Supreme Court of Pennſylvania,
April Term, 1779.
Respublica verſus Cornelius Sweers.
At a Court of Oyer and Terminer &c. held at Philadelphia in November, 1778, the Defendant was indicted for Forgery upon two bills. The proceedings were removed by certiorari returnable into this Court, on the 5th day of December following; and the iſſues, on not guilty pleaded, were tried before a Special Jury on the 14th April, 1779, when the Defendant was convicted upon both indictments. Afterwards he filed reaſons in arreſt of judgment, of which a recapitulation will be found in the ſentence of the Court; and theſe reaſons were argued, and over-ruled, on the 19th day of the ſame month.
The firſt indictment was for altering a bill of parcels and receipt given by Margaret Duncan, for goods bought from her, with intent to defraud the United States; and the charge was ſet forth in the following words:
“Philadelphia County ſſ. The Jurors for the Commonwealth of Pennſylvania, upon, their oaths and affirmations, do preſent, that Cornelius Sweers, late of the county aforeſaid yeoman, on the 4th day of February, in the year of our Lord 1778, and long before, and ſince, was a Deputy Commiſſary General of military ſtores, in the armies of the United States of America, and entruſted and employed by Colonel Benjamin Flowers, the Commiſſary General of military stores in the armies aforeſaid, and by the honorable continental Congreſs, to make purchaſes of military ſtores, and of divers other articles, neceſſary and fitting in the preparation of military ſtores, for the uſe of the armies aforeſaid, and to make payments, and take receipts, bills of parcels, and other vouchers therefor. And the Jurors aforeſaid, upon their oaths and affirmations aforeſaid, do ſay, and further preſent, that the ſaid Cornelius Sweers,
