The Kentucke Gazette

WHEREAS a certain John Smith, of the town of Lexington, has put in sundry advertisements to caution any person from taking an assignment on a bond of his due in May 1789. for the sum of £100. and has been imprudent enough to certify that said bond was fraudulently obtained from him by a certain John Hughes of Lexington.

I do not wish to expatiate on the cruelty of attempting to blast the character of a stranger - but newly arrived in these parts, referring that to proper time where it will appear in its proper light. I only request the favour of the public. to attend to the circumstances, as they really stand till fuller investigated by a jury.

In April 1788. I purchased of Peter Keiser decd, a tract of land in Westmoreland county, state of Pennsylvania, for which I paid him, and obtained a conveyance in the mode prescribed by law of that state.

In October following, I sold said tract, to a certain John M'Dowell, and gave him a conveyance and bond obligatory on me my heirs, &c.

Some time after a certain Matthew Grimes laid a claim to said tract, and took possession : no person living thereon.

Rather than enter into a litigious law suit, I referred it to the board of property Philadelphia on their decision, Grimes obtained a patent.

Finding the land lost, I afterwards sued M'Dowell commenced suit against John Smith, (now of Lexington) upon his return from captivity, being then married to his present wife. the widow of Peter Keiser, and administrator on the estate.

His brother in-law, Jacob Castleman entered his bail. in some short time after Smith left these parts, Castleman finding the suit at issue, after using every other step to prolong it, requested of me to stay further proceedings, urging the disagreeable necessity of his property being sold as bail, prayed time to send a bail piece against Smith.

In some time after finding I was coming to Kentucky, and intended for Lexington, he wrote by me to Smith in a peremptory manner, requiring him to settle with me on the best terms he could that he might not suffer.

I produced the letter to Smith, who preferred it to me after reading, requesting that I would wait a day or two & settle the matter. which I did friendly manner, agreeable to both parties as follows

Smith was to pay me £20. Twenty of which was part cash and part in property. of which likely cows and calves were to be part, the cows and calves I never received; some part of the property I have received, and the part property was to be at cash price. I stand in his charge Shillings per gallon for sugar, and other things in proportion. making his brags that he could discharge the debt without any inconvenience, as he intended to keep such trifling articles for that purpose.

So far was I from any fraud, that I never asked his bond for the performance of the £20, gave him a discharge against himself as Administrator on Keiser's estate,-and his bail; also a relinquishment of my right, title or interest, to or from said tract, if ever recovered by the heirs of said Peter Keiser deceased.

I conceived every thing amicably settled. much in favour of Smith, when to my unspeakable mortification, I find his advertisement as cited.

These are facts that I can prove in Lexington with very little inconvenience.

How John Smith will defend his fraudulent caution, he may look to; as my character and credit is the chief of my dependence. I shall as soon as possible bring it to the test, I remain the public's very humble servant.

JOHN HUGHES

August 1. 1788.