Pendleton County Ky
To the Govenor of Kentucky.

Your petitioner William F. Griffing would represent, that he was indicted in the Pendleton Circuit Court in two cases for trespass to personal property. The property of Benjamin Blackburn in the first case, and the property of Samuel Blackburn in the second case. And upon these indictments he was tried. At the Oct. Term of the Court 1863 he was fined $90 — and at the April term 1864. of the same Court he was fined $100. He states that on or about the [...] day of [...]1862 he united himself with a small squad of Confederates, and went to the house of Samuel Blackburn, and did aid in taking from his farm a bay mare. Their object was at the time to go to the Southern Army. He had nothing whatever to do with the taking of a horse or other property from Benjamin Blackburn and the mare taken from Samuel Blackburn was returned to him the next day without injury. He states that he did with others go to the Southern Confederacy, and did Join the Confederate Army. This is all true and he desires to speak the whole truth, and to acknowledge that in the part taken by him in the trespass and against his Government, he did a great wrong, for which he has tried in every way he could to atone. He left

the Confederate service upon the first oportunity that offered, without doing any hurt to the Government of the United States, returned, and voluntarily surrendered himself to the proper military authorities at Covington and Lexington by whom he was released upon taking the oath and giving bond, which he did. He has returned to the neighborhood in which he lived, among good and true Union men, and he professes and claims to be a good Union man and that he has done nothing inconsistent with his oath bond, and professions since his return.

He has spent much of his means foolishly he freely admits, and is reduced to straightened circumstances, with but little left to support his family. The cost of the two indictments against him will amount to at least $100 after remitting all of the judgments but the costs. This is punishment enough. This he will freely bear, for he has done wrong, and for the wrongs done, he has offered every redress, and atonement in his power to make. He askes your Excellency to remit the jdugments aforsaid.

W^m F Griffing

Signed and sworn to before me S. Tho. Hauser Judge of the Pendleton County Court, by William F. Griffing this 18^th day of May 1864.

S Tho Hauser Cty Ju

Govenor Bramlett

I am well acquainted with William F Griffing. I have no doubt whatever that the representations made by him and the statements of his petition are true. I saw Mr Griffing at Lexington Ky after he had returned from the Southern Army and surrendered himself. He talked to me about his case. I entertained no doubt about the sincerity of his professions, and entertain none now. He has remained at his home in this County since his release and has deported himself as well as any man in the County. Govenor I know M^r Griffing well I would not ask you to remit the fines against him without good reasons. I hope you will remit the fines. The Union men here will approve and sanction it. I have no pecuniary interest in the matter presented to you,

Saml. F. Swoope

The undersigned Citizens of Pendleton County Union men and acquaintances of William F. Griffing, would respectfully request the Govenor to grant the prayer of his petition. We are satisfied of the truth of the representations made by him. He has since his return, deported himself well and loyal to the Union. We are his neighbours, and

are willing to trust him.

Charles Yelton
Wm Lancaster
James M Blackburn
A D Blackburn
W^m Hamilton
C. A. Wandelohr,
W. G. Woodson Pr M.
J W.E. Records
Henry, D, Hauser
J. T. Applegate
S Tho Hauser
B F Robbins
John Wheeler P. G. Mmaster Boston ^Station^
G. W. Yernald
F Walters
John Orr
Willis Lovelace
William Chiles
J. E. Gosney
Samuel Lumis
Newton Bealua
John Graves

Pendleton Cir Ct