12 July 1871 Glenorchy My dear Donald I am very glade you are going to ask Hart to make inquiry about Goodridge. I have written to Catherine to the same effect gaving her all the instructions as to where to find out about him (Goodridge). You ask where Hartford is. It is up the river from N.Y., 7 or eight hours delightful sail and a most beautiful little town. It is there the great works of Colts the revolver maker is and a great marble and quarring place and there where Samuel Goodridge senior's country place was. He may be allive yet. He was a man of about 60 when I left N.Y. last. The son the time of the transaction was in partners with his father but unfortunately for me I had not the signature of the firm but Mr Samuel Goodridge Junr who by all at the time was considered as chief of the firm, many heavey transaction having come on the father from China etc. He quietly got Sam out of the house and put his brother Eszra in place. The father altho considered a very wealthy man came very near a failure. Hartford is in the state of Conneticut hence writing me from Hartford, his father's place, where he was at the time in kind of hiding till matters would be wound up! I found this out and of course among others laid my claims, hence the correspondence he speaks of. At last he evaded me, he leaving Hartford and going to the state of Maine in hidings there where I with vigilence [?] traveled after him at a cost of £50 and found him when he came to N.Y. with me and of course he promised to pay me the day after our arrival in N.Y. I stayed at the same hotell with him that night. I thought I had him all right and would get my money he said at 1 pm next day. At 10 am he told me to remain till he would come back from Wall St where he was going to borrow the amount £120.50 on his jewels etc to pay me so as to pay for the brig I bought to come to New Zealand with which I wrote to you about. I dare say you will remember. However to make a long and painful story short I waited about till 3 pm but no Sam. G. My heart fell at once for the bill for part payment on the brig would be due next day and I went in search of him to my honour. He was of at 1 pm in one of the steamers for Nicaragua and my hopes were blasted. I had to sacrifice £500 that I paid on the brig and gave her up altho at the time I wrote you my views as regards taking her to N.Z. with my wife and sisters. I then in dispair took command of the war steamer 'Pampero' on coaster expidition to follow him up to Nicaragua and she was seized as I was steaming out at night from N.Y. and and Walker and all the principal leader on board with 400 emigrants or troops under head of emigrants. You must know the 'Pampero' belonged to the Walker expidition. However they told the U.S. seized the ship but could not do anything to me as I was not to know what the owners etc wanted with so many people. In a month or so after this got command of another vessel and went to South America. Your affectionate brother Archibald John McLean