To his Excellency Tho E Bramlette Govenor of Kentucky —

Your Petitioner Willis Reynolds would respectfully represent that ^at^ the September Term of the Circuit Court for Jessamine County 1861, the Grand jury of said court brought in a true Bill against him for standing a Jack without license so to do. That at the March term of said court 1865 a judgment, by default, was rendered against him on the indictment for forty dollars and costs of the proceeding; also the recognisance given by him was declared forfeited — a copy of the Indictment and proceeding under it accompany this petition — He states that said cause was continued by the Commonwealth at every term of the court from the time the Indictment was found until the judgment was rendered against him and that he was always ready for trial, — that he was also ready with his witnesses for trial, on the day judgment was rendered and attended court for the purpose of defending the charge in the indictment against him —

That, he did not know of or hear his case called during court and did

not know that judgment had been rendered against him until after Court had adjourned —

He states that ^he^ was and is innocent of the charge against him — that it is not true that he stood his Jack as charged in the indictment — That he owned a Jack but he was a very inferior animal and was not permitted to serve mares for any one except your petitioner —

That if he had been granted the privilege of a trial, he could have made this fact manifest to the court and as he believes been acquitted —

That he attended to the court and was perfectly willing to appear in discharge of his bond and would have do so had he known his case was called or acted on — but for the reasons

That he is poor and illy able to pay the fine imposed and much less able to pay the penalty of the bond which was ordered to be forfeited — and prays to be relieved from said fine and penalty by your Excellency —

Willis ^his X mark^ Reynolds

State of Kentucky
Jessamine County

Willis Reynolds says that the statements of the foregoing petition are true

Willis ^his X mark^ Reynolds

Sworn to before me by Willis Reynolds this 24^th day of March 1865

John A Willis Examin^r
for Jessamine County

The undersigned citizens of Jessamine County beleave the statements of the above petition of Willis Reynolds to be true — We know Mr Reynolds to be a good and law-abiding citizen and respectfully unite with him in the prayer of his petition —

R S Ferguson
Tho^s J Cassell
Monroe Brown
John A Willis

Nicholasville Ky
March 24^th 1865
Gov^r. T E Bramlette
D Sir

I know the within named Willis Reynolds and I have no hesitancy in stateing to your Excellency that he is a worthy man, and that his statements are entitled to credit. I believe his case presents strong reasons for Executive interfearance, I therefore hope your Excelency may remit the fine and forfeiture against him

Your
obed servt
G. S. Shanklin

NB. should the fine be remited, and the same sent to me by mail I will see that the legal fee is paid

G S Shanklin