Page:John O. Meusebach - Answer to Interragatories.djvu/16

, and settled them on a preliminary homestead he thought his mission ended, and would under no circumstances remain in Texas. He did not pretend to be a financier, but I guess he foresaw the storm coming.

In traveling up from the coast (Carlshaven) I was bothered nearly every step of the way by the presentation of claims against the Company. Arrived at New Braunfels I ordered the treasurer to make up a complete statement of all assets, credits, and debits of the Company in Texas. Was told that that was impossible; The Prince, the treasurer, the doctor, the engineer had written, drawn or made out due bills, drafts or notes, without having them booked by the treasurer. In order to get some reliable information in reference to the financial standing and operations of the Company in Texas, I concluded to follow the Prince to Galveston, to which place he had started a few days before my arrival at New Braunfels. Found him there with an attachment brought out by some uneasy creditor of the Company. Lifted the attachment by paying the claim out of my credit under the condition that he would urge the directory in Europe to send immediately, and without waiting for report, a credit twice as large as I had along, because the items picked up by me on the road in traveling, showed already an indebtedness to that amount. I told him that the welfare of the emigrants depended for the present on the means of the Company who had promised to supply them in provisions until they could raise a crop, and to furnish them with everything necessary to make a crop either for pay or on a credit.

I have no doubt but that the Prince did notify the directory in Europe according to promise. But they had at that time probably no more available means on hand. It is a remarkable fact that of the thousand critics who undertook to criticise the doings of