GERRY ELBRIDGE Autograph Letter Signed EGerry to Andrew Crai

Sale 2674 - Lot 49

Price Realized: $ 875

?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price

Estimate: $ 1,000 - $ 1,500

RETURNING "PORCUPINE GAZETTE" "WHOSE QUILLS . . . [ARE] POINTED WITH HUMOUR" GERRY, ELBRIDGE. Autograph Letter Signed, "EGerry," to Andrew Craigie, returning a copy of a Federalist newspaper and describing a scheme to profit from the Newport [Congregational Church?] Lottery involving the sharing of prize money between participants. 2 pages, 4to, written on recto and verso of a single sheet; faint scattered staining, folds. Cambridge, 8 March 1796

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Additional Details

"I return by the bearer Peter Porcupine [referring to the Federalist newspaper Porcupine's Gazette by the alias of its editor, William Corbett] whose quills appear to me to be pointed with humour & to stick very fast. The robben[?] is also returned by Mrs G & we are obliged to you for the loan of both.
"I could not give you much information about the Newport lottery, & intended to send you the plan: but cannot find it in my papers . . . however I think it states that the lottery consists of 2000 shares at 125 dollars a share . . . . leaving as prize money 135,000 . . . .
". . . I have purchased 5 shares which cost 355 dollars & divided these into 7 parts each of which cost 50 dollars 71 cents.
"Each share which is divided into tickets by the manager contains 27 tickets at 5 dollars a ticket making the share in this case cost 135 dollars instead of 125 dollars & the prizes drawn by such shares are the subject of another chance as follows: twenty six blanks & one prize are put into one wheel & the numbers of the tickets into the other, & the number drawing the prize is alone entitled to it. This second chance we shall avoid by dividing the prize money. . . . The adventurers in our 5 shares are Mr Russel . . . Mr. Craigie . . . Mr. Tree . . . Mr. Warren . . . myself."