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Documents Covering Impeachment of Bienville
21
FACTS CONTAINED IN MY FIRST INSTRUCTIONS.
ON JUNE 30th, 1707.
Questioned whether he has no knowledge of the voyages that the King?s vessels have made at sea, he said ?No,? that Mr. De Bienville only lent them a vessel to bring from Biloxi some cattle that the inhabitants had there, which was lost while entering the port of Massacre [Island].
Questioned whether he did not send some goods belonging to him in these vessels to the ports of Mexico, of what they consisted and what return he got from them, (p. 272) he said ?No.?
Questioned whether he has no knowledge that goods belonging to the late Mr. D?Iberville and to his brothers, Messrs. De Bienville and De Chateaugue, or to other officers were shipped, he said ?No.?
Questioned whether it is not true that he bought and saw sold meat that the Indians brought in exchange for the presents that the King gives them, he said that it was never customary.23
Questioned whether it is not true that he, the deponent, bought goods from Sieurs de Bienville and de Chateaugue, what goods and at what price he said ?Yes,? that he bought a cask of wine for two hundred livres from Mr. De Bienville from his own store and a piece of Rouen linen at fifty-four sous an ell about fifty ells [long].
Questioned whether it is not true that Sieur de Bienville has always had a warehouse under another name than his and that he, the deponent bought goods, of what sort and at what price he resold them, (p. 273) he said ?No.?
Questioned whether it is not true that Sieur de Bienville sent Canadians and men maintained in the King?s service to travel through the woods and to look for peltries, he said that he has knowledge that men were sent to carry presents to the Indians of the Mississippi on behalf of the King.
Questioned whether it is not true that these Canadians carried on trade during these journeys for the account of Sieur de Bienville and whether he, the deponent, did not buy some, he said ?No,? only that these people may have killed a few animals during their journeys without Sieur de Bienville ever exacting anything from them.
Questioned whether it is not true that Sieur de Bienville had an Alabama prisoner burnt wth slow fire at the gate of the fort, he said ?No.?
FACTS THAT SIEUR DE LA SALLE ADVANCED BY HIS LETTER WRITTEN TO MY LORD THE COUNT DE PONTCHARTRAIN. OF THE FIRST OF OCTOBER, 1707.
Questioned whether he is pleased with the government of Sieur (p. 274) de Bienville and whether he knows nothing against his conduct or his person, he said ?Yes.?
23The French is que jamais il ne S?est pratique.


Bienville Documents-covering-the-impeachment-of-Bienville-18
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