To the Honorable Govenor of the State of Kentucky

Prior to the April Term of the Mason Circuit Court ^1862^ a woman by the name of Riggs was keeping a house of ill fame in the upper part of this county to the disgrace of the neighborhood The youths of the County were making her house a place of resort for bad purposes, spending their time drinking and dissipating generally — The married men of the neighborhood at the instance of the wives and mothers of that part of the County met and destroyed the house, which was not worth more than Twenty dollars, They were indicted and Aquilla Sylvia was tried and, this Court refusing to permit him to prove the character of the house in justification or mitigation he was fined one hundred dollars, His father Nathaniel Sylva and his brother James Sylva repleved the fine and their property all they are worth is now levied on and is about to be sold to pay the demand. He respectfully

petitions the Govenor of the State to remit so much of the fine as he is by law authorized to remit

Feby 23^d 1863

Respectfully
Aquilla Sylva

H Taylor Esqr acted as prosecuting attorney when the fine was imposed is now in Frankfort and will say that the statements contained in the foregoing petition are true

Aquilla Sylva

We know the parties and the facts proved at this trial. We think the fine should be remitted & petition the Govenor to remit the Same

T C Campbell
Henry L Jefferson } Sheriff of Mason C
Chas E Tabb
W H Savage County Judge of Mason Co

Mason Cir. Ct
$100 } Mis —

Harrison Taylor [...] the pettn — Fine remitted

J F Robinson

Aquilla Sylva
Iss^dMar 7. 1863