1772-73: VA - Wm. Glascock, Jr. Accused of Opening Letter
(1) WHEREAS William Glascock, junior, did, on the 2d instant (November) take up, and break open, a letter directed to Mess. William and Thomas Glascock, from Mr. John Blackburn, a merchant in London, covering an account of a certain sum of money he the said Blackburn had received, for and upon account of the said William and Thomas, which is ready; and as he the said Thomas Glascock, junior, holds up the said letter and account, it is suggested that he will forge the names of William and Thomas Glascock, as drawers to an exchange: Therefore caution is given hereby that such draught will be prosecuted, as Mr. Blackburn is already cautioned not to accept any bill, without proper advice, which the said William Glascock, junior, knows not how to write.
T. GLASCOCK.
Source: Virginia Gazette, Williamsburg, Virginia, November 26, 1772; Pg. 2, Column 2
(2) WHEREAS William Glascock, junior, did, on the 2d of last November take up, and break open, a letter directed to Mess. William and Thomas Glascock, from Mr. John Blackburn, a merchant in London, covering an account of a certain sum of money he the said Blackburn had received, for and upon account of the said William and Thomas, which is ready; and as he the said Thomas Glascock, junior, holds up the said letter and account, it is suggested that he will forge the names of William and Thomas Glascock, as drawers to an exchange: Therefore caution is given hereby that such draught will be prosecuted, as Mr. Blackburn is already cautioned not to accept any bill, without proper advice, which the said William Glascock, junior, knows not how to write.
THOMAS GLASCOCK.
Mr. RIND.
WERE all your readers well acquainted with Mr. Thomas Glascock, the author of a cruel and ungenerous advertisement lately published in your paper, I should not give myself the trouble of answering it; but as his insanity, and extreme rashness, in many instances, are mostly unknown, it would be doing injustice to myself, and the remains of a much injured reputation, was I not to take notice of it. He charges me with breaking open a letter from Mr. John Blackburn, directed to my father and himself, as my attornies, and looks upon such an action as of the basest kind. How quickly can this charitable brother of mine spy out the mote of my eye, and not feel the beam in his own! It is now upwards of ten years since I appointed him one of my attornies, and having a great inclination in the summer of last year to return to my wife, to my great astonishment, found my affairs quite unsettled, many just debts in good hands not received, some entirely lost through neglect, and excessive costs heaped upon me by continuances in court for upwards of seven years, my father rendered entirely unable to transact my business, by the loss of his fight, and this worthy brother and advertiser the chiefest part of his time mad or drunk. My affairs being thus situated, I have been endeavouring to settle them myself, and having occasion of going to Philadelphia, appointed another attorney, and this letter that he mentions came to hand, which I opened without the least apprehension of injuring any person, judging it contained an account relative to my affairs, and knowing my father to be entirely blind, and that my brother, and this good Gentleman, my other attorney, would secret any account that would be advantageous to me, as he often had done before, and that he was even unfit for any kind of business. I am, Sir, your humble servant,
WILLIAM GLASCOCK, jun.
Source: Virginia Gazette, Williamsburg, Virginia, April 1, 1773; Pg. 3, Column 3