1744-1821

A friend of Benjamin Franklin's, he had worked as a spy for Franklin on colonial matters.

He became secretary to the American Commission in Paris.

He became a spy for the British - reporting the American movements to the British - when he feared that the French would force a European conflict on the British, to split the British power and resources, which could bring about an end to Britain. This conflict did not happen, but he continued to spy on the American diplomats in France and report their activities to the British.

His spying was not discovered until 1891 - 70 years after his death - when British papers were made available to the public, many years after the Revolution when all participants had been dead for years.