was always in debt, and tardy, of course, in his
payments. He was involved in lawsuits, and many of his debts were paid
upon executions. His mail contracts were so large that he sublet many
of the routes, and he was always in debt to sub-contractors. He had a
stage office in Boston for a time at the Hanover House, and after that
at No. 9 Court Street. His office was the headquarters of country
traders and others who patronized his lines of stages. In the year
1838 or later, I was in his office when Alvin Adams, the founder of the
Adams Express Company, made his first trip to New York as an express
messenger. Staples afterward stated in conversation that Adams had but
one parcel, and that he loaned him five dollars to meet his expenses.
At that time Harnden's express was in operation with an office at No. 8
Court Street. Harnden's company disappeared in a few years, and the
Adams Express Company became an institution that has the appearance of
perpetuity. At a time perhaps as late as 1850, I met Adams on
Washington Street, when he expressed the opinion that his business was
as profitable as any business in the country.

Staples was engaged also in paper making with mills upon the upper
falls of the Squannacook River. This branch of his business was
especially unfortunate, and in 1836 he assigned his property to Henry
Woods, Daniel Shattuck, and Joshua B. Fowle. Mr. Woods was a trader in
whose employment I then was, having let myself to him when I left the
Dix store December 1, 1835, for my board and $150 a year. Agreement
for one year. The assignees were all friends of Staples. The last
named was Calvin Childs, a blacksmith, to whom Staples owed about two
thousand dollars. The assignees proceeded to execute their trust, and
as collections were made, payments were made until all the debts were
paid except the debt to Childs. Mr. Woods died in 1841. Shattuck died
in 1850, and the trust was not then executed. Fowle paid Childs six
hundred dollars, but he made no settlement of the trust. In 1853
Childs applied to Russell for counsel and assistance. Russell filed a
bill on the equity side of the court. A lawyer, named Fiske, of
Boston, was retained by Fowle. Fiske answered. Russell employed the
Hon. Charles R. Train to assist in the trial, but there was no hearing.
In 1858 Train was elected to Congress. About 1860 Russell came to me
for assistance and put into my hands a large bundle of papers relating