Brassos Texas July 19th 1825
Messrs. Hyde & Merit.
Doctor Imla Keep has just arrived from New Orleans with some
goods—and let me have the greatest part of them for which I paid
him—by crediting him for money that I placed in his hands to purchase
some Articles for me. I likewise gave him Authority
to receive for me a considerable Amount of money—which he
received, and made use of and has not returned me one cent after
buying the goods of the Doctor and paying for them as above stated
I found out he had not paid money for the goods—but got them on
a credit, and made use of my name in getting them he was not
authorized to do so—and he is a man that never will have it in his
power to use my name in that way— And I was much surprised to
see you had allowed him the liberty of acting so with you—for he had
not my name on paper—except he wrote it or got some one to do it.
neither was he authorized either verbally or in any other manner
whatever to use my name— it is true, about twelve months since I
promised to give him a birth as an overseer on one of my plantations,
on conditions—he would perform certain acts and come out last
winter—but he has disappointed me in every case, and not come
untill now, and now, without my money. If he had complied I
would have employed him, and was to give him one tenth of the
profits of sd plantation after all expenses were paid, he is now
insisting on me to employ him, for he says he is anxious to make
money to pay you and myself.
I have a right to find fait of all the confidence, I placed in him,
but was more displeased when I found out he was tempering with
my name, than any thing else. I have given him no employment as
yet, and am so much displeased—I do not know whither I will or
not, the doctor appears to be very desirous to get in some business—
to make money to pay you and myself, it is a duty I owe my
feelings to notify you of this immediately— I have no credit in
Orleans, for I sent my son there to purchase a few articles— he got
a letter from Mr. James Brown of Alexandria, and had the goods
charged to him—and I have to pay Brown; Why did I do this?
because Keep—as I heard, had made way with my money—and
could not get the articles I wrote for but in Orleans he informed
my son he could get such and such articles— And then applied to
my son, to go his security—and he could get what he pleased it
made my son very angry for if I wanted a credit I did not want
any assistance with his credit for the last time I saw Keep, untill
now, he affirmed if I would send in my son—he would raise my
money at Alexandria—and go in company with my son to New
Orleans, and purchase the articles I wanted, and then he, Keep,
would come round by water with them, and my son by land—and
bring my money, that is, the overplus—that Keep had after buying
the goods, he advanced my son ten Dollars out of thousands that I
had placed in his hands—and said that was half what he had.
Jared E. Groce
[Addressed:] Messrs. Hyde and Merit.—New Orleans