Even in his childhood
this brother had displayed a waywardness of disposition which gave the
promise of much evil in his future years. As the seed sown so was the
harvest. Parental instruction, counsel and rebuke, were alike
unavailing, and he attained the years of manhood morose and
unsympathizing in his disposition, avaricious and hard with his equals,
and cruel and unjust towards his inferiors. His selfish mind, his low
aims, and his tyrannical character, had long been preparing him for
deeds of villany and injustice.
In the earlier years of his life he had been a merchant in New Orleans;
but, being universally detested for his meanness and duplicity, in a
season of general panic in the financial world he was completely ruined,
by the want of those kind offices which are so freely interchanged in
the mercantile community. In this dilemma, he asked his brother's
assistance. Colonel Dumont examined his affairs, and, considering his
position in the community, with the almost hopeless embarrassment of his
concerns, concluded that success under these circumstances was
impossible.
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