It has since been asserted, though perhaps on questionable authority,that the Secretary of War was informed of the plot, even including somedetails of the plan and the leader's name, before it was known inCharleston. If so, he utterly disregarded it; and, indeed, so well didthe negroes play their part, that the whole report was eventuallydisbelieved, while--as was afterwards proved--they went on to completetheir secret organization, and hastened by a fortnight the appointed dayof attack. Unfortunately for their plans, however, another betrayal tookplace at the somewhat last moment, from a different direction. A class-leaderin a Methodist church had been persuaded or bribed by his master toprocure further disclosures. He at length came and stated, that, aboutthree fortnights before, a man named Rolla, slave of Gov. Bennett, hadcommunicated to a friend of his the fact of an intended insurrection, andhad said that the time fixed for the outbreak was the following Sundaynight, June 16. As this conversation took place on Friday, it gave but avery short time for the city authorities to act, especially as theywished neither to endanger the city nor to alarm it.