Francis P. Craig, Affidavit

Accession Number

KYR-0001-005-0031

Document Genre

Legal/Financial

Repository

Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives

Collection

Office of the Governor, Thomas E. Bramlette: Governor's Official Correspondence File, Apprehension of Fugitives from Justice Papers, 1863-1867

Item Location

BR7-58 to BR7-59

Place of Creation

Falmouth, Pendleton County, Kentucky

Date of Creation

22 July 1864

Dates Mentioned

1864-07-22

--06-25

Falmouth. Pendleton County Ky July 22^nd/64

This affiant Francis P Craig, Jailor of the County aforesaid upon oath states, that on Saturday the 25^th June last— a squad of Union soldiers, by force and violence entered his dwelling, the residence of himself wife, family and children, the same being the dwelling of the Jailor of the County aforesaid and the [L] whereof constitutes the public Jail of the County, by violence and force threw him upon floor, examined his pockets, covering his eyes and mouth, and forcesibly wrenched the Keys of the Jail from his hands, by forcing a banyonet betwen the keys and his fingers and wresting the keys from ~~his~~ him ~~hands~~ A part of them ^thus^ forcecibly held him down, on the floor; and a part of them, then past, into the jail department of the house — opened the cells of the jail and forciable let out, Harrison Barns, who was confined under the charge of murdering Joseph Bishop Dec^d, and committed to the jail under the proclamation of the Governor of Ky offering a reward of $250 for his apprehention and ~~under~~ the indictment found by the Grand Jury of the County — And that the said Barns so forceably let out is now
again at large, fleeing from justice, in parts unknown — The said squad of Union Soldiers also at the same time and in like manners let out of said Jail, a runaway slave Henry— who claimed to belong to Dr Tate of Tennessee, and who was ordered by the County Court to be sold at public auction by the Sheriff of the County, under the provisions of the laws of this State in such cases made and provided.

At the time these outrages were committed there were stationed at this place a part of the 156 Regt Ohio and a part of the 1568 Regt Ohio Vols for 100 days — under the command of Maj Whiteman — and ^the^ squad of the soldiers who committed the above outrage upon the laws of the State, and all peoples of right and justice, this affiant is unable to designate by name, as they were strangers to him, and the same was done on the night of the day designated above —

He further states, that some days before the above outrage was committed upon his person and the Jail of the County he incidenly=ly was informed; that violence upon the jail was talked of, among some of these soldiers and that ^he^ forthwith went to Maj Whiteman ^the commander of the post^ and informed him and asked protection in his official duties — Maj Whiteman replied
that he should rest contented, that protection as far is in his power would be afforded him He supposes the squad of soldiers who committed the above out-rage and participated were between, (at least) thirty and forty of them — There was a number sufficient to crowd the hall from the front of the house to the back of the jail and among them ^were^ those who wore upon their persons the insignias of office —

That at [~~the or were~~] the time of the outrage was committed, upon the Jail and his person, in the midst of his family there were patrol guards, in the streets of the town and in the street in front of the Jail and within the hearing of ^the^ noise and fright attending such acts; — but none came to his relief or aid, or any attempt so far as known to him, to arrest either Barns or the negroe after ~~let~~, as aforesaid let out of the Jail ^or the soldiers who perpetrated the Acts^ — Neither does he know the mode or manner in which the aggressors passed and repassed the guards thus stationed in the streets of the town — before at the time and after it happened —

He would further state, that the negroe slave Henry, in fear of being forced into the army — voluntarily, on the day fixed by the Sheriff for his sale at public auction
came and surrendered himself up to the Sheriff and was sold, under the previous orders of the County Court — and purchased by James N. Kennett — and that his sale at the Court house was not interfered with by any person — or the soldiers [...] then stationed at this place —

F. P. Craig J P C

Pendleton County
State of Kentucky

Sworn to and subscribed by F P Craig, Jailor of Pendleton County Ky before me Presiding Judge of the Pendleton County Court this 22^nd day of July 1864

S Tho Hauser P. J. P. C. Co

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