Army Comm's Office N.York Jan 18^th 1786 Sir The enclosed Account will show that a large balance appears Due to the Heirs of the late Colonel Drake for advances made by him on the receiving service — as this balance accrues unexpectedly to the Gentry of the Estate and as it is not probable the Colonel had it in his power to advance this money from his own pocket, I am inclined to believe that some charge against him was made either by the United States, the State of Connecticut or some individual has not been exhibited, or that the credits applied to his Account ought to have been placed to that of some other — You will therefore oblige me if it is in your power to furnish me with some information on the subject — [Dear Melott Esq.] Army Comm's Office N.York Jan 20 1786 Dear Sir Since your letter of the 3^d of April I have not had the pleasure of hearing from you respecting the forged securities which have been passed as genuine, the one for 1000 Dollars I think may be traced to the person who forged it, you informed me that it was traced to a Captain Brown who was then in S. Carolina, and I suppose from my not hearing from you he has not returned — if you will draw a discription of his person and character and the attestations of the person to whom he sold the Note I will endeavour to have him taken up there, provided he can give a good account of himself, as I am determined to pursue the most rigorous measures with every suspected person. You have I believe some of these counterfeit securities in your hands — if so you will oblige me by leaving one of them in the hands of the Loan Officer of the State, that he may detect any that may be offered to him — I have confined a person in Gaol here for forging two of this discription, he says his name is Joseph Noyes and that he belongs at Pembroke in [undecipherable: probable reading Mashampshere], that he bought them last fall of a James Johnston who lives at Concord or Sudbury in the Massachusetts. The Villain whoever he is must have found his securities at a man Anderson and I think will be detected. The Canadians to whom you gave your Note has not yet sent it on for payment. [Jno Winslow Esq.] [Cautious] Army Comm's Office N.York Jan 25 1785 Sir Some person or more I have placed a confidence in has stolen a fund of the blank paper which was committed to my hands by the public for signing securities in the final settlements of Accounts — These blanks have been filled up by some person unknown to us and my official signature counterfeited on them, and yesterday a man was taken up for peddling two of these forged securities, he calls himself Joseph Noyes, he says he was born in Chatham but served his time as a Shoemaker & Tanner at Pembroke in MasHampshire, he is about 5 feet 6 Inches in height and a man of three & twenty years of age — he says he bought these certificates last fall at Kingston in New Hampshire of a James Johnston who belonged at Concord or Sudbury in the State of Massachusetts — The Delegates of the State having thought it advisable to endeavour to acquire as much information as in my power respecting these people from the places they belong at, having recommended me to you as a Gentleman whose influence & disposition will lead you to make enquiries respecting every circumstance which can be known of their villainous transactions. You will oblige me therefore by