20 Hartford Jany. 23d 1785 Sir i received your favor of the 17th and gratefully acknowledge your goodness in forwarding the requested Dispositions, which came to hand this Day = they cannot be opened but before the court, which is to meet next Tuesday I hope they will answer the purpose of recovering civil damages from the person accused, who has evaded a trail on the indictment brought by the attorney General, only by neglecting to appear at court when called all the consequence of which is the forfeiture of the bond (for[L with = through it] 2000 given for his appearance - and he is by the usual practice of this State exempt from all further prosecution in the criminal Line, and be able only to make pecuniary compensation for the value of the Note and such damages and costs as may be given by a surgeon a civil trial, wherein he may appear by himself or attorney and make as open a defense as if he was innocent I think it is a great pity that so high handed an offender should come off so cheap and lament that it is not in my power to forward the just wishes of the Hon Judge McKean, “to bring such offenders to consign punishment - But I fear it will not be affected in this State, unless congress should think proper to recommend and adequate punishment to be inflicted on all such as counterfeit or after any of the national securities, which the fragrant of repeated frauds of that kind seem loudly to require - Jos. Howell, Esq. Wm Thompson