The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

The Affair of Messrs. Cunningham and Forsey, of New-York, Merchants, having been the Subject of much Conversation, and variously represented, perhaps the following Relation of that Affair (taken from the New-York Gazette of August last) may not be disagreeable to our Readers.

To the PUBLIC.
New-York, Aug. 22, 1763.

WHAT Mr. Cunningham pretended to Mers. Torrans, Greg, and Poaug, of South-Carolina, Merchants, which I wrote to them, in Consequence of Mr. Cunningham's having caused to be protested a Bill of £150 Sterling, drawn by them on me and my Brother, in Favour of Greg, Cunningham, and Company, tho' I had offered him a good Bill, on London, in Payment. [That Letter, which is dated the 17th of May last, contains, among other Things, the Reasons why Mr. Forsey could not pay the Bill when due, on which Mr. Cunningham informed him that he had returned the Draught via Philadelphia, Which (says Mr. Forsey in this Letter) made me very angry, well knowing our Credit was as good as Cunningham's, and Character much better, as well here as elsewhere. And Gentlemen, if it should ever happen that you should have any Occasion to draw on me again, I beg you'll draw in Favour of some better Man. &c.] -In the Answer which Messrs. Torran, Greg and Poaug returned, they say, "Our Bill being returned by Mr. Cunningham was a great Disappointment, and we are extremely sorry he did not comply with your Offer. His Behaviour to you upon this Occasion, we can assure you, was by no Means consistent with our Inclinations or Wishes." - ]

This Letter I received about the latter End of July last, and about the same Time I presume Mr. Cunningham became acquainted with the Substance of my Letter above-mentioned: for on the 28th July last, he told me, if I did not go immediately into the Coffee-House, and there publickly under my Hand retract what I had wrote in that Letter concerning him, that he would horse-whip me next Day at the public Coffee-House: this I refused, conceiving I had wrote nothing but what Mr. Cunningham's ill Treatment of me deserved, and told him he durst not whip me; and after some high Words had passed between us, and he had challenged me, which I did not think proper to accept, being so very near sighted as not to be able to engage any Man but upon the most disadvantageous Terms, a Fact well known to Mr. Cunningham, we parted for that Night.

The next Day Mr. Cunningham thought proper to send me a Message, informing me, that if I did not retract what I had wrote in that Letter, that he must insist on the Satisfaction he had mentioned the Evening before; to which I returned for Answer, that I insisted that he would meet me at twelve o'Clock, at the Coffee-House, with a Horse-Whip, as he proposed.

The same Day about Noon I went to the Coffee House, with a Horse-Whip in my Hand, intending to offer it to Mr. Cunningham, and try his Resolution. Some Time afterwards Mr. Cunningham came to the Coffee-House with a Sword and Cane concealed under his Coat, and came up to me, upon which I asked him if he intended to whip me that Day; whereupon he beckon'd to me, and we walked almost across the Street, during which Time he drew his Sword out of the Scabbard from under his Coat, and going to make a Thrust at me, he said, Dam you,

whereupon, being not prepared to defend myself against him, I turned from him and run, and he pursued me. (tho' called upon to stop by sundry Gentlemen standing by) to the best of my Judgment about Sixty Yards, and coming up to me gave me several Blows on the Head and Shoulders with the Sword, whereupon I turned round to defend myself, and then he made a Thrust at me with the Sword, which I parried with my Whip; but he making a second Thrust, run his Sword into my Breast about Eight Inches, and drawing it out he turn'd about and run; I then took up a Stone and threw it at him, calling to the People to stop the Murderer, upon which a Number of People followed him, when passing through the House of Mr. Duane, he got into the House of Mr. Anthony Van Dam, and was concealed in his Garret, near three Hours, under a Heap of dried Salt Fish, but was after much Difficulty discovered, and committed to Goal, attended with the Shouts of an incensed Populace.

Such were the Grounds of Mr. Cunningham's savage Resentment against me: and such the Nature of the Wound, that had I not had the immediate Assistance of some of the most skilful Surgeons in America, I must have fallen a Sacrifice to his Brutality; and notwithstanding their continued Endeavours, (to which I gratefully pay the greatest Honour) I am not without Danger of my Life. So extraordinary a Transaction will naturally furnish Ground for Reflections the most unfavourable to Mr. Cunningham.; but this Task, to avoid the Charge of Prejudice, I leave to the impartial World.

THOMAS FORSEY.

P.S. Aug. 23. Since my Recovery, so as to be thought out of Danger, Mr. Cunningham has been out of Goal, on Bail.