To His Excellency Govenor Bramlette

The undersigned would state to your Excellency as follows that he was fined in the City Court of Lexington, $50. for a breach of the peace by an assault upon T. A. Hornsey, He deems the fine unjust and sorely oppressive. The assault was committed under these circumstances He was casualy at home with his aged mother near seventy years of age, when Hornsey and his wife, and another woman came to where his mother lived and called her down stairs from where he was lying on the floor, to have a settement of, or at least an interview with her in regard to some tales, or slanderous talk which his mother had herd others state in regard to Hornsey's wife and sisters. The old lady went down had a talk with them told them that she had nothing further to say and told them to leave, and she started up stairs again when they called to her angryly and loud talk ensuing, he went down to see what was the matter and there sayw Hornsey standing with a small knife in his hand in a threatening attitude and he enquired of him if he came there to insult, or whip his mother, and thereupon

[word] ensued, and he struck Hornsey two or three licks and made him leave the house and did not hurt him badly. This is the whole offense. What he did was done, as he deemed it in protection of his aged mother in his own home: had Hornsey not come there with his women nothing would have occured. He never had any contriversy or difficulty with him before. On the evening of the day of this occurrance Hornsey, who boarded in the same house with some negro officers, came with a negro officer and some of his negro troops, and broke into his mothers home, and searched for him to arrest him. The same evening of his trial, the same negro officer did arrest him and without any investigation put him in the chain-gang, and worked him in the public streets with negroes, under a negro guard and so kept him for nine days, and then turned him loose, without a word said, and no charges prefered. He learned that all this infamous treatment was for the offense aforesaid, and no other He has been heretofore a watchman of the city and always a Union man. Hornsey his wife and the other woman were the witnesses against him, and gave their story with exagerations. He had no witness present untill the close of the affair, when his mother returned down stairs He asks

for executive clemency, and feels that he deserves it.

J V Downing

Dr Sir

I defended J. V Downing, in the above case & felt that he was improperly fined — I beleave his statements above He was arrested and turned loose — I do not know for what cause — I cheerfully recommend a release of his fine. I deem it a meritorious case

Jn^o B. Huston

We recommend the release of the fine upon J. V. Downing

Lexington City Ct
vs
J. V Downing
$50.
Breach Peach
16^th Oct /65
Remit