Letter

Forgery of pay certificates; officer's claim for commutation pay.

Discusses the forgery of pay certificates presented in Howell's office and an officer's claim for commutation pay.

1785

01

31

Philadelphia

Cited in Pierce to Howell, 03/29/1785. Cited in Howell to Pierce, 03/05/1785.

Cited document sent from one element of the war office to another

John Pierce

Joseph Howell

Mr. Hodgdon

person

persons

Colonel Ward

offenders

Mr. Thompson

Commissioner for the State of Connecticut

villain

Mr. Carleton

Captain Archer

officers of Colonel Lee's Legion

Colonel Lee

retiring officer

Congress

Philadelphia

Philadelphia

Boston

New England

Hartford

office

certificates

payment

public stores

sold

dollars

registers

husks

counterfeit

contents

paper

name

circumstances

trace

forgery

source

altered

law

letter

altering and issuing

bail

trial

consequence

sum

prosecuted

civil cause

large damages

lines

subject

Captain Archer's claim

commutation

intelligence

resolves of Congress

case

opinion

this circumstance has alarmed me more than any that has presented, for it is evident that the paper has been stolen from you and the confidence you placed in one or more most rascally abused

few persons would suspect the authenticity of it

they are upon the whole the best done pieces of villainy I ever saw

New England is overrun with villains

1785013121055

20

Philada 31 Jany. 1785
Dear Sir
Mr. Hodgdon was at the Office yesterday and produced for examination a number of certificates which he had received in payment of public - stores sold at Boston, among them were six amounting to 8 or 900 Dollars which to all appearance were genuine but on comparing them with the Registers of Husks were found to be counterfeit in all their contents, except that of the paper, this circumstance has alarmed me more than any that has presented, for it is evident that the paper has been stolen from you and the confidence you placed in one or more most rascally abused, the certificates are filled of sign'd by one person, and your name is so compleatly wrote that few persons would suspect the authenticity of it. there were but two circumstances that led me to think (before the Husks were produced)the certificates were counterfeit which was the tail of 9 being much longer and the ~ over m being further forward than you generally make them. they are upon the whole
23 whole the best done pieces of Villainy I ever saw Mr. hodgdon informs me that he received them from Col. Ward, perhaps we may be enabled to have the forgery to its source.
New England is over turn with Villains there is thousands of the Certificates Altered and some persons have been secured for passing them but it seems there is no law for punishing the offenders. Mr. Thompson a Commissioner for the State of Conneticut residing at Hartford has informed me by Letter that he person to be detected in altering and Housing of the certificates was left to bail, that when the trial came on he ore not appear the consequence was that the villain only forfeited the sun of [L=through it] 200 which was all the bail he was held to for altering a certificate from 8 30/90 to 800 dollars Mr. Thompson has prosecuted him in a civil cause in which he expects to get large damages
Inclosed you will receive a few lines from Mr. Carleton on the subject of Capt. Archer's claim for commutation, the best intelligence i can gather from several officers of Col. Lees Legion it appears that Capt. Archer was look'd upon as a retiring officer this is the opinion of Mr. Carleton, but there appearing no resolves of congress by which I think myself sastifiable in granting it I beg leave to refer his care to you and if it is
24 your opinion that commutation should be given I beg you will inform me as early as possible. Jno Pierce Esq. Jos. Howell Junr.