To his Excellency Gov^r. Thomas E Bramlette,

Your petitioner E. B. Chapman of Russell Couny States that about the [...] day of [...] in the edge of Adair County at the old store of James Miller now decd. the store house of Cyrus Wheat was broken forcibly & in the night & goods taken there from. Afterwards part of the goods were found in the possession of said negroes & a part at the house of your petitioners mothers with whom his brother John Chapman resided The morning before the house was so broken on Thomas Wood late of Clinton County Cald Capt. Wood was at said Mrs Chapmans & said John was in the service in Woods company The petitioner does not nor has he for many years lived about his fathers or mothers house. He was a little unfortunate in his raising his father having been convicted to the penitentiary in Tennessee whether right or wrong he does not know but that & other family matters have been in his way for years. The said negroes being teased to tell on somebody finally accused as it is said Your petitioner & one Butler who lived nearby & both were arrested & brought to trial. Butler was able to [...][...] overwhelming & undoubted testimony [...] was 15 miles away & not in the neighborhood at the time. So he was dismissed [...] the pltfs family or his children all being too young to testify he could not prove an Alibi except by a small neighbor boy until 10 or 11 oclock & it was not known what hour the store was broken. The proof against

[...] In [...][...] petitioners house finding [...][...][...] the spool [...][...][...][...]that this thread or [...][...][...] there before, by [...][...][...] it. A window of the [...][...][...] with a broken [...][...][...][...] broken in that way [...][...] petitioner was found & taken from [...] concealed place, in the search for the goods [...] was applied to the chisel chops aforesaid [...] window & Mr. Wheat was of opinion that [...] corresponded with the chops. Petitioner proved by Henry Coffey not of Kin & was unattached that he Coffey broke that chisel ^in using it^ after the store was robbed & broken. There was hower & Justly so great excitement up against & on account of the crime & the others accused having fled or at least not being taken. petitioner alone on this state of proof has been sent to further trial He will be 43 years old the 3^rd day of October next & has never before be accused of a crime. He lives in his natal spot & from great poverty he has toiled his way to a good little farm & stock enough to make his family of little children 4 in number comfortable with his own labor. His neighbors & Mr. Wheat also if called on will state that he has always been a man of incessant labour & that his litle property has been made in that way. In the county of Adair & before the Judge there the slighest proof is thought to be dangerous To move the case & carry witnesses & employ lawyers will almost sweep his means. He has always been a good citizen without regard to example or influences & he hopes your honor will

pardon him & send the pardon to George Bryan Jamestown Ky We also hope your excellency will pardon Mr. Chapman for the reasons stated by him We know nothing of the proof in the case*

Joseph E. Hays

*Petitioner omitted to state that Wood was seen crossing the Cumberland with some of the goods & he is now in Tennessee

Russell