Louisville Ky — June 15^th 1865
To his Excelency
Thos, E, Bramlett Gov, of Ky —

Your Petitioner Ben Duke (a free man of Col,) States that he went on a Bail Bond for Henry King a Free man (who was charged with taking a horse Blanket) in the [...]Jefferson Circuit Court to answer an inditment at the last May term of said court — Bond for three hundred Dollars — The case was called & Henry King failed to answer Bond forfeited & sums. issued &C — Your petitioner is sixty two years old has lived here all his life & this is the first time he has ever ben in court — He went on the bond in good faith to befriend his feller man who was confined in Jail & who promised by all that was sacred to appear in discharge of his bond — but has failed, & it is thrown on him, If I was able I would not call on you to relieve me — but my heath has failed me & I have but little to live on & to pay the bond would be impossible I am not able

to work, & what little I have been enabled to hoard up in this unfiendly world is indispensible to feed my family. I hope to be able to show to you by my friends who know me & know you, that I am worthy of Execative clemency — I most humbly ask that the bond be remitted & that I may not be required to pay it — If in the exercise of your pardoning power you can feel authorized to do so, your petitioner will pledge all that is sacred & honorable to arrest & bring to trilal Henry King who has forfited his bond; I was ignorant & had no thought Henry would do me as he did —

I most humbly pray that your interfere pardon & remit the bond

Ben ^his X mark^ Duke

Attest
S, M, Bernard

Subscribed & Sworn to before me by Ben Duke June 16^th 1865

S, M, Bernard
N P Ky
{S. M. BERNARD
NOTARY PUBLIC
STATE OF KENTUCKY}