Lowdy Howard to James F. Robinson

Accession Number

KYR-0001-029-0063

Document Genre

Correspondence

Repository

Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives

Collection

Office of the Governor, James F. Robinson: Governor's Official Correspondence File, Petitions for Pardons, Remissions, and Respites, 1862-1863

Item Location

R3-100 to R3-101

Date of Creation

26 August 1862

Dates Mentioned

--10

1862-08-26

1862

To his Excellency
The Governor of Kentucky

Your petitioner Lowdy Howard respectfully informs your excellency that he is a youth aged about 23 years ~~of age~~ and a resident of the city of Louisville Ky. In the month of October last he enlisted as a soldier in the United States service and while thus employed in a skirmish near Somerset Ky he recieved a bayonet wound which caused him to be sent to the hospital at Louisville. When he had recovered far enough to be able to leave the hospital and the day before he was to leave for his regiment he had the misfortune in company with some young acquaintances to get into a difficulty at a german drinking house which occasioned his arrest, trial and conviction for an assault and battery upon the keeper of said house. Being young and inexperienced he was not able to prepare for his defence as he should have done. He was not even represented by counsel at the trial. His trial took place at the last term of the
Jefferson circuit court and he was sentenced by the jury to the enormous & he thinks most unreasonable penalty of two years imprisonment in the county jail and to the payment of a fine of two hundred dollars. He has now been confined in the county jail under said conviction upwards of four months. He owns no property whatever and is utterly unable to pay the fine imposed. He has a widowed mother whose only dependence for support is upon him and he hoped his pay as a soldier might enable him to perform this sacred duty. If he could be released from imprisonment he would return immediately into the service and would thus be able to support his mother and serve his country. The assault of which he was convicted did not result in anything serious to the party and he was led into its commission under the excitement of liquor and under the stimulents of evil companionships. His father died when he was an infant one year old and he has labored under the deprivation of that parent in his rearing and feels now the incalculable greatness
of his loss. His family have always been honest & respectable and his own waywardness has been caused entirely by evil company. He drinks only when it is urged upon him by his companion. He has always been industrious and generally sober. In consideration of the premises he asks the clemency of your excellency and prays that the heavy penalties which have been inflicted upon him may be removed by an executive pardon.

Loudy Howard

We the undersigned join in the petition of Lowdy Howard and his mother for his pardon by the Governor. 26^th Aug 1862.

J. L. Clemmons

My Dear Governor

I am unable to resist the appeal of the mother. I ask you to grant the son a pardon, or else a respite for, say two years, during which time he will have an opportunity to atone for his offense by valiant and faithful service in defense of his state and country.

Very Resptly &.
P. B. Muir
cir^t Judge

We join in the request for the pardon of the petitioner.

Jeff. Brown.
M. W. Barr
A Hass
O F, Stirman
I. D. Stone

To His Excellency Jas F. Robinson, The Govener

The Facts in the case against young Howard & others, an Indictment for Assaut & Battery are in Substance as follows: Other parties together with the petitioner, called at a Beer Saloon on the [ ] day of 1862, in the suburbs of this city and called for something to drink [here] and something to eat; Rogers one of the party raised a difficulty with the Dutchman "owner of the place" and their was some affray the breaking of Tumblers chairs &c. what distinctive part Howard took is only shown from his being one of the party and in law was aiding and abetting the affair, He was the youngest of the party; is a soldier and the verdict was rather unusual: I join in the expressed petition of the Judge and in the petition of said Howard if consistent with executive clemency

Respectfully
E S Craig
Att^o for Com^th
7^th Distri

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