It is well known that the Jerome Manufacturing Company failed in the fall of 1855, to the wonder and astonishment of myself and of every body else.
The true causes of this great failure never have been made public.

I myself did not know them at that time, but have found them out from time to time since, and I now propose to make them public, as it has been the general impression almost every where that Barnum and myself were associated in defrauding the community.

_I wish to have it understood that I never saw P.T.Barnum_, while he was connected with the Company of which I was a member, have never seen him but once since, and that was in February after the failure.

About this time law suits were being brought against him, and as some supposed, by his friends.

He was called upon, or offered himself as a witness, and I believe testified that he was worth nothing.