easily disgusted with the details of business, and trusting his affairs implicitly to agents. About the year 179–, he had gone on a visit to the Western frontier settlements, leaving his affairs in great confusion. Before going, he had executed a lease for the term of five years, conveying about two-thirds of his land to one Robert Crabell, and placing him in possession. This lease had been executed in duplicate, one copy being given to Crabell, and the other retained, as Farrington's agent, by the declarant, who was the only witness. With this, was also left in McAllen's possession the original grant, upon which Farrington's title rested.
The proprietor himself remained so long in the West that a rumor gained credence that he had been killed by the Indians; and the rapid influx of emigration enhanced the value of the land so much as to present a strong temptation to those in whose power it thus seemed, to possess themselves of the legal title. The accidental destruction of the public records of the district strengthened the purpose, and rendered it safe. The two papers in McAllen's keeping were the only existing muniments of title.
Crabell and his two brothers-in-law, who were in possession, were aware of this state of things, and immediately opened a negotiation with McAllen to secure the papers. He declined to part with them on any terms; but, after several weeks of hesitation, finally agreed, for a bribe of ten thousand dollars, to destroy them. Crabell and his confrères had not so much money; and it thus became necessary to take into their counsel other persons, willing to furnish the cash. It was these other persons with whom Farrington afterward, carried on his ineffectual and ruinous legal controversies.
The iniquitous bargain was concluded; but in the very moment of its execution, one of those sudden and unaccountable "accesses of conscience" which sometimes come to the greatest villains, arrested McAllen's hand. Instead of burning the papers, as he assured his conspirators he had done, he placed them securely in his own strong box. Subsequently, disturbed by their possession, and pressed by conscience, he disposed of them in a way which quieted him with the fallacious hope that they might one day fall into the proper hands, but which, it seemed, had resulted in a loss as total as if they had
