Louisville April 12th

My dear Governor, A very quiet and respectable ^free^ colored man, named Allan Smith, was employed as the custodian of the keys of a school-room in this city. A couple of Irishmen demanded the keys of him. Very properly he refused to comply unless they would show authority for the demand. On account of his refusal, they made a violent assault upon him and knocked him down. He sprang up and defended himself with vigor and success. He was prosecuted, and, by unscrupulous swearing, they got him convicted and sentenced to pay a fine of fifty dollars. He

couldn't pay it, and was sent to the Work House. He remained till D^r Leachman, a humane physician of this City, called at his humble home and found his wife and children crying for bread. Dr Leachman then bailed him out. He ^has^ paid all of his fine except $23, but has no means of paying that, and he must go back to the Work House on Wednesday unless the amount shall be remitted. Under these circumstances, I beg your Excellency, as an act of justice and humanity, to remit it with the least practicable delay

Ever your friend
Geo D. Prentice

Louisville City Ct
$50. } Assault
Allen Smith
Iss^dApr 16. 1861

Remitted
B. M.

Enclose to Prentice