R. C. Harris to Beriah Magoffin

KYR-0001-020-2049.xml

Accession Number

KYR-0001-020-2049

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

MG24-66 to MG24-67

Date of Creation

20 June 1862

Dates Mentioned

1861-11

1862-05

1862-06-20

1862-07-22

To His Excellency
Hon B Magoffin
Governor of Kentucky

Your Petitioner Robert C Harris would most respectfully State to your Excellency that ^at^ the November Term 18621 of the Marion Circuit Court the Grand Jury empanneled at Said ^Term^ found and returned to Said Court two Indictments against John. L Ham for Selling whiskey to Soldiers. Said Ham is a youth about 18 or 19 years of age and was employed by your Petitioner to attend to his Bar Room Kept in his Hotel in Lebanon Ky. During the Sitting of the Grand Jury at Said November Term, and before Said Indictments were found and returned into Court, Thomas C Woods Esq who was then and is now County attorney for Marion County, came to your Petitioner and told him that the Grand Jury was about to Indict your Petitioner, but that he had been Sent by the Grand Jury to all
the men who kept bar-rooms and were Selling liquors to request them to close their houses, and if they closed in good faith that the proceedings by the Grand Jury would Stop. Your Petitioner made that agreement with Said Woods and closed his Bar-room, and the Key was delivered to Col S S Fry of the 4' Ky Regt who kept it in his possession for a considerable time Now your Petitioner would State that he entered into Said agreement with Said Woods in good faith and carried out the agreement on his part, but notwithstanding Said agreement the Indictments were returned to Court, and your Petitioner being ignorant of the fact, and having no notice as to the Indictments being found, at the May Term 1862 judgement was rendered against Said Ham by default, he having been Summoned to appear, but not knowing what to do did not appear, neither did he let your Petitioner know any
thing about it, and your Petitioner Knew Knothing of the matter until after judgement had been rendered, believing all the time that Said agreement entered into with Said Woods had been faithfully carried out. Your Petitioner would further State that during last winter after ^all^ the Barrooms were again opened, a great many Soldiers were Stationed in the immediate vicinity of Lebanon, and other Bar Keepers Sold them whiskey in great quantities and no regard whatever was paid to the law, and at the May Term 1862 of said Court the Grand Jury for Said Term returned no Indictments against any person whatever for a violation of that law Your Petitioner would further State that Said Ham is a poor Youth and totally unable to pay Said fines, he has no property of any kind, and relies Solely upon me for a Support and maintainance, he being the nephew of your Petitioner. Your Petitioner appends hereto a
a copy of Said judgements, and also the Statement of said Thomas C. Woods Esq County Attorney — Now Your Petitioner would pray that in view of the above facts that you would interpose your Executive clemency and grant to Said Ham Such remission of said fines as your Excellency may deem proper just and equitable in the premises, and in duty abound will ever pray &c —

R C Harris

Sworn to before me to R C Harris this 20^thday of June 1862 —

H. H Hughes clk M C C

Remitted
B. M.

Marion Cir Ct
$25
$10. } Selling liquor
Jno L Ham

Iss^dJuly 22 1862

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