To his Excellency
Thomas — E. Bramlette
Governor of Kentucky

You Petitioner Frances Stewart would respectfully state that she was fined one hundred dollars at the November Term of the City Court of Louisville for renting a house to be kept for bawdy purposes.

Your petitioner did rent a house to Alice Smith who was a woman of evil fame, the house was sublet by petitioner. It was admitted on the trial by the attorney for the city that petitioner was used as a tool for others who were wiser than she was. In fact petitioner was employed to rent the house by a man who wished to evade the law. He succeeded & petitioner was left to satisfy the law that had been violated unwittingly by petitioner. Your petitioner is a colored woman, unable to reade, & did not know at the time that the law forbade the renting of houses to women of evil fame. The rent was paid to the owner of the house, & no benefit accrued to petitioners. Your petitioner has replevied the fine & cost amounting to $144 ⁰⁰/00 by pledging all of her house hold furniture, which if taken will strip her of every thing she has in the world. She is old & unable to make a living if thus deprived

of her property. She is unable to pay the find without giving up all she has & she prays your Excellency to remit the amount

Respectfully
Frances ^her x mark^ Stewart

Governor Bramlette
Dear Sir

I defended old Frances Stewart on the above Charge, & could have proved that she was put forward to pull the Chestnut out of the fire, that a white man might save his own fingers; the man had been previously fined for the same offense & to avoid a fine he got the poor old negro to rent it. I think old Fannie perfectly innocent of violating the law knowingly. After she was fined she was arrested on a Copias & to keep out of the work house she mortgaged all she had in the world. If she has to pay the fine & cost which amounts to $144 it will take all she has. I think it a case where the Governor should interpose & save the old woman. I hope you will remit it

Respectfully

J. Hop. Price

I did make the admission, as stated in the foregoing petition, & believe the same to be true

W, G Reasor atty