I must here speak of transactions during my imprisonment. I had bought a house in Vienna in the year 1750; the price was sixteen thousand florins, thirteen thousand of which I had paid by instalments. The receipts were among my writings; these writings, with my other effects, were taken from me at Dantzic, in the year 1754; nor have I, to this hour, been able to learn more than that my writings were sent to the administrators of my affairs at Vienna.
With respect to my houses and property in Dantzic, in what manner these were disposed of no one could or would say.
After being released at Magdeburg, I inquired concerning my house, but no longer found it mine. Those who had got possession of my writings must have restored the acquittances to the seller, consequently he could re-demand the whole sum. My house was in other hands, and I was brought in debtor six thousand florins for interest and costs of suit. Thus were house and money gone. Whom can I accuse?
Again, I had maintained, at my own expense Lieutenant Schroeder, who had deserted from Glatz, and for whom I obtained a captain's commission in the guard of Prince Esterhazy, at Eisenstadt. His misconduct caused him to be cashiered. In my administrator's accounts I found the following "To Captain Schroeder, for capital, interest, and costs of suit, sixteen hundred florins."It was certain I was not a penny indebted to this person; I had no redress, having been obliged to pass and sign all their accounts.
I, four years afterwards, obtained information concerning this affair: I met Schroeder, knew him, and inquired whether he had received these sixteen hundred florins. He answered in the affirmative. "No one believed you would ever more see the light. Iknew you would serve me, and that you would relieve my necessities.
I went and spoke to Dr. Berger; he agreed we should halve the sum, and his contrivance was, I should make oath I had lent you a thousand florins, without having received your note. The money was paid me by M. Frauenberger, to whom I agreed to send a present of Tokay, for Madam Huttner."This was the manner in which my curators took care of my property!
Many instances I could produce, but I am too much agitated by the recollection. I must speak a word concerning who and what my curators were.
The Court Counsellor, Kempf, was my administrator, and Counsellor Huttner my referendary. The substitute of Kempf was Frauenberger, who, being obliged to act as a clerk at Prague during the war, appointed one Krebs as a sub-substitute; whether M. Krebs had also a sub-substitute is more than I am able to say.
Dr. Bertracker was fidei commiss-curator, though there was no fidei commissum existing. Dr. Berger, as Fidei Commiss-Advocate, was superintendent, and to them all salaries were to be paid.
Let us see what was the business this company had to transact. Ihad seventy-six thousand florins in the Hungarian Chamber, the interest of which was to be yearly received, and added to the capital: this was their employment, and was certainly so trifling that any man would have performed it gratis. The war made money scarce, and the discounting of bills with my ducats was a profitable trade to my curators. Had it been honestly employed, I should have found my capital increased, after my imprisonment, full sixty thousand florins. Instead of these I received three thousand florins at Prague, and found my capital diminished seven thousand florins.
Frauenberger and Berger died rich; and I must be confined as a madman, lest this deputy should have been proved a rogue. This is the clue to the acquittal I was obliged to sign:- Madam K- was a lady of the bedchamber at court; she could approach the throne: her chamber employments, indeed, procured her the keys of doors that to me were eternally locked.
Not satisfied with this, Kempf applied to the Empress, informed her they were acquitted, not recompensed, and that Frauenberger required four thousand florins for remuneration. The Empress laid an interdict on the half of my income and pension. Thus was I obliged to live in poverty; banished the Austrian dominions, where my seventy-six thousand florins were reduced to sixty-three, the interest of which I could only receive; and that burthened by the above interdict, the fidei commissum, and administratorship.
The Empress during my sickness ordered that my captain's pay, during my ten years' imprisonment, should be given me, amounting to eight thousand florins; which pay she also settled on me as a pension. By this pension I never profited; for, during twenty-three years, that and more was swallowed by journeys to Vienna, chicanery of courtiers and agents, and costs of suits. Of the eight thousand florins three were stolen; the court physician must be paid thrice as much as another, and what remained after my recovery was sunk in the preparations I had made to seek my fortune elsewhere.
