Frankfort Ky Jan 4^th 1864.
To his Excelency, the Governor.

You will I hope excuse me for the liberty that I have assumed in thus acquanting you of the facts Inductive to my conviction for three yers as a prisoner in the State's Prison.

I was tried and convicted for three years in the Penatentiary at the October ^september^ term of the Jefferson Co Court 1863. on the charge of assisting slaves to leave there Masters. The testimony in the examining court was in substance this.

The Tickette agent at the Railroad Depot swore that I had perchised on a cirtain day a tickette No 216. a part of a tickette bearing that number was found in the possession of a negro who was arrested supposing him to be a slave and the other part was said to be in the posession of a negro girl who had gone off on the cars. For this testimony I was held to $600, bail. At the higher court the testimony regarding the tickette was the same my Council made him produce the book and it was found that the number sold me was 218 instead of 216 the number that he swore I purchised.

The negro was not proven to be a slave. one gentleman swore that he had once knew him to be a slave but the man who then owned him had since died. since then he had lost sight of the boy.

And could not swear he was a slave. My Jury was composed of in part of men who was at the station house where I was taken and exposed on the night of my arrest Those men I have good reason to believe was desidedly predudiced.

I am forty one yers old have a husband and four children dead. and one son a young man living he is blind and otherwise afflicted and stands greatly in kneed of my assistance. I hope you will lend my case some thought and if you deem the facts deservable of Executive intermediation you can procure the testimony by writing to my Counsil. Eelliot or Wood of Louisville. I paid Those gentlemen to tend to my case and am to pay them a stipulated amount provided they get me out. My property is under morguage as security to the amount. Please let me know whether they have laid a petition before you for me or not. Hoping to here from you soon & praying that my case be favored with Executive Clemancy

I subscribe Myself,
Salinda. Bennette