Counterfeit Certificates - An Inside Job?
Item
Type
Contemporary Copy of Letter made from Author's Files
Title
Counterfeit Certificates - An Inside Job?
Description
John Pierce hires John Winslow to "use every means to trace the hands" through whom counterfeit certificates have passed. Pierce provides five counterfeit certificates, obtained from Samuel Hodgdon's office, for Winslow's investigation. Pierce opines that the culprit maybe someone in whom he has placed trust.
year created
1785
month created
09
day created
08
author
sent from location
Office of Army Accounts, New York
recipient
in image
notable person/group
John Winslow
John Pierce
Samuel Hodgdon
Major Hubbard
notable location
Office of Army Accounts, New York
notable item/thing
public interest
honor
villanry
convictions
criminal transactions
counterfeiting
forgery
bad certificates
hand writing analysis
investigations
trust
paper and printing
document number
1785090837101
page start
1
transcription
Letter to Mr Winslow
Septr 8 1785
Copied
[Editor's note: inked trills of pen loops under the word "Copied"]
Office of Army Accts
Army Off ^ NYork september 8h 1785
Dear Sir
Samuel Hodgdon Esquire, among several ^ other final settlements; presented to the Office f[undecipherable] five certificates which appear to have been forged altogether except the paper + the printing, which he informs me he has remitted them to you to obtain them_ as some person in my Office must have imposed on me and violated the confidence placed in him + as the public interest as well as my own honor is at stake to detect a peculiar piece of villany, I have thought proper + request you to use every man to trace the hand, thro' whom these certificates have passed up to the original proprietor, and to give me every information that may enable me to prosecute to open conviction every person criminally concerned in the transaction. For this purpose should you incur any expence & whatever reasonable charges you may make for your trouble, I will ingage to see it refunded.
Enclosed is a a copy of the list left with me by Mr. Hodgdon.
PS. If neither discovery can be made by you I wish the certificates may be Earmarked either to me or Mr Hodgdon, that as the hand writing may had some discrepency.
M. Jno Winslow
Septr 8 1785
Copied
[Editor's note: inked trills of pen loops under the word "Copied"]
Office of Army Accts
Army Off ^ NYork september 8h 1785
Dear Sir
Samuel Hodgdon Esquire, among several ^ other final settlements; presented to the Office f[undecipherable] five certificates which appear to have been forged altogether except the paper + the printing, which he informs me he has remitted them to you to obtain them_ as some person in my Office must have imposed on me and violated the confidence placed in him + as the public interest as well as my own honor is at stake to detect a peculiar piece of villany, I have thought proper + request you to use every man to trace the hand, thro' whom these certificates have passed up to the original proprietor, and to give me every information that may enable me to prosecute to open conviction every person criminally concerned in the transaction. For this purpose should you incur any expence & whatever reasonable charges you may make for your trouble, I will ingage to see it refunded.
Enclosed is a a copy of the list left with me by Mr. Hodgdon.
PS. If neither discovery can be made by you I wish the certificates may be Earmarked either to me or Mr Hodgdon, that as the hand writing may had some discrepency.
M. Jno Winslow
Item sets
Document instances
| In image | In source | Location in source | |
|---|---|---|---|
| [view document] (3 pages) | XZT22 (3 pages) | Collection: Miscellaneous Numbered Records (Manuscript file) 1775-1790's. (RG93) (M859) | B:371 |
Document names
| Type | Name | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | John Pierce | Office of Army Accounts, New York | [n/a] |
| Recipient | John Winslow | [unknown] | [n/a] |