W. W. Trimble to Thomas E. Bramlette

Accession Number

KYR-0001-004-0238

Document Genre

Correspondence

Repository

Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives

Collection

Office of the Governor, Thomas E. Bramlette: Governor's official correspondence file, petitions for pardons, remissions, and respites 1863-1867

Item Location

BR8-371 to BR8-372

Place of Creation

Cynthiana, Harrison County, Kentucky

Date of Creation

10 November 1863

Dates Mentioned

1863-11-10

Cynthiana Nov 10^th 1863
To His Excellency
Thos E Bramlette
Respd Sir

An old man by the name of Geo Sidle was tried & found guilty of manslaughter at the present Term of the Harrison Circuit Court & sentenced to serve in the state Prison two years & Eleven months. The proof showed that Sidle & his son were going home when Rich Jamison & his brother overtook Sidle & his son Chas- R Jamison & Geo Sidle rode about half a mile together when Jamison said I did not bring a glandered horse into the neighbourhood and any man that says so tells a damned lie You must take it back or I will take you off of your horse" Sidle said Dick I did not say so to insult you but I believe it for my horse took it from him and I have taken all back that I intend to. Jamison said dam your old horse he never ran with mine. He then caught Sidle by the Coat Collar & pulled him down on his knee & they both came to the ground together. Sidle drew a pistol which Jamison Caught near the muzzle & controlled the direction of the barrel & held it perpendicular. Chas Sidle caught it between his fathers and Jamisons hands grasping it around part of the barrel & part of the revolving Cylinder. The witnesses both prove that the pistol was in a perpendicular position & the muzzle below Jamison^s chin. In the struggle for its posession it went off the bullet
struck Jamison near the left corner of the mouth in the lower lip went through the jaw bone under the tongue & lodged in the back of the neck against the neck bone. Lewis Jamison said that he saw Sidle jerk the pistol down when it went off — The witnesses could neither tell how it had gone off and there is but one way it could have been pulled off so as to have struck where it did & made a horizontal wound. R Jamison having hold of the barrel controlled the direction of the ball & by a sudden Effort to jerk the pistol from Sidle the unavoidable direction that he would bring it would be towards himself & the way that it was held by Sidle & his son necessarily would have brought it towards his face

There is a strong prejudice in this County against Sidle amongst the disloyal population he having been an unusually active Union Man In my opinion the verdict was obtained against him not because the evidence proved him guilty but because it was impossible to keep those who sympathize with the disloyal off of the jury. I have been defending criminals now for nearly 20 years & it is the first time in my life that I have deemed it my duty to ask the Executive to interpose to save any that I have defended A petition will be presented to you signed by a considerable number of the most loyal & best men of
this county asking for his pardon

I I am certain that the cause of justice as well as humanity will be subserved if you will pardon him.

Yours Respy
W W Trimble

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