Hartford, May 14. 1785 A Certificate signed by M. Pierce, number 26, 083 dated State of New York Jan. 1. 1784, payable to Jas Gilbert, for six hundred & ten Dollars, with Inte- rest from 1. Jan^y 1784 has been brought to me from the country for enquiry whether it is true & genuine, with out as I cannot ascertain that Point, I take the liber- ty to request the favor of you to inform me by a line as soon as convenient, whether that Certificate was is- sued for the sum it purports to be for or not, for the satisfaction of the owner, who is apprehensive of its being an altered one, and if it should be so, has an Opportunity to seize [undecipherable: himself], and perhaps to discover the Author of the Alteration - Your com- pliance will oblige the Owner as well as your Humble Ser^t. W^m. Thompson [To] Howell Jun^r Philad^a May 24. 1785 Sir Your favor of the 14 Instant came to hand this morning and agreeable to your request have sub- joined a Certificate of the real sum that the Cer- tificate N^o 26, 083 was issued for, wishing you [may] be enabled to detect the Villain or Villains that have