To his Excellency Thomas E Bramlette
Gov of The Commonwealth of Ky

Your Petitioners Citizens of Calloway County Ky most respectfully represent that Samuel Hart a citizen of said County was some twelve or eighteen months ago indicted in our Calloway circuit court for the crime of Mule stealing charging the property as belonging to William Hutchen another citizen of said Co. That Just before the present Term of our circuit court now in session he had discovered that he could prove an alibi by a witness now living in the state of Illinois The Commonwealths Attorney discovered in the indictment vs said Samuel Hart aforesaid some mistake as to the ownership of said mule he then had the indictment dismissed and a new bill found vs him for stealing Rowland Hutchen's mule at the present term of the Calloway Circuit Court embracing one of said Harts material witnesses in said indictment and in a few minutes after the finding then of placed on trial And while we do most earnestly protest against such hasty proceedings in cases of such vital importance we have no room for censure for either the Jury or the officers of the Law.

In view of these facts & that Mr Hart is a very poor man has an excellent wife and seven helpless children all of whom are de

depdent on him for a support and if deprived of his assistance will suffer We also state that Mr Hart is a man of excellent qual-ities Wherefore we most respectfully ask your excellency to Pardon Samuel Hart and return him to his helpless family

Samuel Hart
To } Petition for Pardon
Gov of Commlth of Kentucky