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#6 Benedict ArnoldGeneral Benedict Arnold defected to the British in 1780 and was awarded the sum of 18,000 dollars plus a pension. After a four year stay in London, England Arnold arrived in Saint John in 1785 only to have his ship sink in the harbor. Soon Arnold had a three hundred ton ship named the Lord Sheffield constructed by Maugerville shipwrights.
Arnold then established a lucrative trade to the West Indies. Arnold and his partner Munsun Hayt built a wharf, warehouse, and a general store at Lower Cove near Broad Street. A warehouse was also built in Fredericton and at Campobello. The partnership between Arnold and Hayt did not last long and soon the two were involved in a legal battle, Arnold began a lawsuit against Hayt for slander. Munsun Hayt had said that Arnold had deliberately set fire to their general store to collect the fire insurance. New Brunswick's best lawyers, Ward Chipman and Jonathan Bliss represented Arnold. Hayt's Council was Elias Hardy.
The outcome of the trial was not a victory for either man.The judge ruled that the fire was accidentally set and found Hayt guilty of slander. The judge awarded only twenty shillings in damages.
Benedict Arnold left New Brunswick soon after the trial and never returned. Arnold left his sons in charge of his commercial interests.
background by Cleadie / man with quill graphic by J. O'Donovan
Page mounted: 11 Sep 1999
Updated:Sunday, 01-Apr-2007 09:59:32 MDT