Covington Ky May 10/62.
Dear Govenor.

This will be handed to you by M^rs White of this city who visits you with an application for the discharge of her son Mortimer Peck a youth of about eighteen, who was convicted at the last term of our court of an attempt to commit a rape on the person of a little girl of this place.

I am not well advised of the circumstances attending the commisson of the offence, having heard only a portion of the testimony. but I am informed and I doubt not the conection of the information judging as well from the appearance of the young

man on the trial as the character of the persons who give the information, that he is the subject of that most horrible and destructive practice of masterbation, which has greatly impaired his moral and physical constitution.

He has never before been accused of any bad or criminal conduct

In his confinement nothing can be efficiently done to reform his unfortunate habit or recuperate his health; he is indeed absolutely deing in prison —

His mother designs sending him to some friends in the state of Missouri, where she hopes he may receive the care and attention of friends which will relieve him in time from this greatest

misfortune that could befall one of our race.

I believe it will be a mercy indeed, to relieve him from the further expiation of his offense in the County Jail, while to continue him longer in confinement will [subsume] no public or private good.

Yours &
I. O'Hara Jr