M. J. Cook to Beriah Magoffin

Accession Number

KYR-0001-020-1698

Document Genre

Correspondence

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

MG22-387 to MG22-388

Place of Creation

Mount Vernon, Rockcastle County, Kentucky

Date of Creation

6 February 1862

Dates Mentioned

1862-02-06

M^t Vernon Ky
Feb 6^th 62.
Go^v Magoffin

Dear Sir There is one Jacob Scarbro. confined in the Penitentiary for Killing a man with a rock, he was sentenced for two years near half of his time has expired, and I write this to you without his or his familys knowledge, to give you a true discription of his family condition, and to ask if you can not use ~~your~~ ^the^ Executive clemency in their favor. In the first place I saw the Killing take place and was the principal witness. The man he killed he~~killed~~ was a newcomer had not been hearre long. They both lived in the neighborhood in which I reside some two miles from me, it was proven that the man killed was a peaceable and quiet man so far as known, but since I learn he was an ill fractious man and had borne a name where he came from (N. Carolina) as a quarlsome man and rather dangerous. this Scarbro had a better opportunity to know than any of the witnesses at the time: The difficulty came up between Scarbro^s son and Allred (the dead mans name.) in which Jacob took a part
for his son and struck Allred with a rock which caused his death and Scarbro^s confinement in the Penitentiary for 2 years. I have known Scarbro for 30 years and this is was the only man I ever heard of his striking. But if this ^was the^ only grounds for asking his pardon I should not ask it, the best reason in my mind for your favor is, his family, he (Scarbro) has left a family of some 9 children in a starving and destitute condition with no connection to help them, he has four daughters among his children their ages running from 12 to 17 years one son some 13 years of age the ballance are small children. Now ^Sir^ this family is nearly naked with nothing to live upon except a little corn bread besides what the neighborhood sends to them. I fear they are bound to suffer from the fact that the armies have consumed pretty near all the surplus in this section of state and beside this it is evident to my mind that if Scarbro doesnt get to his family that his daughters will become victims of the unscroupulous without the propper protection. Scarbro never permitted such company about his house as is at this time hankering about there, ready to ruin those girls

This can be prevented, and there are some times cases of this kind that merits the interference of the Executive Clemency — and Go^v if you will inform me the propper way to proceed and what constitutes a meritorious case, and if Scarbro^s will fill it I will take the trouble to get a petition with as many signers or who^se^ver names should be signed to it &c in order to give you a foundation to interfere in his behalf — for Charities sake and the sake of humanity — I have ventured to write you this, feeling it my duty as a good citizen and knowing the facts as above stated to be ^true^ I venture under the circumstances that there is not a dissenting ^voice^ to his pardon in this county prosecition and all will cheerfully sign a petition for his release to come and support and protect his family. Go^v if I dont ask too much you will please write me and I will get evrything fixed up if the corse will merit it, and send or come after him —

what I do in this case is without fee or reward. I do it for the sake of Justice, and the benefit of this community. I reget to trespass upon your time, as your duties are arduous during the session. I am most Respectfully

M. J. Cook

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