Details:

Partially printed and manuscript-completed legal recognizance issued in New York City, dated June 20, 1797, measuring approximately 8 x 10 inches. The document required Phoebe Kendrick, described as a seamstress of the Seventh Ward, to appear before the next Court of General Sessions of the Peace to testify in a criminal assault case.

Completed before Theodorus Beekman, one of the Aldermen of the City of New York and a Justice assigned to keep the peace, the recognizance binds Kendrick in the sum of twenty pounds to ensure her appearance in court. The manuscript states that she is to provide evidence on behalf of the People of the State of New York concerning Daniel Strain, who was accused of having, “on the eleventh instant at the Seventh Ward of said City, did beat and strike the said Phoebe Kendrick.” Should she fail to appear, the recognizance would remain in full force as a financial obligation.

Recognizances such as this formed an important part of eighteenth-century criminal procedure, compelling victims and witnesses to appear in court through a financial bond while preserving their testimony for prosecution. Documents identifying ordinary New Yorkers by occupation and neighborhood, particularly women, survive in relatively limited numbers and provide valuable insight into the operation of the city’s early judicial system.

Overall good condition with expected horizontal fold lines, light age toning, and minor handling wear consistent with age. A well-preserved Revolutionary-era New York legal document documenting the prosecution of an alleged assault and the administration of justice in the young United States.

Authentication:
Includes a full letter of authenticity from JG Autographs, Inc.

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Reference sku: 11500 1416983-1