Moses Block and Fanny Block to James F. Robinson

Accession Number

KYR-0001-029-0465

Document Genre

Petition

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

R4-246 to R4-247

Place of Creation

Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky

Date of Creation

16 July 1863

Dates Mentioned

1863-07-06

1863-07-16

1863-07-20

To His Excellency James F. Robinson
Governor of the State of Kentucky.

Your petitioners. Moses Block, and Fanny Block, citizens of this State. residing in the City of Louisville, would respectfully state that upon the 6^th day of July 1863, They were tried upon an Indictment for an Assault & Battery, in the Louisville City Court, and by a verdict of a jury fined as follows Moses Block $100⁰⁰ & Fanny Block $50⁰⁰. A certified copy of the Judgment rendered in pursuance of said verdict, is made a part of this petition.

They state that they are man & wife, that they, and the prosecuting witness are Jews, that they rented to the prosecuting witness. & to her family, a part of the building in which they reside, that prior to the alledged asault, they notified prosecuting witness to leave. and said notice having expired on Sunday prior to removal of said tenants. the prosecuting witness. Mr^s Moses Dinkelspiel, commenced to clean and scrub a lot of old dry goods boxes. in the back yard of said residence, wasting much of the cistern water on said premises, and so wasting said water, as to cause the back yard to become sloppy, wet, and
very uncomfortable. Your petitioner Moses Block after requesting said Mr^s Dinkelspiel to cease her work, without avail, proceded to remove the handle from the cistern pump. whereupon the said Mr^s Dinkelspiel, procured a bucket and safe, and having forced at the boards nailed upon the top of the cistern, commenced to draw water from the said cistern, so as to continue and increase said nuisance.

Your petitioner Moses Block, then attempted to take the bucket from the said Mr^s Dinkelspiel, when a contest ensued, and during the same your petitioner Fanny Block, undertook to assist her husband the s^d Moses Block, in obtaining said bucket.

In this scuffle your petitioner Moses Block, had his shirt, and vest torn off. Fanny Block had her hair pulled down & ^received^ a blow upon the face, and Mr^s Dinkelspiel received an accidental but slight injury ^also^ upon the face.

Said injury to Mr^s Dinkelspiel, the prosecuting witness was neither permanent, serious, or painfull, and the affair was brought to Court, more out of revenge &
malice than in furtherance of Justice.

Your petitioners being without witnesses and the said Mr^s Dinkelspiel, prosecuting, and so garbling her statements as to prejudice the jury, the trial resulted as above set forth.

Your Petitioners being without proof, did not apply for a new — trial.

They would further state that Moses Block is 52. years of age, that Fanny Block is 46. years of age, that this is the first complaint ever brought against them in Court, that that they are quiet law abiding citizens; are in very moderate circumstances, with a family dependent upon them. that the payment of said sum of $150.⁰⁰ would cause them & their family much suffering & distress; that great injustice was done your petitioners by the amount of said fine, and they therefore appeal to your Excellency to interpose and discharge them so far as it may be in your power, from said injustice and loss. by a remission of said fine. and this as in duty bound they will ever pray.

State of Kentucky
Jefferson County } Sct.

Moses Block & Fanny Block say that the
statements in the foregoing petition are true

Moses Block.
Fanny ^her X mark^ Block

Subscribed & sworn to before me by Moses & Fanny Block, this 16^th day of July 1863.

W^m Minx Jr. N. P. J. C.

Recd Louisville Ky July 20^th 1863 from Moses Block & Wife Sixty ⁶⁰/₁₀₀ Dollars in full of cost and Fees in fifa which issued against them the above date from the city court of Louisville

W. R. Hydes M. C. C. L.

<< $60,,⁶⁰/₁₀₀ >
Respectfully recommend, that fifty Dollars of the aforementioned fine be remitted

W. G. Reasor City Atto

I unite with the city attorney. I know M^r Block who is a very quiet orderly & good citizen, verry many of the citizens have asked a remission of the whole fine & his Excellency will decide from the circumstances stated, how far he will Exercise Executive clemency

Geo W Johnston J. [c c. L.]

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