headquarters on both these Western tours was the romantic, ill-fated
island home of Harman Blennerhassett, where he was met more than once
by many prominent men of Kentucky and other Western States. Soon after
these visits, rumors began to be circulated that boats were being built
in Kentucky and Ohio; provisions and military accoutrements ordered,
which, when furnished, were stored on Blennerhassett Island; and that
some daring military expedition was planned in which many were to be
engaged.

Presently the "Western World," a newspaper published at Frankfort, came
out with a series of articles in which the old Spanish intrigues and
these later projects of Aaron Burr were blended in a confused manner.
Mingled with hints and vague innuendoes, some facts were stated and
some names given that created no little sensation. Sebastian, a judge
of the Supreme Court; Brown, United States Senator from Kentucky;
Innes, a judge of the Federal Court; Wilkinson and Adair, generals in
the regular army, and many other Kentuckians of more or less
prominence, were implicated by these articles, which also plainly
denounced Aaron Burr as a traitor and his scheme as a treasonable
design against the United States Government. Truth and error in these
articles were so mixed together that no one was able to separate the
two, and people all over the country were bewildered and excited.
Friends of those implicated resented the attacks, and demanded a
retraction of the charges; but the paper sturdily adhered to its
policy. Other papers began to take up the matter, until the public
awoke to the fact that some dangerous movement was on foot; and the
unsettled condition of the country, and the unsatisfactory relations
between the United States and Spain, caused these rumors to arouse
alarm.

In November, 1806, Joseph Hamilton Daviess, United States attorney for
Kentucky, brought at Frankfort an indictment against Burr for high
treason; and Wednesday, December 2, was set for trial. Burr succeeded
in convincing Henry Clay and John Allen, another able lawyer of the
Lexington bar, of his innocence, and secured them as counsel.

Shortly before this movement of Daviess, however, Graham, a detective
in the United States employ (though not known to be such at the time),
came to Kentucky; and, after spending some time in Fayette and Woodford
Counties, came out to Cane Ridge. He represented himself as a land
agent, and in this capacity called on Abner Loga