  was  known  in  the 
United  States  who  could  identify  him  to  be  the  noted 
Henry  More  Smith  but  myself.  I  was  consequently 
requested,  for  the  gratification  of  the  public,  to  go  to 
Simsbury  Mines  to  see  him.  I  had  the  curiosity  to 
see  how  he  conducted  himself  at  Newgate,  and  pro- 
ceeded to  Simsbury,  about  fifty  miles,  for  the  purpose. 
On  my  arrival  at  Simsbury,  I  enquired  of  Capt, 
Washburn,  the  keeper  of  the  prison,  how  Newman 
conducted  himself.  He  answered  that  he  behaved 
very  well ;  that  he  heard  that  he  was  a  very  bad 
fellow,  but  he  had  so  many  that  were  worse  he  did 
not  think  anything  bad  in  Newman.  I  further 
enquired  of  the  keeper  what  account  Newman  gave 
of  himself,  and  what  he  acknowledged  to  have  been 
his  occupation.  His  answer  to  these  enquiries 
were,  that  he  professed  to  be  a  tailor,  if  anything, 
but  he  had  not  been  accustomed  to  much  hard 
work,  as  he  had  always  been  subject  to  fits  ;  that 
his  fits  were  frightful,  and  that  in  his  agony  and 
distress  he  would  turn  round  on  his  head  and 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  145 

shoulders  like  a  top,  and  he  was  so  bruised  and 
chafed  with  his  irons  in  his  convulsive  agonies,  that 
he  had  taken  the  shackles  off  his  legs,  so  that  now 
he  had  only  one  on  one  leg.  This  was  as  convincing 
to  me  as  possible  that  he  was  my  old  friend  Smith. 
The  captain  asked  me  if  I  had  a  wish  to  liberate 
him.  I  replied,  my  object  was  to  ascertain  whether 
he  were  a  prisoner  I  had  in  my  custody  more  than 
twelve  months,  and  that  if  he  were,  he  would  know 
me  immediately,  but  would  not  profess  to  know  me. 
Accordingly,  when  he  was  brought  into  my  presence 
in  the  captain's  room,  he  maintained  a  perfect 
indifference,  and  took  no  notice  of  me  whatever.  I 
said  to  him,  "  Newman,  what  have  you  been  doing 
that  has  brought  you  here  ?  "  "  Nothing,"  said  he,, 
"  I  had  an  ear-ring  with  me  that  belonged  to  my 
wife,  and  a  young  lady  claimed  it  and  swore  it 
belonged  to  her,  and  I  had  no  friend  to  speak  in 
favor  of  me,  and  they  sent  me  to  prison.  "  I  then 
asked  him  whether  he  had  ever  seen  me  before.  He 
looked  earnestly  upon  me.  and  said,  "  I  do  not  know 
but  I  have  seen  you  at  New  Haven,  there  were 
many  men  at  court.  "  Where*  did  you  come  from?  " 
His  reply  was,  "1  came  from  Canada."  "What 
countryman  are  you ?"  "A  Frenchman,  born  in 
France.  "  He  had  been  in  London  and  Liverpool 
but  never  at  Brighton.  "  Was  you  ever  at  Kings- 
ton, New  Brunswick  ?  "  He  answered,  "  No,  he  did 
not  know  where  that  was,  "  with  a  countenance  as 
unmoved  as  if  he  had  spoken  in  all  the  confidence 
of  truth. 


146  Henry  More  Smith 

He  appeared  rather  more  fleshy  than  when  at 
Kingston  ;  "but  still  remained  the  same  subtle, 
mysterious  being.  I  understood  that  he  was  the 
first  that  had  ever  effected  an  exemption  from  labor 
in  that  prison  by  or  on  any  pretence  whatever.  He 
kept  himself  clean  and  decent,  and  among  the 
wretched  victims  who  were  daily  brought  from  the 
horrid  pit  in  chains  and  fetters  to  their  daily  labor 
of  making  nails,  William  Newman  appeared  quite 
a  distinguished  character.  So  obtuse  was  he  that 
he  could  not  be  taught  to  make  a  nail,  and  yet  so 
ingenious  was  he,  that  he  made  a  Jew's  harp  to  the 
greatest  perfection,  without  being  discovered  at 
work  and  without  its  being  known  until  he  was 
playing  on  it. 

It  was  in  the  city  of  New  Haven  that  the 
author  published  the  first  edition  of  these  Memoirs, 
being'  aware  that  here,  where  his  character 
3,nd  unprecedented  actions  were  perfectly  known 
throughout  the  country,  the  publication  of  his 
doings  at  Kingston,  and  his  career  throughout 
the  Provinces  of  New  Brunswick  and  Nova  Scotia 
would  not  only  be  desirable  and  acceptable,  but 
would  also  be  received  with  less  scrupulousness, 
when  brought,  as  it  were,  in  contact  with  facts  of  a 
similar  nature  publicly  known  and  believed. 

While  these  papers  were  being  prepared  for  the 
press,  a  gentleman  from  Washington,  Major 
McDaniel,  on  his  return  from  Boston,  boarded  some 
time  in  the  same  house  with  me,  that  of  Mr.  Joseph 
Nichols,  and  having  heard  some  details  from  me  of 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  147 

his  unprecedented  character  and  actions  in  New 
Brunswick,  and  having  also  become  acquainted 
with  the  facts  relating  to  his  imprisonment  and 
escape,  etc.,  in  that  place,  could  not  repress  his 
curiosity  in  going  to  see  him,  and  requested  me  to 
accompany  him  at  his  own  expense.  He  observed 
that  it  would  be  a  high  gratification  to  him,  on  his 
return  to  Washington,  that  he  would  not  only  have 
one  of  my  books  with  him,  but  would  also  be  able 
to  say  that  he  had  personally  seen  the  sheriff  from 
New  Brunswick  that  had  written  the  book,  and  had 
seen  the  remarkable  character  in  the  prison  of 
Newgate  that  had  constituted  the  subject  of  the 
book,  and  also  the  prison  of  New  Haven  from  which 
he  escaped. 

Accordingly  we  set  out  from  Newgate,  and  my 
friend  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  the  noted 
Henry  More  Smith,  now  William  Newman.  On 
our  leaving  him,  I  said  to  him,  "Now,  Smith,  if 
you  have  anything  you  wish  to  communicate  to 
your  A\7ife,  I  will  let  her  know  it."  He  looked  at 
me  and  said,  "  Sir,  are  you  going  to  the  Jerseys  ?  " 
"  Why  do  you  think  your  wife  is  there  ?"  "I  hope 
so  ;  I  left  her  there,"  was  his  reply,  and  that  with 
as  much  firmness  and  seeming  earnestness  as  if  he 
had  never  before  seen  my  face.  After  I  had  left 
him  and  returned  to  New  Haven,  and  furnished  the 
printer  with  this  additional  sketch,  and  had  the 
Memoirs  completed,  one  of  the  books  was  shown  to 
him,  which  he  perused  with  much  attention  and 
replied  with  seeming  indifference  that  there  never 


148  Henry  More  Smith 

was  such,  a  character  in  existence,  but  that  some 
gentleman  travelling  in  the  United  States  had  run 
short  of  money,  and  had  invented  that  book  to 
defray  his  expenses  ! 

Immediately  after  he  had  read  the  Memoirs  of  his 
own  unparalleled  life  and  actions,  and  pronounced 
the  whole  a  fiction,  as  if  to  outdo  anything  before 
recited  of  him,  or  attributed  to  him,  he  added  the 
following  remarkable  feat  to  the  list,  already  so  full 
of  his  singular  and  unprecedented  actions.  In  the 
presence  of  a  number  of  young  persons,  and  when 
there  was  a  fine  fire  burning  on  the  hearth,  he 
affected  to  be  suddenly  seized  with  a  .violent 
convulsive  fit.  falling  down  on  the  floor  and 
bounding  and  writhing  about  as  if  in  the  most 
agonizing  suffering.  And  what  constituted  the 
wonder  of  this  masterpiece  of  affectation  was,  that 
in  his  spasmodic  contortions  his  feet  came  in  contact 
with  the  fire,  and  were  literally  beginning  to  be 
roasted,  without  his  appearing  to  feel  any  pain  from 
the  burning.  This  circumstance  confirmed  the 
belief  in  the  bystanders  that  the  fit  was  a  reality ; 
and  he  did  not  miss  his  aim  in  showing  off  his 
spasmodic  attack,  which  was  indeed  done  to  the 
life.  He  was  consequently  exempted  from  hard 
labor,  and  was  permitted  to  employ  himself  in  any 
trifling  occupation  he  chose,  or  in  making  Jew's 
harps,  pen-knives,  knives  of  various  descriptions* 
and  rings,  in  the  mechanism  of  which  he  displayed 
much  original  talent  and  characteristic  ingenuity. 
Many  persons,  from  mere  curiosity,  purchased 


Henry  More  Smith  149 

among  the  rest  may  be  instanced  the  case  of  two 
young  men,  who  very  much  admired  his  small 
pen-knives,  and  proposed  purchasing  two  of  them 
on  condition  of  his  engraving  his  name  on  the 
handles  of  them.  He  immediately  engraved,  with 
perfect  neatness,  "  Henry  More  Smith,"  on  one  side 
of  one  of  them,  "William  Newman,"  on  the  other 
side,  and  on  the  other  knife  he  engraved, 
*'  Mysterious  Stranger."  These  knives  were  kept 
by  their  owners  as  curiosities,  and  many  persons 
were  much  gratified  by  seeing  them.  One  of  them 
was  sometime  after  brought  to  Kingston,  and  I 
myself  had  the  gratification  of  seeing  the  name  of 
my  old  domestic  engraved  on  the  handle. 

Under  the  indulgent  treatment  he  received  in 
Newgate,  he  became  perfectly  reconciled  to  his 
situation,  manifesting  no  desire  to  leave  it. 
41  Contentment "  he  said,  "  is  the  brightest  jewel  in 
this  life,  and  I  was  never  more  contented  in  my 
life."  Consequently  he  never  attempted  any  means 
of  escape. 

After  the  period  of  his  imprisonment  was  up, 
and  he  had  received  his  discharge,  he  left  with  the 
keeper  of  the  prison  a  highly  finished  pocket-knife, 
of  moderate  size,  the  handle  of  which  contained  a 
watch,  complete  in  all  its  parts,  keeping  time 
regularly.  And  what  excited  much  wonder  in 
reference  to  this  ingenious  and  singularly  curious 
piece  of  mechanism,  was  the  fact  that  he  had  never 
been  found  at  work  on  any  part  of  the  watch  or 
knife,  and  yet  there  was  no  doubt  in  the  minds  of 


150  Henry  More  Smith 

those  who  saw  it  that  it  was  in  reality  the  production 
of  his  own  genius,  and  the  work  of  his  own  hands. 
For  this  information  I  was  indebted  to  a  gentlemen 
named  Osborne,  wlio  resided  in  the  neighbourhood, 
and  who  stated  that  he  had  seen  the  watch  and 
knife  himself,  and  that  it  was  regarded  by  all  as  a 
most  wonderful  piece  of  ingenuity. 

He  left  Simsbury  decently  apparalled,  and  with 
some  money  in  his  pocket,  and  in  possession  of 
some  articles  of  his  own  handiwork.  He  directed 
his  course  eastward,  and  was  seen  in  Boston;  but 
for  some  time  nothing  particular  or  striking  was 
heard  of  him.  The  first  thing  concerning  him,  that 
arrested  public  attention,  was  published  in  the 
Boston  Bulletin,  and  which  came  under  my  own 
eye  : 

BEWARE  OF  PICKPOCKETS  !  —  As  the  stage  coach, 
full  of  passengers,  was  on  its  way  to  this  city  a  few 
evenings  since,  one  of  the  passengers  rang  the  bell, 
and  cried  out  to  the  driver  to  stop  his  horses,  as  his 
pockets  had  been  picked  of  a  large  sum  of  money 
since  he  entered  the  coach  ;  and  at  the  same  time 
requested  the  driver  would  not  let  any  of  the 
passengers  get  out  of  the  coach  ;  it  being  dark,  until 
he,  the  aforesaid  passenger,  should  bring  a  light 
in  order  to  have  a  general  search.  This  caused  a 
general  feeling  of  pockets  among  the  passengers, 
when  another  passenger  cried  out  that  his  pocket- 
book  had  also  been  stolen.  The  driver  did  as 
directed  until  the  gentleman  who  first  spoke  should 
have  time  to  have  procured  a  lamp,  but  whether  he 
found  it  or  not  remained  quite  uncertain.  But  no 
doubt  he  found  the  light  he  intended  should  answer 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  151 

his  purpose,  as  he  did  not  make  his  appearance  in 
any  other  light.  However  the  passenger  who  really 
lost  his  pocket-book,  which,  although  it  did  not 
contain  but  a  small  amount  of  money,  thinks  ha 
shall  hereafter  understand  what  is  meant  when  a 
man  in  a  stage  coach  calls  out  thief,  and  that  he  will 
prefer  darkness  rather  than  light,  if  ever  such  an 
evil  joke  is  offered  to  be  played  with  him  again.  * 

As  he  was  continually  changing  his  name,  as  well 
as  his  place,  it  was  impossible  always  to   identify 
his  person,  especially  as  few  persons  in  the  United 
States  were  personally  acquainted  with  him.     The 
difficulty   of   recognizing     him     was   not  a   little 
increased  also  by  the  circumstances  of  his  continu 
ally   changing  his  external  appearance  ;    and    the 
iniquitous  means  by  which  he  could  obtain  money 
and   change   of   apparel,    always    afforded   him   a 
perfect  facility  of  assuming  a  different  appearance^ 
In    addition    to    these    circumstances   also,    as    a 
feature    of   character    which   no   less    contributed 
to  the  difficulty  of  identifying  him,  must  be  taken 
into  account   his  unequalled  and    inimitable  ease- 
in  affecting  different  and   various  characters,  and 
his  perfect  and  unembarrassed    composure   in  the 
most  difficult  and    perplexhig  circumstances.     To- 
die    identity   and    eccentricity,    therefore,    of     his 
actions,    rather     than   to   our    knowledge    of    the- 
identity  of  his  person  and  name,  we  must  depend r 
in  our  future  attempts  to  trace  his  footsteps  and  mark 
their  characteristic  points. 

On  this  ground,  therefore,  there  is  not  the  shadow 
of  a  doubt  that  the  robbery  committed  in  the  stage- 


152  Henry  More  Smith 

coach,  and  that  the  originality  of  the  means  by 
which  he  carried  off  his  booty  pointed  with  unhesi- 
tating certainity  to  the  noted  character  of  our 
narrative.  After  this  depredation  in  the  coach, 
with  which  he  came  off  successful,  it  would  appear 
that  he  bended  his  course  in  disguise  through  the 
States  of  Connecticut  and  New  York,  assuming 
different  characters  and  committing  many  robberies 
Tindiscovered  and  even  unsuspected  for  a  length  of 
time,  and  afterwards  made  his  appearance  in  Upper 
Canada  in  the  character  of  a  gentleman  merchant 
from  New  Brunswick  with  a  large  quantity  of 
smuggled  goods  from  New  York,  which  he  said  was 
coming  on  after  him  in  wagons.  These,  he  said, 
he  intended  to  dispose  of  on  very  moderate  terms, 
so  as  to  suit  purchasers. 

Here  he  called  upon  any  brother,  Augustus  Bates, 
Deputy  Postmaster,  at  Wellington  Square,  head  of 
Lake  Ontario,  and  informed  the  family  that  he  was 
well  acquainted  with  Sheriff  Bates  at  Kingston,  and 
that  he  called  to  let  them  know  that  he  and  his 
family  were  well.  He  regretted  very  much  that  he 
had  not  found  Mr.  Bates  at  home,  and  stated  that 
he  was  upon  urgent  a'nd  important  business  and 
could  not  tarry  with  them  for  the  night,  but  would 
leave  a  letter  for  him.  This  he  accordingly  did, 
properly  addressed,  and  in  good  handwriting  ;  but 
when  it  was  opened,  and  its  contents  examined,  no 
one  in  the  place  could  make  out  the  name  of  the 
writer,  or  read  any  part  of  the  letter  !  It  appeared 
to  have  been  written  in  the  characters  of  some 


The  Mysterious  Stronger  153 

foreign  language,  but  it  could  not  be  decypliered. 
This  was  another  of  his  characteristic  eccentricities, 
but  his  intention  in  it  could  not  be  well  understood. 

He  did  not  appear  to  make  himself  particularly 
known  to  the  family,  nor  to  cultivate  any  further 
acquaintance  with  them,  but  proceeded  thence  to 
the  principal  boarding  house  in  the  town  and 
engaged  entertainments  for  himself  and  thirteen 
other  persons,  who,  he  said,  were  engaged  in 
bringing  on  his  wagons,  loaded  with  his  smuggled 
goods.  Having  thus  fixed  upon  a  residence  for 
himself  aud  his  gang  of  wagoners,  he  then  called 
upon  all  the  principal  merchants  in  the  town,  on 
pretence  of  entering  into  contracts  for  storing  large 
packages  of  goods,  and  promising  to  give  great 
bargains  to  purchasers  on  their  arrival,  and  in 
some  instances  actually  received  money  as  earnest 
on  some  packages  of  saleable  goods,  for  the  sale  of 
which  he  entered  into  contracts.  It  may  be 
remarked,  by  the  way,  that  he  wrote  also  in  an 
unknown  and  unintelligible  hand  to  the  celebrated 
Captain  Brant,  the  same  as  he  had  written  to 
Mr.  Bates,  but  with  what  view  was  equally 
mysterious  and  unaccountable. 

Notwithstanding  his  genteel  and  respectable 
appearance,  there  was  a  singularity  in  his  manner 
and  conduct  which,  Avith  all  his  tact  and  experience, 
he  could  not  altogether  conceal,  and  hence  arose 
some  suspicions  as  to  the  reality  of  his  pretensions. 
These  suspicions  received  confirmation,  and  were 
soon  matured  into  the  reality  of  his  being  a  genteel 


154  Henry  More  Smith 

imposter,  from  the  fact  that  the  time  for  the  arrival 
of  his  wagons  was  now  elapsed,  and  that  they 
were  not  making  an  appearance.  At  this  juncture, 
when  public  attention  and  observation  were  directed 
to  the  stranger  to  observe  which  way  the  balance 
would  turn,  an  individual  named  Brown,  who  had 
formerly  resided  in  New  Brunswick,  and  moved 
with  his  family  to  Canada,  coming  into  .contact 
with  the  gentleman,  recognized  him  from  a  certain 
mark  he  carried  on  his  face  to  be  the  far-famed 
Henry  More  Smith,  whom  he  had  seen  and  known 
when  in  gaol  at  Kingston. 

This  report  passing  immediately  into  circulation,, 
gave  the  imposter  a  timely  signal  to  depart,  with- 
out waiting  for  the  arrival  of  his  wagons  and 
baggage,  and  without  loss  of  time  lie  took  his 
departure  from  Canada,  by  the  way  of  Lake  Erie, 
through  the  Michigan  Territory,  and  down  the 
Ohio  to  the  Southern  States.  With  his  proceedings 
during  this  course  of  his  travels  we  are  entirely 
unacquainted  ;  therefore  the  reader  must  be  left 
to  his  own  reflections  as  to  his  probable  adventures 
as  he  travelled  through  this  immense  tract  of 
country.  There  is  no  reason  for  doubt,  however,, 
that  he  had  by  this  time,  and  even  long  before, 
become  so  confirmed  in  his  iniquitous  courses  that 
he  would  let  no  occasion  pass  unimproved  that 
would  afford  him  an  opportunity  of  indulging  in 
the  predominant  propensity  of  mind  which  seemed 
to  glory  in  the  prosecutions  of  robberies  and 
plunder,  as  well  as  in  the  variety  of  means  by 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  155 

which  he  effected  his  unheard  of  and  unprecedented 
escapes. 

After  his  arrival  in  the  Southern  States,  we  are 
again  able  to  glean  something  of  his  life  and 
history.  While  he  was  yet  in  the  gaol  at  King's 
county,  it  will  be  remembered  that  he  said  he  had 
been  a  preacher,  and  that  he  should  preach  again, 
and  would  gain  proselytes  ;  and  now  his  prediction 
is  brought  about,  for  under  a  new  name,  that  of 
Henry  Hopkins,  he  appeared  in  the  character  of  a 
preacher  in  the  Southern  StatesJ  And  what 
wonder?  For  Satan  himself  is  transformed  into 
an  angel  of  light.  Here,  even  in  this  character  he 
was  not  without  success,  for  he  got  many  to  follow 
and  admire  him ;  yet  deep  as  his  hypocrisy  was,  he 
seemed  to  be  fully  sensible  of  it,  although  his 
conscience  had  become  seared,  and  was  proof 
against  any  proper  sense  of  wrong.  He 
acknowledged  that  he  had  been  shocked  to  see  so 
many  follow  him  to  hear  him  preach,  and  even  to 
be  affected  under  his  preaching. 

Our  source  of  information  does  not  furnish  us 
with  any  of  the  particulars  which  marked  his 
conduct  while  itinerating  through  the  South  in  his 
newly  assumed  character ;  yet  general  accounts 
went  on  to  say  that  he  had,  for  a  length  of  time,  so 
conducted  himself  that  he  gained  much  popularity 
in  his  ministerial  calling,  and  had  a  considerable 
number  of  adherents.  However,  this  may  have 
been  the  case  for  a  length  of  time,  yet  as  the 
assumption  of  this  new  character  could  not  be 


156  Henry  More  Smith 

attributable  to  any  supernatural  impulse,  but  was 
merely  another  feature  of  a  character  already  so 
singularly  diversified,  intended  as  a  cloak  under 
which  he  might,  with  less  liability  to  suspicion, 
indulge  the  prevailing  and  all  controlling  pro- 
pensities of  his  vitiated  mind,  it  was  not  to  be 
expected,  with  all  the  ingenuity  he  was  capable  of 
exercising,  that  he  would  long  be  able  to  conceal 
his  real  character.  Accordingly,  some  misdemeanor, 
which  we  have  not  been  able  to  trace,  at  length 
disclosed  the  hypocrisy  of  his  character,  and  placed 
him  before  his  deluded  followers  in  his  true  light. 

It  would  appear,  whatever  might  have  been  the 
nature  of  his  crime,  that  legal  means  were  adopted 
for  his  apprehension,  and  that  in  order  to  expedite 
his  escape  from  the  hands  of  justice,  he  had  seized 
upon  a  certain  gentleman's  coach  and  horses  and 
was  travelling  in  the  character  of  a  gentleman  in 
state,  when  he  was  overtaken  and  apprehended  in 
the  State  of  Maryland.  Here  he  was  tried  and 
convicted,  and  sentenced  to  seven  years  imprison- 
ment in  the  state  prison  in  Baltimore,  which, 
from  the  nature  of  the  climate,  was  generally 
believed  would  terminate  his  career.  The  par- 
ticulars of  this  adventure  I  received  in  the  city  of 
New  York  in  1827,  where  I  took  much  pains  to 
obtain  all  possible  information  concerning  his 
proceedings  in  the  Southern  States  while  passing 
under  the  character  of  a  preacher. 

In  1833  it  so  happened  that  I  had  occasion  to 
visit  the  city  of  New  York  again,  when  I  renewed 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  157 


my  enquiries  concerning  him,  but  to  no  effect ;  no 
sources  of  information  to  which  I  had  access  yielded 
any  account  of  him,  and  the  most  rational  con- 
jecture was  that  he  either  terminated  his  course  in 
the  state  prison  at  Baltimore,  or  that  one  day, 
should  he  outlive  the  period  of  his  confinement  and 
be  again  let  loose  upon  the  peace  of  society,  some 
fresh  development  of  his  character  would  point  out 
the  scene  of  his  renewed  depredations. 

In  this  painful  state  of  obscurity  I  was  reluctantly 
obliged  to  leave  the  hero  of  our  narrative  on  my 
return  from  New  York. 

Another  year  had  nearly  elapsed  before  any 
additional  light  was  thrown  upon  his  history ;  but 
in  an  unexpected  moment,  when  the  supposition  of 
his  having  ended  his  career  in  the  prison  at 
Baltimore  was  becoming  fixed,  I  received,  by  the 
politeness  of  a  friend,  a  file  of  the  New  York 
Times,  one  of  the  numbers  of  which  contained 
the  following  article,  bringing  our  adventurer  again 
full  into  view  in  his  usual  characteristic  style  : 

"  POLICE  OFFICE  —  ROBBERY  AND  SPEEDY  ARREST: 
A  French  gentleman  from  the  South,  (so  represented 
by  himself),  who  has  for  a  few  weeks  past  under 
the  name  of  Henry  Bond,  been  running  up  a  bill 
and  running  down  the  fare,  at  the  Francklin  House, 
was  this  afternoon  arrested  at  the  establishment  on 
the  ungentlemanly  charge  of  pillaging  the  trunks 
of  lodgers.  Since  his  sojourn  a  variety  of  articles 
had  disappeared  from  the  chambers  of  the  hotel, 
and  amongst  the  rest  about  two  hundred  dollars 
from  the  trunk  of  one  gentleman.  No  one,  however, 


158  Henry  More  Smith 

had  thought  of  suspecting  the  French  gentleman, 
•who  was  also  a  lodger,  until  this  morning,  when, 
unfortunately  for  him,  his  face  was  recognized  by  a 
gentleman  who  knew  him  to  have  been  in  the  state 
prison  at  Baltimore.  However,  on  searching  him, 
which  he  readily  complied  with,  not  one  cent  of 
the  money  could  be  found  either  upon  his  baggage 
or  his  person  ;  but  in  lieu  thereof,  they  found  him 
possessed  of  a  large  number  of  small  keys,  through 
which,  no  doubt,  he  found  means  of  disposing  of 
any  surplus  of  circulating  medium,  whereupon 
his  quarters  were  changed  to  Bridewell  until  the 
ensuing  term  of  General  Sessions.  " 

Here  he  remained  in  confinement  until  the  period 
of  his  trial  came  round,  when,  for  want  of  sufficient 
evidence  to  commit  him  to  the  state  prison,  he  was 
thence  discharged,  and  the  next  account  we  hear  of 
him  brings  him  before  our  view  under  the  name  of 
Henry  Preston,  arrested  in  the  act  of  attempting  to 
rob  the  Northern  Mail  Coach,  as  will  appear  by  the 
following  article  extracted  from  the  Times : 

POLICE  OFFICE,  Monday,  Feb.  22nd,  1835  — Just 
as  this  office  was  closing  on  Saturday  evening,  a 
very  gentlemanly  looking  man,  decently  dressed, 
calling  himself  Henry  Preston,  was  brought  up  in 
the  custody  of  the  driver  and  guard  of  the  Northern 
mail  stage  who  charged  him  with  an  attempt  to 
rob  the  mail.  The  accusers  testified  that  within  a 
short  distance  of  Peekskill  they  discovered  the 
prisoner  about  a  hundred  yards  ahead  of  the  stage, 
and  on  approaching  nearer  they  saw  him  jump  over 
a  fence,  evidently  to  avoid  notice.  This,  of  course, 
excited  their  suspicion,  and  they  kept  an  eye  to  the 
mail  which  was  deposited  in  the  boot.  In  the  course 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  159 

of  a  short  time  the  guard  discovered  the  rat  nibbling 
at  the  bait,  and  desiring  the  driver  not  to  stop  the 
speed  of  the  horses,  he  quietly  let  himself  down  and 
found  the  prisoner  actively  employed  loosening  the 
strap  which  confines  the  mail-bag !  He  was 
instantly  arrested,  placed  in  the  carriage  and  carried 
to  town  free  of  expense.  Having  nothing  to  offer 
in  extenuation  of  his  offence,  Mr.  Henry  Preston  was 
committed  to  Bridewell  until  Monday  for  further 
investigation . 

POLICE  OFFICE,  Monday  morning — This  morning, 
Henry  Preston,  committed  for  attempting  to  rob  the 
Northern  Mail,  was  brought  up  before  the  Sitting 
Magistrates,  when  the  High  Sheriff  of  Orange 
county  appeared  and  demanded  the  prisoner, 
whose  real  name  was  Henry  Gibney,  as  a  fugitive 
from  justice?  Restated  that  the  prisoner  was  to 
have  been  tried  for  grand  larceny,  and  was  lodged 
in  the  House  of  Detention  at  Newburgh,  on 
Thursday,  under  care  of  two  persons  —  that  in  the 
course  of  the  night  he  eluded  the  vigilance 
of  his  keepers,  escaped  from  confinement,  and 
crossed  the  river  on  the  ice,  and  had  got  down  as 
far  as  Peekskill  where  he  says  he  attempted  to  get 
on  top  of  the  stage  that  he  might  get  into  New  York 
as  soon  as  possible.-" 

By  order  of  the  judges  the  prisoner  was  delivered 
up  to  the  sheriff  of  Orange  County,  to  be  recognized 
there  for  his  trial  for  the  offence  with  which  he 
was  originally  charged,  at  the  next  general  session 
of  the  Supreme  Court,  But  before  the  time  came 
round  he  had,  as  on  most  former  occasions,  contrived 
•to  make  his  escape,  and  directed  his  course  towards 
Upper  Canada. 


160  Henry  More  Smith 

Of  the  particular  manner  of  his  escape,  and  his 
adventures  on  his  way  through  to  Canada  we  can 
state  nothing  with  certainty ;  but  like  all  his 
previous  movements,  we  may  hazard  the  conjecture 
that  they  were  such  as  would  do  the  usual  honor  to 
his  wretched  profession.  Yet,  with  all  his  tact,  he 
could  not  always  escape  the  hands  of  justice  ;  and 
hence  his  course  is  not  unfrequenity  interrupted, 
and  his  progress  impeded  by  the  misfortunes  of  the 
prison.  It  is  owing  to  this  circumstance  that  we 
are  enabled  to  keep  pace  with  him  in  Upper  Canada, 
where  we  find  him  confined  in  the  gaol  of  Toronto 
under  the  charge  of  burglar}'. 

For  this  information  the  writer  is  indebted  to 
his  brother,  Mr.  Augustus  Bates,  residing  in  Upper 
Canada.  From  his  letter,  dated  4th  August.  1835, 
we  make  the  following  extract,  which  will  point 
out  the  circumstances  which  have  guided  us  in 
endeavoring  to  follow  up  the  history  of  the 
Mysterious  Stranger  to  the  present  time : 

DEAR  BROTHER  —  I  now  sit  down  to  acknowledge 
the  receipt  of  a  number  of  your  letters,  especially 
your  last  by  Mr.  Samuel  Nichols,  in  which  you 
mentioned  that  you  were  writing  a  new  edition  of 
'  More  Smith.'  I  have  to  request  that  you  will 
suspend  the  publication  until  you  hear  from  me 
again.  There  is  a  man  now  confined  in  Toronto 
gaol  who  bears  the  description  of  More  Smith,  and 
is  supposed  to  be  the  same.  Many  things  are  told 
of  him  which  no  other  person  could  perform.  I 
will  not  attempt  to  repeat  them,  as  I  cannot  vouch 
for  their  truth.  From  current  reports  I  was  induced 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  161 

to  write  to  the  sheriff,  who  had  him  in  charge, 
recjuesting  him  to  give  me  a  correct  account  of  him. 
1  have  not  heard  from  the  sheriff  since  I  wrote  ; 
perhaps  he  is  waiting  to  see  in  Avhat  manner  he  is 
to  be  disposed  of.  Report  says  the  man  is 
condemned  to  be  executed  for  shop-breaking  —  he 
wishes  the  sheriff  to  do  his  duty  ;  that  he  had  much 
rather  be  hanged  than  sent  to  the  penitentiary. 
Many  are  the  curious  stories  told  of  him,  which,  as 
I  said  before,  I  will  not  vouch  for.  Should  the 
sheriff  write  to  me,  his  information  may  be  relied 
on." 

Several  communications  from  Upper  Canada 
have  reached  us  between  the  date  of  the  letter  from 
which  the  above  extract  is  made  and  the  present 
time,  but  none  of  them  contained  the  desired 
information  as  to  the  particular  fate  of  the  prisoner, 
and  the  manner  in  which  he  was  disposed  of,  until 
the  8th  of  September  last,  1836. 

By  a  letter  from  Mr.  Augustus  Bates,  bearing 
this  date,  it  would  appear  that  the  prisoner  had  not 
been  executed,  but  had  been  sentenced  to  one  year's 
confinement  in  the  penitentiary.  We  make  the 
following  extract : 

"  I  give  you  all  the  information  I  can  obtain 
respecting  the  prisoner  enquired  after.  The  gaoler, 
who  is  also  the  deputy  sheriff,  that  had  him  in 
charge,  says  he  could  learn  nothing  from  him  ; 
said  he  called  his  name  Smith,  thac  he  was  fifty-five 
years  old,  but  denies  that  he  was  ever  in  Kingston, 
New  Brunswick.  The  jailer  had  one  of  your  books 
and  showed  it  to  him,  but  he  denied  any  knowledge 
of  it,  and  would  not  give  any  satisfaction  to  the- 


162  Henry  More  Smith 

enquiries  lie  made  of  him.  The  sheriff  says  he 
believes  the  person  to  be  the  same  mysterious 
stranger  ;  that  lie  was  condemned  and  sentenced  to 
the  penitentiary  for  one  year.  His  crime  was 
burglary.  " 

It  would  have  afforded  the  writer  of  these  Memoirs 
great  satisfaction,  and,  no  doubt,  an  equal  satisfac- 
tion to  the  reader,  had  it  been  in  his  power  to  have 
paid  a  visit  to  Upper  Canada  that  he  might  be  able 
to  state  from  his  own  certain  and  personal 
knowledge  of  the  prisoner  at  Toronto,  that  he  was 
indeed  the  self-same  noted  individual  that  was  in 
his  custody  twent}7-two  years  ago,  and  whom  he 
had  the  gratification  of  seeing  and  recognizing 
subsequently  at  the  Simsbury  Mines,  where  he 
played  off  his  affected  fits  with  such  art  and 
consequent  advantage. 

But  although  it  is  not  in  the  writer's  power  to 
close  up  his  Memoir  with  so  important  and  valuable 
a  discovery  —  j^et,  keeping  in  view  the  characteristic 
features  of  the  man  —  his  professed  ignorance  of 
Kingston  in  New  Brunswick  —  his  denial  of  ever 
having  seen  the  first  edition  of  the  Memoirs,  and 
the  care  which  he  took  to  keep  himself  enveloped 
in  mystery,  by  utterly  declining  to  give  any  satisfac- 
tory information  concerning  himself ;  all  these 
circumstances  united,  form  a  combination  of  features 
so  marked  as  to  carry  conviction  to  the  mind  of  the 
reader  who  has  traced  him  through  this  narrative, 
that  he  is  no  other  than  the  same  mysterious  Henry 
More  Smith. 


The  Mysterious  Stranger  163 

There  is  another  feature  in  the  prisoner  at  Toronto 
that  seems  strangely  corroborative  of  what  we  are 
desirous  properly  to  establish,  that  is  his  age.  He 
acknowledges  to  be  fifty-five  years  of  age,  and 
although  this  would  make  him  somewhat  older  than 
his  real  age,  yet  it  fixes  this  point  —  that  the 
prisoner  at  Toronto  is  well  advanced  in  years,  and 
so  must  the  subject  of  our  Memoirs  be  also. 

From  information  which  we  have  obtained  it 
seems  that  he  has  undergone  his  trial,  and  was 
committed  to  the  penitentiary  for  a  year's  confine- 
ment. Whether  he  found  an}7  means  of  effecting 
an  exemption  from  labor  in  the  penitentiary  and 
then  reconciling  himself  to  his  confinement,  or 
whether  he  accomplished  one  of  his  ingenious 
departures,  we  are  unable  to  determine.  One  thing 
however,  is  highly  probable  —  that  he  is  again 
going  up  and  down  in  the  earth  in  the  practice  of 
his  hoary-headed  villainy,  except  Power  from  on 
High  has  directed  the  arrow  of  conviction  to  heart ; 
for  no  inferior  impulse  would  be  capable  of  giving 
a  new  direction  to  the  life  and  actions  of  a  man  whose 
habits  of  iniquity  have  been  ripened  into  maturity 
and  obtained  an  immovable  ascendancy  by  the 
practice  of  so  many  successive  years. 

It  must  be  acknowledged  that  there  is  an  unprece- 
dented degree  of  cleverness  in  all  his  adventures, 
which  casts  a  kind  of  illusive  and  momentary 
covering  over  the  real  character  of  his  actions,  and 
would  seem  to  engage  an  interest  in  his  favor,  (and 
this  is  an  error  to  which  the  human  mind  seems 


164  Henry  More  Smith 

remarkable  pre-disposed  when  vice  presents  itself 
before  us  in  all  its  cleverness),  yet  who  can  read 
his  miserable  career  without  feeling  pained  at  the 
melancholy  picture  of  depravity  it  presents  ?  Who 
would  have  supposed  that  after  his  condemnation 
and  sentence  at  Kingston,  and  his  life,  by  an  act  of 
human  mercy,  given  into  his  hands  again,  he  would 
not  have  hastened  to  his  sorrowing  little  wife,  and 
with  tears  of  compunction,  mingled  with  those  of 
joy,  cast  himself  upon  her  neck  and  resolved  by  a 
course  of  future  rectitude  and  honesty,  to  make  her 
as  happy  as  his  previous  disgraceful  and  sinful 
career  had  made  her  miserable. 

But  ah  !  no.  His  release  was  followed  by  no  such 
effects.  Rendered  unsusceptible  for  every  natural 
and  tender  impression,  and  yet  under  the  full 
dominion  of  the  god  of  this  world,  he  abandoned 
the  intimate  of  his  bosom,  and  set  out  single  handed 
in  the  fresh  pursuit  of  crime. 

There  is,  however,  one  redeeming  feature  which 
stands  out  among  the  general  deformities  of  his 
character.  In  all  the  adventures  which  the  history 
of  his  course  presents  to  our  view,  we  are  not  called 
upon  to  witness  any  acts  of  violence  and  blood  ;  and 
it  is  perhaps  owing  to  the  absence  of  this  repulsive 
trait  of  character  that  we  do  not  behold  him  in  a 
more  relentless  light. 


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