Prestonsburg Ky
Feb 21st 1861
To his Excellency
Beriah Magoffin Esqr
Governor of Kentucky

Your Petitioner Polly Ratliff would respectfully represent to your Excellency that she was fined for fornication before one James T. Ford a Justice of the peace for Floyd County $10 & costs She says it was done under the following circumstances she was summoned to trial and on the day of the trial She was sick and unable to attend the court the weather at the time being very inclemant she says the time for her to get a new trial elapsed before she knew what time the law gave her to aply for the same. she says she was working for a man as a house servant when the alledged offinse should have been commited she says she is not nor was she guilty of sd offense and is poor and unable to pay the fine has to work hard for her living and unless your Excellency remits the fine she will have to pay it in Jail wherefore she prays your honor to remit the same as she knows she is inocent & does not want to by in Jail Patricularly this inclemant weather She respectfully prays a remission of

sd fine and in duty will ever pray

Polley Ratliff

Governor

I attended to the case of the Commonwealth against Polly Ratliff charged with fornication she is a very poor women without friends to assist her and her only hope for a living depends on her own labor her neighbors say that she has bore the name of a correct woman & I can say she is not a prostitute but on the contrary is a hard working & honest woman & never before was charged with being anything of the sort to my knowledge or belief

John Harkins Ctty Atto

Floyd J. P.
$10 } Adultery
Polly Ratcliffe
Iss^dMar 14. 1861

Remitted
B. M.