Description:

Revolutionary War



Three Weeks after Lexington & Concord, a Reward is Paid for the Recapture of  “the infamous”  Richard Steele Who Escaped the First American Prison

Manuscript Document signed "George Wyllys", as secretary treasurer for Hartford, Connecticut, two pages (one sheet), 6" x 8", May 1775. A fine colonial document which reads: "At a General Assembly... at Hartford on the Second Thursday of May... 1775. On the memorial of Arnout Cannon showing that at great trouble & expence he had apprehended & brot [sic] from New York the infamous Richard Steel so that he might be recommitted to Newgate Prison and praying for a reimbursement of his expence & a reward for his trouble... It is thereupon by this assembly granted & ordered that the treasurer of the Colony pay ... the sum of eleven pound twelve shillings & nine pence money in compensation of his charge & expence and also the further sum of Three pounds money as a reward for his risque [sic] and service in full of the engagement specified in the advertisement for taking up the said Richard Steel." Docketed May 30, 1775 by Cannon on the verso, indicating his receipt of the funds. With an additional notation that the Order was Audited May 13, 1776.



The first prisoner arrived at Newgate Prison on December 22, 1773, the first official prison in America. He escaped 18 days later. Subsequent prisoners were equally resourceful and many escapes -successful and unsuccessful- were to follow. Richard Steele, a "notorious villain and burglarian" held the record of three escapes from Newgate. Political prisoners (Tories) were confined here during the Revolutionary War. There was also a reward of 3 pounds for his capture dating August 28, 1775.



WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

We do our own in-house worldwide shipping!
Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. ***PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU WOULD LIKE YOUR SHIPMENT TO BE SENT TO AN ADDRESS OTHER THAN THE ONE YOU HAVE ON FILE WITH INVALUABLE, YOU WILL NEED TO INFORM US OF THIS AS SOON AS PAYMENT IS SUBMITTED FOR YOUR WINNINGS. ALSO, ALL PACKAGES SHIPPED FROM OUR OFFICES REQUIRE A DIRECT SIGNATURE UPON DELIVERY.*** Shipping and handling costs are competitive as we maintain discounted contracts with FedEx. If you have any questions, contact University Archives prior to bidding. After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 5 business days following receipt of full payment for item. We currently ship via FedEx but if your purchase is shipping to a P.O. Box, we ship via USPS. All items are insured. We ship from our offices in Westport, CT. We may opt to use a third party shipper for very fragile, bulky or oversized items. Items requiring third party shipping will be denoted in the item description. Packages shipped internationally will have full value declared on shipping form. International buyers will be responsible for any customs fees incurred.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Westport, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000