L. O. Murray to Beriah Magoffin

Accession Number

KYR-0001-020-1417

Document Genre

Petition

Repository

Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives

Collection

Office of the Governor, Beriah Magoffin: Governor's Official Correspondence File, Petitions for Pardons and Remissions, 1859-1862

Item Location

MG21-378

Place of Creation

Brooksville, Bracken County, Kentucky

Date of Creation

2 September 1861

Dates Mentioned

1861-08

1861-09-02

Brooksville Bracken Co Ky
To his Excellency Governer B Magoffin

Your affiant L O Murray humbly praying would state, that at the February term of the Bracken Circuit Court, the Grand Jury of said County indicted him for Selling Spiritous liquor by the small for more than three months — at the August term 1861 of said court he was tried and it was proven by one witness that he had bought liquor of him by the Gallon and half gallon, but never in quantities less, that he had on two or three occasions drunk some of the liquor so purchased while on the premises, but that said Murray had always, requested him not to drink any, while on or near his premises, and that he never drunk any there by the permission of said Murray, but when he did drink it was always against his will. The commonwealth introduced another witness who stated he lived very near your affiant, that he had bought liquor of him a few times, but never bought, it in less quantities than a half gallon, never saw him sell any by the small, he stated that he was very frequently at the house of affiants, and he recollected on one or two occasions, when he bought liquor he drew it himself, and had once or twice drank from the measure before he poured it into his jug, he did not know whether Murray knew it or not, and did not think there was any harm in it.

This was all the testimony that was introduced, and upon which the jury found a verdict of keeping a tippling house, and was fined by the court Sixty Dollars.

Your affiant would most respectfully state, that
he has never violated the law intentionally, that he has not made it a practice of selling liquor in any quantities, but happened to have some at the time the witnesses speak of, and let his neighbors have some, more as a matter of accom^m^adation than otherwise — he would most humbly represent, that he is poor, that he has a large family, that are dependent upon his daily labor for their bread — your affiant does not possibly, see how he can pay said fine and provide his family with the necessaries of life — if he has to lay in jail, it takes that much bread from his children, which must suffer for food, and the approaching inclemency of the coming winter: he is now about sixty years old, and has lived a quiet and peacable citizen, never having been indicted for any offense before. Your affiant would most respectfully and earnestly pray that your Excellency would interpose his clemency, and save him from the rigor of the law, and remit so far as in your power the fine thus imposed upon me.

L O Murray

Sworn to before me by L O Murray this 2^nd day of September 1861.

C. H. Lee P J B C C

I would state that I was the lawyer that attended to the case for L O Murray and believe the above facts are substantially true. Given under my hand this 2^nd day of September 1861

C, H, Lee

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