Germantown Ky Sep 15
Dear Sir

I have been fined by the trustees of Germantown for an offence against this commonwealth I will state to your excellency as follows. Namely, In the first place I bought a Barrel of Whiskey and brought it into the corporation of this place for the purpose of selling by the half gallon out side of the corporation persons called on me for this Whiskey and I carried it out of the limits of this place gave it to the Purchases, In no instance have I received any money or delivered any whiskey by the half gall^on^ inside of the corporation. I contend that this has been according to the Statute of this commonwealth- and that the trustees had no jurisdiction in this case, nor the police judge of Germantown. I hold that it was the duty of the Grand Jury at the next sitting

Besides this seeming irregularity of trial they failed to serve a summons upon me and without my knowledge and in my absence nailed a constructive Summons upon the door and tried the case and rendered judgement without one being present It seems to me this was irregular and insufficient. Another instance where they claim I have gone contrary to law is, by giving my friends a dram they say it is contrary to law to even give away Whiskey to friends. They bought from me which was proved in one instance a cigar and I gave them Whiskey, they prevailed on me after hard coaxing. I told them I did not think the trustees allowed it to be drunk in the town even once They however testified that they took the Whiskey themsleves and I did not even give it to them

I did not get my Whiskey opened until the 2^d September 1863 and upon the first day of said Month I wrote to the Assessor of the District to register my name for government Licence dating from the first Sep this ought to entitle me to retail upon the half Gallon Statute outside of the corporation or even in small quantities. They have only fined me ten dollars (10) and Three out of the five trustees are willing to remit the fine I contend that I have not acted contrary to law and call upon your excellency to remit said fine immediately as the trustees say they have are not certain their remitting would be according to law as it is a commonwealth fine they think it devolves upon your Excellency

I have agreed not to continue or try to sell Whiskey if they will remit said fine and from it being considered by them a commonwealth fine they appear slow to enter into it although perfectfly willing. I therefore ask you to extend that leniency and justice toward me which I think is certainly due and I am with high respect Your Ob^t Servant

C. C. Coleman
Germantown Bracken C^o Ky