AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED [THE LETTER ALSO SIGNED, IN A DIFFERENT HAND, 'H. HOTCHKISS'] FROM NEW HAVEN TO JOSIAH SOUTHERLAND, ESQ., HUDSON, NEW YORK, JANUARY 5, 1850: "SIR, YOURS OF THE 2D WAS RECD YESTERDAY STATING THAT WE WITH THE OTHER WITNESSES MUST BE IN HUDSON THURSDAY MORNING 10TH JANY UNLESS WE HEAR FROM YOU TO THE CONTRARY... "AS OUR MAIN DEPENDENCE FOR INFORMATION IS ON THE TELEGRAPH YOU WILL PLEASE TO ATTEND TO IT EARLY TUESDAY MORNING TO GIVE US TIME TO GET THE WITNESSES READY TO LEAVE HERE EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING & IN ORDER TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE RECD YOUR COMMUNICATION... "WE HAVE ASCERTAINED FROM W.L. ORMSBY OF 116 FULTON ST, NEW YORK THAT HE ROLLED IN THE DIES TO THE NORTH RIVER PLATE FOR JAMES CLARK 122 1/2 FULTON ST BOTH ENGRAVERS. MR. ORMSBY APPEARS TO BE WILLING TO GIVE THE INFORMATION WHICH HE POSSESSES ON THE SUBJECT, BUT MR. CLARK DOES NOT. WE OBTAINED FORM MR. ORMSBY A PROOF IMPRESSION TAKEN FROM THE PLATE AFTER HE HAD ROLLED IN THE DIES, WHICH WE SHALL BRING WITH US - A WITNESS THAT WE HAVE NOT NAMED TO YOU BEFORE WHOSE TESTIMONY IS VERY IMPORTANT WILL ACCOMPANY US. WE SHALL BE THERE PROMPTLY AS YOU DIRECT - BUT DON'T MAKE US COME IF IT IS NOT NECESSARY - YOURS RESPECTFULLY/ H. SANFORD, H. HOTCHKISS"

10" x 15-1/2", folded to 7-3/4" x 10". [4]pp. Letter on page [1], interior pages blank, and addressed on final page to Southerland. In ink manuscript. Wax seal, small tear on blank area of rear leaf [opening of the seal]. Light wear. Very Good.

This letter concerns the high-profile counterfeiting case involving William Brockway, Henry Knickerbacker, and a Mr. Snyder. In 1847 and 1848, counterfeit bills of several New Haven banks appeared in commerce. The banks-- through Hervey Sanford and Henry Hotchkiss-- made vigorous efforts to identify the criminals and to procure new plates. But the counterfeiters copied the new bills expertly. The criminals then counterfeited bills of the North River Bank in Hudson, New York. Here their luck ran out; they were caught and arrested in Hudson in 1849. This January 1850 letter to Attorney Southerland is in preparation for the trial of the malefactors.
Brockway escaped from jail around April 1850; he was recaptured in September. [POUGHKEEPSIE JOURNAL, April 13, 1850, Page 2, and September 7, 1850, Page 2; NEW YORK TRIBUNE, April 19, 1850, Page 1.] William Brockway [1822-1920] had a 50-year counterfeiting career. One of the best, most famous, and most interesting counterfeiters of his day, he studied chemistry at Yale and made exact copies of currency printing plates. He fooled the most accomplished forgery detectors and Treasury officials. Undeterred by this arrest, he continued to practice his trade, and was arrested and convicted several times into the early 1900's.
Henry Hotchkiss [1801-1871] was president of the New Haven County Bank for 21 years. A pillar of the New Haven establishment, he was a member of every significant community institution. Hervey Sanford [1785-1869] was president of City Bank of New Haven for many years and president of the New Haven Bank. He also served as director of the New Haven County Bank.
W[aterman] L[illy] Ormsby [1809-1883], born in Connecticut, settled in New York. He was an engraver and inventor of a ruling-machine, a transfer-press, and the "grammagraph" for roll-die engraving on steel which engraved on steel directly from medals, medallions and the like, using a "roll-die" engraving technique for engraving on steel. He later contracted with Samuel Colt to add engraving to his guns. He was a founder of the Continental Bank Note Company of New York. In 1852 he wrote a book on bank note engraving and preventing forgery. [Stauffer & Fielding: AMERICAN ENGRAVERS UPON COPPER AND STEEL. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES... 1907. Pages 194-5; THE AMERICAN STATIONER, VOLUME 14., NOVEMBER 8, 1883, Page 715.]. Item #33046

Price: $250.00

See all items by ,