vs. Stephen Holland for counterfeiting1

Mete Lewis I lived in Col. Stephen Hollands family 4 yrs & 4 m. I saw Robt. Fowle2 the Printer the winter before last Decr: 75. they kept the chamber & lock they were in back Chambers, he was not long 1st. time absent abt. a week & then staid 4 or 5 days. he came down to dine & breakfast, Mrs. Holland & the Col. waited upon him, while I wondered at them was some water warmed & carried up in a milk pan. I made the Bed 2d day saw the pan under foot of the Bed. & between bed & saw some large paste board & after he was gone I lookd in closet & saw a kettle of black & one of red Ink & some peices of bills in the chamber, some water & bits of paper in the pan. I saw a knife box full of the long bills & a square box I took one of them up, I saw Col Holland bring one of the boxes round the House. I think the Square one; carried into East room Mr. Wm. Vans was at the house when Fowle was. Col. 410Holland not the negro Boy at the Stairs & carried the wood up & water & waited upon themselves.

afterwards one morning he was going to Haverhill very early he took sd. teakettle of water & put it into an pot & went into E. Room & lockt him in & afterwd. came out & brought some passings of Bills & put them under the ashes & after I pulled them out & saw wt. they were & I burnt them. He went to Haverhill & brought home Cooper &c

David Anderson Col. Holland bought my Estate in Feb. or March. 76 Wm. Vans with him, short time to consider for 480£ I signed the Deed & took the money new bills I afterwards found 15.40/ & 1.30/ & I brought it to Council of Safety & they allowed me to go to Col Holland in Goal, I told him I had taken that money of him, he sd. it was like enough & bad me go to Mrs. Holland & she sent me to Col. More who changed it & no fault found with defacing the money, I show’d the above bills to Col. Gilman

Col. Gilman he show’d me the bills & they were undoubtedly bad & were defaced

Wm. Greenleaf I had a counterft. 40/ N Hampshire I think I took it of him

John Coffran. I sold Col Holland some Land & he paid me & afterwards he came & borrowed 36£ & 260/ NH being all that he took one 60/ from my book & gave me a note. the 36£ bundle was Continental & NH square bills the 60/ bill wch. I put away at first never came back. Col More pd. me the note

Hugh Dunshe junr. I lived at Col. Holland winter before last. Mr. Fowle was there, I never suspected his making money, he kept in chamber, boy carried wood to head of stairs. Hitta sd. they were making money up stairs, I thought something was the matter but could not tell what

vs S. Holland for Fraud

John Prentice Esq.

John Steward junr.

Col. Robt. Moore

John Clark

James McGregore

John Hughes he sd. some words in jest to be sd. in earnest Providence & America had enough to conquer Canada in Augt. 76.

411

Abraham Read

Jos Morrison

Abr Morrison

James Coffran

John Holmes

Isaiah Thomas

James Humphry: he sd. our fishing schooner wd. take any of the Brit. men of War. I lived with him the Summer of .75.

MS .

Rockingham Ss.}

At the Superiour Court of Judicature began and holden at Exeter within and for the County of Rockingham in the State of New Hampshire on the second first Tuesday of No September in the year of our Lord seventeen hundred & Seventy Seven and from thence continued by adjournments to the eleventh day of November then next

The Jurors for the Goverment & People of the State of New Hampshire upon their Oaths present that Stephen Holland of Londonderry in the County of Rockingham aforsaid Esqr. being a person of evil fame and wicked disposition and contriving & intending to depreciate the currency & lawful Bills of credit of the United States of America & of all the lawful bills of credit emitted by all & every of the said united States & current among the Inhabitants of them and utterly to distroy the credit & use of them in all commerce & more especially in supporting & carrying on the present just War against the Enemies of the United States of America, on the third day of January in the year of our Lord seventeen hundred & seventy six at Rockingham Londonderry aforsaid in the County aforsaid unlawfully knowingly subtilly & falsely did forge and Counterfeit fifty false and Counterfeit Notes & Bills of the denomination of thirty shillings and of the tenor & fabricated in imitation & similitude of the good lawful & current bills of Credit of the State of New Hampshire aforsaid of the same denomination established by the Resolves of the Congress of the State same State to the great damage of the Inhabitants 412of the united States of America against the Peace of the Goverment & People aforsaid & in evil Example to others in like case offending. And the Jurors aforsaid upon their Oaths aforsaid do further present that the said Stephen Holland pursuing his wicked intentions aforsaid did on the third day of January aforsaid in the year aforsaid at Londonderry aforsaid in the County aforsd. unlawfully knowingly subtilly & falsely did forge and counterfeit fifty other false and Counterfeit notes and Bills of the denomination of forty shillings and of the tenor and fabricated in imitation & similitude of the good lawful and Current bills of Credit of the State of New Hampshire aforsaid of the same denomination established by the Resolves of the Congress of the same State, to the great damage of the Inhabitants of the united States of America against the Peace of the Goverment and People aforsaid & in evil Example to others in like Case offending. And the Jurors aforsaid upon their Oaths aforsaid do further present that Stephen Holland aforsaid pursuing his wicked intentions aforsaid on the third day of January aforsaid in the year aforsaid at Londonderry aforsaid unlawfully knowing subtilly & falsely did forge and Counterfeit fifty other false and Counterfeit notes & bills of the denomination of sixty shillings and of the tenor and fabricated in imitation & similitude of the good lawful & current bills of credit of the state of New Hampshire aforsaid of the same denomination, established by the Resolves of the Congress of the same state, to the great damage of the United Inhabitants of the United States of America, against the Peace of the Goverment and People aforsaid & in evil Example to others in like case offending. And the Jurors aforsaid upon their Oaths aforsaid do further present that Stephen Holland aforsaid on the twenty third day of March in the year of our Lord Seventeen hundred and Seventy Seven at Londonderry aforsaid in the County aforsaid with force and Arms fifteen false and Counterfeit Notes and Bills of the denomination of forty shillings and of the tenor and fabricated in imitation of the good lawful & current bills of Credit of the said State of New Hampshire established by Resolves of the Congress of the same State Denomination, knowing the same false Counterfeit Bills to be false and Counterfeit as aforsaid unlawfully unjustly & deceitfully did utter and pay to one David Anderson for and as good lawful & current bills of credit of the State of New Hampshire aforsaid of the denomination of forty Shillings established by the Congress of the same said state as aforsaid, to the great Damage of the said David Anderson to the evil Example of all others in like case 413offending against the Laws of this State in such case made & provided the Peace & Dignity of the same

W. Clagett Atty. Gl. This is a true Bill Nehemiah Wheeler Foreman Rockingham Ss. Supr. Court at Exeter by adjournment Nov. 11th 1777

The said Stephen Holland being arraigned pleaded not guilty

Attests Geo: King Cl.

DS (Case 3936, Series A. New Hampshire State Archives, Concord, N.H.) . Endorsed: “Indictment v. Stephn. Holland Sept. Term 1777.”