Springfield May 3d 1780 Sr.,

You have no Doubt seen by the Complaint that I1 was Complainer vs. Thos. Terry for Passing Counterfit Forty Dollar Bills I Should have attended the Court If I had been able to have given any Information from my own knowledge; I have Inserted the Names of three Persons in the Summons brot. Down by Mr. Sheriff Day who I Suppose will be able to Testifie all that is Nessasary to Support the Charge. Mr. Persons will Testifie that Terry attempted to Pass some of those Bills to him Several times before he was Taken up as likewise the very Night before Mr. Houghton Bliss Saw Terry hide his Pocket Book, went Immediatly to the place & took it up in which was found two or three of the Counterfit Bills. Capt. John Morgan was Present when one Stebbins received other Money of Terry in lieu of a Forty Dollar Bill of the same kind which he Terry had Pass to Sd. Stebbins & which Terry then acknowledgd. Capt. Morgan has the Bill now in his possession he will likewise be able to Inform of other Particulars. Daniel Murphy will Inform that he recieved two Bill of the same kind of Terry the Day before he was apprehended there is other Evidence might be procured but I Suppose the above Sufficient If Frosts account would be Excepted he will be able to Inform the Court that he let Terry have Ten of those Bills the Day before he Terry was apprehended both Terry & he knowing them to be Counterfit I thought it Nessasary to Inform you of the above Particulars.2

I am Sir Your most Humble Servt. Jona. Dwight

RC ; addressed: “To Robert Treat Payne Esqr. att Northampton.”

1.

Jonathan Dwight (1743–1831) was a merchant in Springfield, Mass. “During the revolution the state of the country, the depreciation of continental money, and his own political views, which were unpopular, discouraged him, and he suspended business for a time” until his wife and a friend convinced him to recommence (Benjamin W. Dwight, The History of the Descendants of John Dwight of Dedham, Mass. [New York, 1874], 2:863–864).

2.

At the May sitting of the Superiour Court of Judicature at Northampton, Thomas Terry, yeoman of Springfield, was tried and found guilty of uttering false currency. For that he was sentenced to pay treble damages of £72, receive thirty-nine stripes, and pay costs. He also pleaded guilty to another charge of uttering false currency and was fined treble damages of £36 plus costs and sentenced to six months imprisonment. At the same court Isaac Frost, husbandman of Springfield, also pleaded guilty to uttering false currency for which he was fined £300 plus costs (Superiour Court of Judicature Minute Books, Hampshire and Berkshire Counties, May 1780. Massachusetts Judicial Archives, Boston, Mass.).