In the year 1846, I delivered a lecture at Lawrenceburgh, in which I
exposed this band, and showed the manner in which their correspondence
was carried on. The old members of the band had art enough to persuade
the doubtful rogues that they were the persons alluded to, and they
believed it. Whether conscience had any thing to do with their belief or
not, I do not pretend to say; but the community generally seemed quite
ready to grant them that honour. It was very amusing to notice the
difference between the conduct of the guilty and that of the innocent,
in relation to the exposure. The "Brotherhood," all at once, were very
much concerned about the fair fame of their neighbourhood--called me a
slanderer, and in fact caused a much greater excitement against
themselves than would have occurred, had they kept still; while the
honest citizens quietly asked for the names of the "brothers," and
whether any of their relations belonged to them; they begged me to go
on, and expose every member.

Since 1802, many robberies have been committed under circumstances which
strongly indicate that such a band existed. Public agents, and other
highly respectable citizens, have been robbed of funds which they held
in trust, and no trace of the robbers could be found, and no curiosity
seemed to be excited by the fact. Sometimes the person robbed shared in
the spoils, and sometimes they were innocent; and it has sometimes
happened that the innocent man was suspected. The honest citizens of
Lawrenceburgh have, for forty years, known what a curse it is to have
bad neighbours.

During the excitement occasioned by my lectures above mentioned, a
resident of Lawrenceburgh related the following incident, which is only
one among many which might be named to show the nature of the