William Curd to Thomas E. Bramlette

Accession Number

KYR-0001-004-3228

Document Genre

Petition

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

BR42-12 to BR42-13

Place of Creation

Mercer County, Kentucky

Date of Creation

n.d.

To his Excellency Thos E Bramlette
Governor of Kentucky

Your petitioner states that he is the father of Eleazer Curd a boy just now thirteen years of age and who stands indicted by the grand jury of Mercer County of the crime of arson. The said child of your petitioner has met with an accident that has deformed him for life, and while laboring under the pain of said accident which was a very badly fractured arm the said child was for a great time kept under the influence of morphine and other strong medicines which have with other causes enfeebled and impaired a mind that was not at first of great capacity. Your petitioner further states that a school house having been burned by ~~accident~~ design belonging to Temple Burgin Esq in my neighborhood and my child knowing that holiday had followed as a consequence of the destruction of that school house he not being able to discriminate between the fact that his firing the school house ~~and~~ was a crime and the
other schoolhouse burned being accidental, ^not criminal^ but looking alone to the consequence of the destruction which was holidaytotheschoolboy he did fire the schoolhouse, I say he did, because the grand jury have charged him with that crime, and circumstances point him out as guilty though he denies any guilt & pleads innocence of the charge-

Your petitioner is a blacksmith by trade and has endeavoured to make an honest living by fair dealing with all the world, He is poor but as all Kentuckians is proud of his state & his family, & being proud he defies any one to say aught against him as a citizen a husband or a father, and he does this because he is not vain but because he is self relyant being an honest man. He wants his family name still unstained and he therefore for his child asks pardon for what in better days would have been regarded an indiscretion that by not sparing the rod you would not have spoiled the child but which now requires punishment by confinement in the penitentiary

Your excellency will not see the laws thus abused by the overrighteousness of grand juries who exceed the powers vest in them- I ask this pardon for my child because I am about removing from the state and I desire to leave it without a stain upon my honor & I ask your Excellency to state in the pardon which I know you will grant herein more as a matter of right & justice than mercy to state that it is because the accused is a child not responsible as a man or one of mature years & to incorporate in the body of the pardon such other statements as your excellencies experience & known good sense will dictate to save my name & family from the disgrace that may befall me, Your petitioner has stated nothing but facts and asks at your hands justice through mercy - and therefore he prays pardon for his child & as in duty bound will ever pray

William Curd

I am satisfied that the statements of W^m Curds petition are true he being a neighbour of mine and I being satisfied that your excellency ought to grant the pardon prayed for I respectfully join therein

Temple Burgin

We citizens of Mercer County join in the foregoing petition

H J James former Shff
Thomas J Varnsdall former Sheff

I was the Physician who set Young Curds arm & join in his petition most earnestly

C. L. Jones M. D.
I am his neighbor.
A. H. Bowman

I am merchandising in Harrodsburg was formerly a neighbor to Mr Curd am satisfied that his statements are true & earnestly Join in this petition

H. H. Davis

I am a neighbor of Mr Curds and concur most heartily in the petition knowing all the circumstances believe it to be merely a boyish break even if guilty of the act charged and not worthy of the consideration of any court

Jas.. E Thompson
A. D. Haynes J. P. M. C

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