Colemansville
Harrison County
Ky May 20th 1865
To his excellency Thomas
E Bramlette Governer of the
State of Kentucky
Greetings

Dear Sir, whereas there appears that at the May term of the Harrison Circuit court, my friend Mr Gray Bryant was fined in the sum of Two hundred Dollars, (as the Testimony would go to prove) for keeping a Gambling house; Therefore I would pray your excellency to remit the fine, against him, as the witnesses that appeared against him were personal enemies of his and (I have no doubt) had a malignant design in injuring him; These men are of bad character, and for a small sum as a bribe would swear to almost any thing, and I do believe one ofthe witnesses was bribed, as Bryant

had opposition in the same village that made threats that they would make Bryant Smoke before the year was out, and that was all the way they could get at him; I have been in Bryants Barroom often, and if there was any gaming for money in any where about his house or on the premises, I never saw it; neither do I believe the witnesses ever did; and I do verily think it is very unjust that he should pay the said fine, and, too, that he is, and has been, a truly loyal man and has fought the rebellion as hard as any one has done — according to his means and ability; and I am further satesfied that If there was any gambling about his premises, it was not done by his permission, as he is a strictly law abiding man — and I would

further state that he is a poor man within a large and helpless family and a renter; I have known him for many years and never know him to act dishonorably in any way

Cap. F. Stone