Pittsburg 16. August 1797 S^ir This will be handed you by M^r Michael Castner on whose favor on the 17^th of June last I drew on you at 5 days sight for five hundred dollars which draft M^r Castner says he endorsed specially in favor of Thomas Ryerson, Merchant of Philadelphia to whom it was enclosed and the letter put into the post office Greensburg But M^r Thomas Ryerson who is now in this Neighborhood says that neither M^r Castner's letter nor the draft had come to hand previous to his leaving Philadelphia in July, and therefore it is probable that either the letter is lost or that a fraud may have been practised with the draft. My letter to you of the 21^st advised you of this draft and I have not yet had any information of its being presented or accepted by you and therefore should it not come to hand before M^r Castner's arrival I have to request you to pay him the amount Stop the draft should it afterwards be presented. I presume, however, that it would be proper previous to paying M^r Castner to make the necessary enquiry at M^r Ryerson's &al. that the Post Office be searched for the letter. The Wing is just arrived from Detroit Sam. Sir, Your Obed^t. Serv. J.G. Samuel Hodgdan esq Philadelphia Pittsburg 22^nd August 1797