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Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 4

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Indictment

2 October 1781

Trial notes

Indictment
RTP
October 2, 1781

Berkshire Ss. At the Supreme Judicial Court begun and holden at Great Barrington within and for the County of Berkshire on the first Tuesday of October in the year of our Lord Seventeen hundred and Eighty one

The Jurors for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts upon their Oath present that Moses Graves junior of Pittsfeild in the County of Berkshire Gentleman at Pittsfeild aforsaid on the eighteenth day of August last past with force and Arms twelve false and counterfeit bills of the denomination of eight Dollars and of the tenor & fabricated in imitation of the good lawful & current bills of credit issued upon the funds of this State and established by the Resolve of Congress and the Law of this State, of the same denomination then and there knowing the same false and counterfeit bills to be false and Counterfeit as aforsaid, unlawfully, unjustly & deceitfully did utter and pay to one Jonathan Lee for and as good lawful & current bills issued upon the funds of this State and established as aforsaid & of the denomination of eight Dollars to the damage of the said Jonathan Lee, in evil Example to others to offend in like Case against the Peace of the Commonwealth aforsaid and their Law in such case made and provided.

R T Paine Atty. pr. Repub. a true bill Aaron Root {Foreman
163

Berkshire Ss. Octr. 1781 Moses Graves junr. is set to the Bar and has this Indictment read to him, he says that thereof he is not guilty & thereof for trial put &c.

Attest. And. Henshaw, Cler.

The Jury say guilty

That He pay to Jona. Lee the Person Injurd. Twenty four Pounds Twelve Shillings being Treble the value of the money utterd. pay a fine of £60 for the use of the Govt. pay Costs & stand committed.

MS (Suffolk Files, no. 159959. Massachusetts Judicial Archives, Boston, Mass.); endorsed: “Indictment vs. Moses Graves for uttering false bills.”