SYMPATHIZING WITH THE PLIGHT OF FIGHTING " A PHILA THIEF," in an 1843 autograph letter, signed by Letcher as Governor of Kentucky, from Frankfort, to Virgil McKnight Esq., in Philadelphia
4to. 3-pages, approximately 300 words, in part: “I was at a loss to know what you were about … you have a great set of the meanest sort of Rascals to encounter, not half as honorable and high-minded as the thief Weathers, who after stealing $10,000 of yours, handed back $7000 or thereabouts in the most graceful manner, acknowledging the con at the same time, like a Phila thief when he steals, does it as a matter of business, in the ordinary way and sets it down as a real transaction … stick it to the villains and get back as much as you can … has the Pennsyla court any jurisdiction in a case of this sort against a corporation in K[entucky] or are you the corporation. McKnight (1798-1872), a native of Virginia, was president of the Bank of Kentucky in Woodford County for more than three decades; he was probably in Philadelphia at the time of this letter trying to recoup his bank’s fraudulent losses occasioned by the “Schuykill Bank Fraud” (cf. Will Gilliam’s SBF in Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, Vol. 50, No. 172, July, 1952, pp. 249-255). Letcher’s term as governor was spent enacting measures to help recover from the Panic of 1837, generally successful. Old fold lines, seal break resulting in the loss of several letters, but very good. Item #67739
Price: $300.00