Documentary History of the State of New York, Vol. II

Voight made a prior entry of his plans in tlie Prothonotary's ofTirr, in this city. If there should happen to beany similarity between them, it would be nothing surprising ; having the same load on both their minds, they both sought rehef ; and, as sick persons, lacking a doctor, chance might have led them to the same man ; and I had an undoubted right to apply every medicine that suited the disorder -- but I will proceed with the pamphlet. --

In page 17, Henry Bedinger says, that M'^. James Rumsey informed him in or before the month of March .1784, that he intended to give a trial to a steam-boat, and he believes he mentioned such intention of M^. Rumsey's in Kentucky; which seems to have been a breach of honour, as it must be supposed M"". Rumsey gave it to him in confidence ; for he treated his idea of Steam as a secret to Governor Johnson long after ; thus on the disclosure of this friend, M^'. Rumsey builds a charge against me as having filched his scheme in Kentucky ; this like his other charges is founded in falsehood, for it is a well known fact, that I have not been in Kentuckey since the year 3781.

The depositions of George Rootes, N°. S, and Nicholas Orrick, No. 10, testifying to his having informed them, in the year 1784, of his projecting a steam boat is quite useless for reasons already given. Messrs Henry and Paine projected it before him ; and if bare projection was sufficient to build a claim on, I have no doubt but there are people now in their graves, whose heirs might set up more early claims than either of us. If M^. Rumsey was in 1784, projecting a boat to work by steam, with a view of carrying it into actual execution, why did he not apply for the use of steam in his laws ? the reason is plain -- General Washington gives it for him, " it was an immatured idea and on which he thought he did not relyP I must therefore contend that these depositions, lose their weight, and the whole of his conduct proves to a demonstration, that he could not have been engaged in making steam engines at the time mentioned by those witnesses, with a view of applying them to his boat.