Testimony of Simeon
Poole (8/20/1807)
Simeon Poole was sworn.
Mr. Hay. -- Be so obliging as to say
what you know with respect to the men on Blennerhassett's Island.
Simeon Poole-- I never was on
the island at that time, but was opposite to it. I saw boats and
men there, if I mistake not, on the 10th of December. I arrived opposite
the island about dusk, at the distance of about one hundred and fifty
or two hundred yards from it. I do not know how many boats there
were. I saw people walking about in the evening, and in the course
of the night they kindled a fire, and I saw some persons by the light that
appeared to be armed, as if they were sentinels.
Mr. Hay. -- Why did you think they
were so?
Simeon Poole-- I don't know that they
were, but they appeared so to my view. I don't know positively what
they were, but they appeared to have guns, and looked like sentinels.
I did not go over that night, nor did I offer to go. Boats were passing
and repassing during the night, from the island to the main land.
Mr. Hay. To whom did these boats
belong?
Simeon Poole-- I do not know, but I
presume to the island. There were large boats at the landing,
but these were small boats. I did not speak to them. I stood as much
undiscovered as possible, as I was authorized by the governor of Ohio to
apprehend Blennerhassett. I went for that purpose.
Mr. Hay. -- Do you recollect any indications
of arrangements about a watch-word?
Simeon Poole-- Yes. In the course of
the evening I found that some boats crossed, and when a particular word
was given I observed there were some that did not cross. I heard
others that were hailed across and a word given. They would hail
for a boat. The people on the island would ask, "What boat?" If the
answer was "I's boat," the boat immediately put off.
Mr. Parker. On what occasion
was the watch-word used?
Simeon Poole-- When the people on the
Ohio side wanted to go across, they would hail or call for a boat. The
people on the island would ask, "What boat?" and if the answer were, "I's
boat," the boat would immediately put off.
Mr. Burr. -- Till what hour did you
stay out that night?
Simeon Poole--Answer. I imagine
it was as late as 10 o'clock.
Mr. Burr. Was it not cold enough
to render a fire pleasant?
Simeon Poole-- It was.
Mr. Burr. Is it not usual for boats
to build fires on the bank when it is so cold?
Simeon Poole-- It is. There seemed
to be a considerable number of men on the island that evening, going up
and down, to and from the house. The witness further observed that
lanterns were passing during the night between the house and boats,
as if there were business between them; that he could not say whether the
persons whom he had called sentinels were not merely loitering around
the fire; that he thought it likely that if he too, had used the watch-word
the boats would have put off for him; that he lived on the Ohio side; that
he could not distinguish well, but he apprehended that some of them had
guns, but most of the people were without guns.
Mr. Burr. -- Do you not commonly hail
boats when you wish to cross the river?
Simeon Poole-- It is not common
to give a word. There were several boats hailed by people who
did not use that word, and these people were not sent for; but there
was no instance where the boat was not sent for the party hailing
where that watch-word was used. |