Sabine Novr 1st 1824
Col Stephen F Austin
Dr Sir I Regret not being able to move out this fall on account
of the unsetled situation of my affairs;
I Beg leave to call your attention to some business of mine in your
Colony which has transpired since I Left there the Inclosed
Documents will show the true State of the Case (that is its origin) that
is in my absence in 1821 a man that was doing business for me
Credited Andrew Roberson for Groceries Ferriages etc to the amount
of $56, which he was to discharge in a mule, when I Returnd well
knowing Robersons way of swindling and shirking out of paying
his Debts, agreed to swap horses with him to get the Debt, and give
him the Debt to boot which is $56—agreeable to an Entry made on
the 10th of October 1821 which Book I send you for your information
after we had setled he Told me he was about to start to the Brazos
and had no amunition to kill meat for his family and had no means
of geting any Except I would Credit him I answered I waz Friendly
to that business and would spare him all I had which makes the
account of $14-25 I se him at Inglishes in the Pallo Gouch [Palo
Gaucho] Last fall he then promised to pay me when I came to the
Brazos when I went to the Brazos I Could not find him at home
but met him in Company with Capt Jones and others he Told me
Jackey Hall was waiting at home to settle with me I Considered
that sufficient and I made no application to him when I went to se
Mr Hall To get through with what I thought a bad Business I bought
an old horse of Hall and presented Robersons account of $14-25,
which he stated he Recollected, and Took it, in part pay
I will now give you a True Statement of Col Coles Proceedings
with me and on that Case, as I went to St. antonio I left an
account on John Mitchell of $12 50 for Collection he Collected a
good horse and Lent him to Mr. Whiteside when I Returned
he was missing and I Could not get him but he promised to Send
him by the first safe hand I then Left with him for Collection
a note on Joshua Parker for a mule and an account on the same
for $125 also a note on G Alsberry for $20 Sometime after that
he wrote me that Roberson had Denied the account and that Hall
Talkd of attaching But that he had not seen him I conceived
It so unfounded that it would End in Idle Talk
But on the 7th of September he wrote me that Hall had attached
and he had given up Parkers note for a mule and his account
for $12-50 to pay the Debt of $14-25,
Now what apears Curious to me Col Cole had sold my horse
he Collected of Mitchell to Car to pay his Own Debt of $25— If
he Considered Halls Claim good against me for $14-50 why Did he
not pay It out of my money without a Sacrafise or why Did
he not Collect It of Parker or Alsberry, all of which Claims had
been put in his hands for Collection Long before Hall's against
me, had Halls Claim been a just one I Should Consider It a
Daring outrage Comited on me, an attachment against an Inhabitant
of the Province and Residing in the Same Place During the Time
of all the Contracts and proceedings, and the Officer to hold my
money and supply $52-50 to be Sacrifised for $14-25, and that
apeared of the Basest nature, and may justly be Considered I
am Swindled (If I was to Let It Remain so) out of $66-75 for
Befriending a villain with Powder and Lead to Save the Lives
of his family to the Brazoz
Your Honer will please Examin the whole Documents and
Inform me If any Redress may be Expected I am sir
Jas Gaines [Rubric]
[Re-Addressed by Austin:] John P. Coles Esquire