Louisville Augt 14 1865
Gov^r T. E. Bramlette
D^r Sir

In The city Court of Louisville there was a judgment obtained against Messrs Williams & Russell for Keeping and Conducting a lottery establishment in this City — in Violation of the Statutes. It is Certainly a great stretch of the immagination to Construe their business into a lottery Establishment The main business, is set forth in plain terms in the petition, and the testimony also — The business that they Call lottery is clearly not a business of much proffit to Williams & Russell — It is quite a matter of amusement, and does attract some business to his house, and that is all the advantage really that he receives from this part of it — Williams & Russell. have quite a stock of Jewlery on hand, in one apartment

of a large show Case they have a sample of Every article — That they have in another apartment of the Show Case enclosed in a small paper Boxes. running from a Gold watch worth $30 — or $40 — to a Single Chain of Coral — the average Cost of the entire stock of Jewelry in the Boxes. Cost Is a fraction less than one dollars each — But the average selling price in the retail Establishments of the City — is not less, than one dollar — but his sign in front of the door attracts the Crowd — Some persons, call as a matter of curiosity to see what it means and while looking at his stock — See Something that they want & buy it — Some persons — pay a dollars and select a Box & open it — And always find an article of Jewelry in it — If they are not satisfied Williams & Russell will take it back and for half dollar more give the Cus

tomer another chance — or as many chances as they may choose at the same rate I have seen men selecting — Boxes in this way, and when they were don — They could not go into any Jewelry establishment in the City and buy the same articles for the money — all prises and no blanks and — how Can it be construed into a lottery under the Construction of our Statutes — & besides before Williams would do any business of this Sort He enquired of a lawyer if there was any statute forbiding such an interprise — and he was assured there was not — he has closed his doors — and boxed his goods and awaits the action of your honor. He will not open this business again in this City — He has replevied the judgment, and I hope Your Excellency will remit the fine — or Judgment. He is a Gentlman & will not be guilty of any violation of law knowingly

D R Haggard

Gov^r will you be kind Enough to Send this by the Evenings mail, as M^r Williams & Russell wants to go with their stock of Jewelry to Nashville and dont want to leave — until the Case is disposed of — & oblige your friend

D, R, Haggard