Passing fraudulent pay certificates
Item
Type
Letter
Title
Passing fraudulent pay certificates
Description
Cited in Howell to Thompson, 01/11/1785. Discusses the apprehension and trial of a man who was passing fraudulent pay certificates
year created
1784
month created
12
day created
29
author
sent from location
Hartford
recipient
in collection
in image
note
Cited in Howell to Thompson, 01/11/1785.
content note
Also see the following documents from this same letter book: 12/16/1784 (p. 8), 01/11/1785 (p. 14), 01/12/1785 (p. 15), 01/18/1785 (p. 16), and 01/23/1785 (p. 18).
cited note
Cited document addressed to the War Office
notable person/group
Joseph Howell
William Thompson
one of the knaves
Paymaster General
Benjamin Ray
Rojer Wolcot
magistrate
the woman
the Supreme Court
bondsmen
my attorney
gentlemen assistants
the offender
Mr. Howell
the gentlemen
notable location
Hartford
Hartford
Connecticut
Hartford County
notable item/thing
satisfaction
pecuniary punishment
alteration
uttering
paymaster general's certificate
office
examined
case
neighbor
altered note
daughter
sold
auction
share
complaint
testimony
note
fraudulent intent
prison
bail
pounds
trial
cause
bonds
non-appearance
circumstances
forfeiture
public reparation
prosecution
county court
criminal suit
confession of guilt
defence
civil suit
damages
written deposition
oath
competent authority
facts and circumstances
record
certified
the post
circumstances
alteration
sum
dollars
surprised
alarmed
consequences
defrauding
ink
strongest assurance
money
the altered note
risk
property
reputation
charge
request
alteration
recollected
notable phrase
hardly a chance of escaping corporal punishment if he should stand trial
the laws of this state
an action against him for private damages
the public interest and credit
a man of some property and family
the artful manner in which it was executed
the author of the knavery
prevent fraud and injury
but what is strictly true
most authentic manner
in due season
identity of the note
document number
1784122970055
page start
9
transcription
Hartford Decr. 29. 1784
Sir
I have now the Satisfaction to acquaint you, that I am in a likely way to bring to pecuniary Punishment, one of the Knaves that were concern'd in the alteration and uttering of the Pay Master General's Certificate No 27,974 in favour of Benjn. Ray which you will doubtless Remember I brought to your office on the 25th Novr. last to be examin'd The case is as follows - One Roger Wolcot of this State procur'd a Neigbour to send the alter'd Note, by his Daughter (little known to be sold in this City at Auction, (12)
by promissing them a share of what it sold for on Complaint to a Magistrate, Wolcot was apprehended and examined, and upon Testimony of the woman it appear'd so plainly to the Magistrate, that he altered the Note with fraudulent Intent, that he was ordered to prison unless he gave Bail for Two hundred pounds; for his appearance for Trial before the Suprem Court, which is now sitting, but the Cause is not yet come on - he found Bail - but it is expected that the Bonds will be forfited by his non appearance the Circumstances being so strong against him that he has hardly a Chance of Escaping Corporal Punishment, if he should stand Trial - and only by neglecting to appear, the Forfeiture of the Bonds will be all the public Reparation he, or rather his Bonds men, will be subjected to by the Laws of this State; - but besides the criminal prosecution, above recited, I have commenced an action against him for Private Damages, to be tried at a County court in January and altho his non appearance on the Criminal suit, may be taken as an implicit Confession of Guilt, yet he may have the Effrontery to make a Defence in the civil suit, in order to mitigate the Damages therefore my Attorney informs me, that in order to my recovering adequate Damages, it will be necessary to Produce your writen Deposition, taken upon oath before a Magistrate or other competent Authority, setting forth the Facts and circumstances that arose on my bringing the note to the Office to be compar'd with the record and that Deposition be certified by the Magistrate, and sealed up, and directed to the ajourn County Court, to be holden at Hartford in Hartford County and state of Connecticut on the fourth Tuesday of January AD 1785 I must therefore entreat the Favour of you and the other Gentlemen Assistants, who were present the 25 Novr. last to take the trouble to give your Depositions jointly or severally relative to the subject, in the manner above desir'd and that you would be pleased to forward the same by the Post, under cover to me early enough to answer my Purpose, and as it affects the public Interest & Credit, I suppose you can get the Letter frank'd, but if not, dont fail to send it with out -- To refresh your memory I send a coppy of the Certificate you sign'd the 25th Novr. the purport of which ought to be expressed in the Deposition and in order to Subject the Offender (who is a man of some Property and Family) to the severer mulet, it may be requisit to add some circumstances, not Contain'd in the Certificate, which actually took place, if you remember them, namely that upon your discovering of the alteration, in the sum from 8 4/90 Dollars to 800 Dollars and the artfull rtfull manner in which it was executed, you was greatly surprized, and very much alarmed for the Consequences and to prevent the note effectually from defrauding any Body, you began to deface it by drawing a Line of Ink crosswise upon the Face of it - and (as it appeared to me) was unwilling to let it out of the office again but upon my making myself known, and giving you the strongest Assurance that I should make no other Use of it than to detect the auther of the Knavery and recover my money, you permited me to take it away with me - and further, if you had at that time any thoughts about destroying the alter'd Note, (to prevent fraud and Injury), it will be best to express it in the Depossition - because every Circumstance that tends to prove any Risque. I may have run of Loosing my Property, or Reputation, must enhance the Damages I sue for - but far be it from me to wish any thing should be inserted in the Deposition but what is strickly true - what ever Charge you may be at, I will cheerfully repay as soon as I know what it is - In full pers was on that you will be so obliging as to comply with my present Request in the properest and most authentic Manner & Form and in due season for the purpose
I am &c. Wm Tho
(15)
PS. If Mr Howell should be absent, the Deposition of one or more of the Gentlemen; who were present 25th of November last may serve to prove the Identity of the Note, exhibited at that time, the sum for which it was given at first and the alteration thereof, and other Circumstances that can be recollected.
William Thompson
Jos. Howell Junr.
Or either of the Gentlemen
Assistants in the Office
Sir
I have now the Satisfaction to acquaint you, that I am in a likely way to bring to pecuniary Punishment, one of the Knaves that were concern'd in the alteration and uttering of the Pay Master General's Certificate No 27,974 in favour of Benjn. Ray which you will doubtless Remember I brought to your office on the 25th Novr. last to be examin'd The case is as follows - One Roger Wolcot of this State procur'd a Neigbour to send the alter'd Note, by his Daughter (little known to be sold in this City at Auction, (12)
by promissing them a share of what it sold for on Complaint to a Magistrate, Wolcot was apprehended and examined, and upon Testimony of the woman it appear'd so plainly to the Magistrate, that he altered the Note with fraudulent Intent, that he was ordered to prison unless he gave Bail for Two hundred pounds; for his appearance for Trial before the Suprem Court, which is now sitting, but the Cause is not yet come on - he found Bail - but it is expected that the Bonds will be forfited by his non appearance the Circumstances being so strong against him that he has hardly a Chance of Escaping Corporal Punishment, if he should stand Trial - and only by neglecting to appear, the Forfeiture of the Bonds will be all the public Reparation he, or rather his Bonds men, will be subjected to by the Laws of this State; - but besides the criminal prosecution, above recited, I have commenced an action against him for Private Damages, to be tried at a County court in January and altho his non appearance on the Criminal suit, may be taken as an implicit Confession of Guilt, yet he may have the Effrontery to make a Defence in the civil suit, in order to mitigate the Damages therefore my Attorney informs me, that in order to my recovering adequate Damages, it will be necessary to Produce your writen Deposition, taken upon oath before a Magistrate or other competent Authority, setting forth the Facts and circumstances that arose on my bringing the note to the Office to be compar'd with the record and that Deposition be certified by the Magistrate, and sealed up, and directed to the ajourn County Court, to be holden at Hartford in Hartford County and state of Connecticut on the fourth Tuesday of January AD 1785 I must therefore entreat the Favour of you and the other Gentlemen Assistants, who were present the 25 Novr. last to take the trouble to give your Depositions jointly or severally relative to the subject, in the manner above desir'd and that you would be pleased to forward the same by the Post, under cover to me early enough to answer my Purpose, and as it affects the public Interest & Credit, I suppose you can get the Letter frank'd, but if not, dont fail to send it with out -- To refresh your memory I send a coppy of the Certificate you sign'd the 25th Novr. the purport of which ought to be expressed in the Deposition and in order to Subject the Offender (who is a man of some Property and Family) to the severer mulet, it may be requisit to add some circumstances, not Contain'd in the Certificate, which actually took place, if you remember them, namely that upon your discovering of the alteration, in the sum from 8 4/90 Dollars to 800 Dollars and the artfull rtfull manner in which it was executed, you was greatly surprized, and very much alarmed for the Consequences and to prevent the note effectually from defrauding any Body, you began to deface it by drawing a Line of Ink crosswise upon the Face of it - and (as it appeared to me) was unwilling to let it out of the office again but upon my making myself known, and giving you the strongest Assurance that I should make no other Use of it than to detect the auther of the Knavery and recover my money, you permited me to take it away with me - and further, if you had at that time any thoughts about destroying the alter'd Note, (to prevent fraud and Injury), it will be best to express it in the Depossition - because every Circumstance that tends to prove any Risque. I may have run of Loosing my Property, or Reputation, must enhance the Damages I sue for - but far be it from me to wish any thing should be inserted in the Deposition but what is strickly true - what ever Charge you may be at, I will cheerfully repay as soon as I know what it is - In full pers was on that you will be so obliging as to comply with my present Request in the properest and most authentic Manner & Form and in due season for the purpose
I am &c. Wm Tho
(15)
PS. If Mr Howell should be absent, the Deposition of one or more of the Gentlemen; who were present 25th of November last may serve to prove the Identity of the Note, exhibited at that time, the sum for which it was given at first and the alteration thereof, and other Circumstances that can be recollected.
William Thompson
Jos. Howell Junr.
Or either of the Gentlemen
Assistants in the Office
Item sets
Document instances
| In image | In source | Location in source | |
|---|---|---|---|
| [view document] (5 pages) | DDA01 (175 pages) | Collection: Numbered Record Books, 1775-1798. (RG93) (M853) | V:136; P:9 |
| [view document] (0 pages) | [no image] | Collection: Citations | [unknown] |
Document names
| Type | Name | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | William Thompson | Hartford | [n/a] |
| Recipient | Joseph Howell | [unknown] | [n/a] |