In truth, he had never suspected them of a design to get honest people's money in a dishonest way.
"If I toos t' shentlemens a favors, und ta makes t' money, und I makes no money, und t' peoples don't get no money pack, what I cot t' do mit him ?" Hanz would say, when accused by the settlers of aiding designing men to get their hard earnings.

But all he could say and protest did not relieve him of the suspicion that he was a participant in getting up the enterprise.

In short, there was the old story of his knowledge of where Kidd's treasure was buried lending color of truth to the statements made to his injury by Chapman.
The innocent Dutch settlers would gather at Bright's inn of an evening, smoke their pipes, mutter their discontent at the way things had turned, compare their "equivalents," and relate how much saving it had cost them to get the money thrown away on them.

If it had not been for Hanz Toodleburg, they said, not a man of them would have believed a word of the story about Mr.Kidd and his money.

Indeed, they would insist on laying all their sorrows at Hanz's door.
Chapman had also circulated a report, which had gained belief among the settlers, that the trouble was caused by the devil refusing to surrender the key of the big iron chest; that he had been heard under sounding-rock, making terrible noises, and threatening to destroy every man working in the shaft.