This true-crime story about a famous confidence man who eluded law enforcement in both Canada and the US was first published in 1817. Walter Bates conducted interviews with the man who escaped from custody on more than one occasion as well as with various eyewitnesses. His memoir occupies a special place in Canadian writing. This is a scholarly edition that includes, besides the original text, contextual material that will help readers enjoy more fully this classic of Canadian nonfiction.