To his Excellency Ja^s F Robinson Tho^s E Bramlette —
Governor of State of Kentucky
Frankfort Ky

Your petitioner — L R Cheek — would respectfully represent that he is a citizen of Smithland in Livingston county Kentucky — That in the year of 1862- kept a grocery under License for sale to citizens of s^d county — That he has in everything endeavored to respect & obey all laws that he is and has ever been a Union loyal Man- ever opposed to the rebellion and has never aided or abetted or countenanced the opposers of the Gov^r

States that [...] Hill is and was in 1862 the overseer of D^r B Sanders in Livingston County having charge & control of his negroes — States that in the month of February 1863 sd Hill came into your petitioner's grocery with "Henry" one of D B Sanders negroes under his control as overseer & requested your petitioner to let him have a pint of liquor — Your petitioner was not present being sick but his son sold the liquor — Your petitioner being ignorant of the statute law let the boy have the liquor on verbal order- overseer Hill being present- not knowing it required a written order when master or person controlling negro was present — states that afterwards to wit on [...] day of [...]1863 Grand jury of sd county found a Bill against your petitioner for selling to slave without written order & on sd Bill jury at our last court August 1863

a jury fined your petitioner the sum of Fifty Dolls ($50)

Your petitioner would most humbly beg under the circumstances that your Honor Remit sd Fine — Believing that the spirit of the law never intended or contemplated such cases as this — Hill the overseer was present when the liquor was bo^tand came in with the negro Henry & requested that your petitioner let him have it- Both Hill (overseer) & your petitioner were ignorant of it requiring a written order when Master was present-

Your petitioner is a very poor man- and depends wholly on his exertions as laborer to make a living- is now working at the Tin business in Smithland — Trusting the clemency of Your Excellency in this Matter, is

Most Respectfully
L. R. Cheek

We know L R Cheek well and believe that he is an honest man & would not misrepresent facts and beg that his fine be remitted

Jas [...] Hamilton
J R Haywood
J. M. Layman
G. W. Drury
Tilor ^his^ Elliott
Young Rucker
J W Mills
S Littlefield
[N] Beverly
S. R. Green
James Zanone
Tho^s Croker
G. E. Class.
D^r James B. Gaines
G.. A.. Trail
J.. Ramage
Wm Sparks
R. Tuttle
C. H Webb.
P C Ford
W. C. Noel
John P Williamson
J. W. Richardson
Tom M D[aer]