Випадок Чарльза Декстера Варда

           Therightpersonstotell,hebelieved,wouldbeDr.BenjaminWest,whosepamphletonthelatetransitofVenusprovedhimascholarandkeenthinker;Rev.JamesManning,PresidentoftheCollegewhichhadjustmovedupfromWarrenandwastemporarilyhousedinthenewKingStreetschoolhouseawaitingthecompletionofitsbuildingonthehillabovePresbyterianLane;ex-GovernorStephenHopkins,whohadbeenamemberofthePhilosophicalSocietyatNewport,andwasamanofverybroadperceptions;JohnCarter,publisheroftheGazette;allfouroftheBrownbrothers,John,Joseph,Nicholas,andMoses,whoformedtherecognizedlocalmagnates,andofwhomJosephwasanamateurscientistofparts;oldDr.JabezBowen,whoseeruditionwasconsiderable,andwhohadmuchfirst-handknowledgeofCurwen’soddpurchases;andCapt.AbrahamWhipple,aprivateersmanofphenomenalboldnessandenergywhocouldbecountedontoleadinanyactivemeasuresneeded.Thesemen,iffavorable,mighteventuallybebroughttogetherforcollectivedeliberation;andwiththemwouldresttheresponsibilityofdecidingwhetherornottoinformtheGovernoroftheColony,JosephWantonofNewport,beforetakingaction.

           ThemissionofCapt.Mathewsonprosperedbeyondhishighestexpectations;forwhilsthefoundoneortwoofthechosenconfidantssomewhatskepticalofthepossibleghastlysideofWeeden’stale,therewasnotonewhodidnotthinkitnecessarytotakesomesortofsecretandco-ordinatedaction.