Charley Miller to James F. Robinson
- Document Genre
- Petition
- Repository
- Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives
- Collection
- Office of the Governor, James F. Robinson: Governor's Official Correspondence File, Petitions for Pardons, Remissions, and Respites, 1862-1863
- Box / Folder
- R4-332 to R4-333
- CWGK Accession Number
- KYR-0001-029-0524
- Rights
- This image and its transcription are freely available to the public. Images appear courtesy of Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. Transcriptions and annotations were created by Kentucky Historical Society staff, volunteers, and interns. When referencing this document, please use our preferred citation.; The use of transcriptions, images, or annotations from this collection beyond the exceptions provided for in the Fair Use and Educational Use clauses of the U.S. Copyright Law may violate federal law. Permission to publish or reproduce any material on CWGK is required.
- FTP Identifier
- 32211726
Citation
Charley Miller to James F. Robinson, Office of the Governor, James F. Robinson: Governor's Official Correspondence File, Petitions for Pardons, Remissions, and Respites, 1862-1863, Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. Accessed via the Civil War Governors of Kentucky Digital Documentary Edition, https://discovery.civilwargovernors.org/document/KYR-0001-029-0524 (November 12, 2026).
To His excellency,
Governor Robinson:
Your Petitioner, Charley Miller, would most humbly represent, that he left his home in Germany, over 4 years ago, when quite a young man, and came to the United States, and finally located in Kentucky.
He states that about 3 years ago he was in Edmundson County, Ky. looking for work, by means of which to earn a support — he had never been in that county before — when he was arrested by an officer, he supposes by the Sheriff of the county, upon a charge of horse-stealing — tried, convicted, and sentenced to 4 years confinement in the Penitentiary, from the
He solemnly protests before his God and your excellency that he was entirely innocent of the charge upon which he was convicted. He never would have been convicted, if he had understood the English language, [of] if there had been any German families in that County, by whom his defense could have been made known.
From all he can learn about the st[ea]ling of the horse, he understands that a man by the name of William Neman had lost a horse some time before your Petitioner went into that county
to hunt work. And upon seeing your Petitioner, a stranger in the county, the loser of the horse supposed that your Petitoner was the man who had stolen him, and at once set on foot the prosecution which has terminated so fatally to him.
He further says that it was proven upon the trial that your Petitioner lookedlike the man who had stolen the horse, and for this resemblance, and this alone has he been incarcerated for the last 3 years in the Penitentiary.
He states that there was no proof that he stole the horse — no horse was ever in his possession, and there was not the slightest evidence connecting him in any way with the crime, excepting his supposed resemblance to the criminal.
He sincerely hopes and prays that your excellency, will, ere you retire from the high position which you have so nobly filled, restore him to that freedom which never ought to have been taken from him.
And he will ever pray,
Very Respectfully,
Charley Miller,
By his atty.
I do certify, that Chas Miller behaved himself well whilst I was Clerk of Ky Penitentiary and I do recomnd his Pardon I was Clerk for four years
Miller has been a good prisoner since I have had charge of the Prison
I have known Miller ever since he was put in the Penitentiary. He has behave exceedingly well, and I recommend his pardon
A Pardon is granted to Chs Miller. Upon his Pettn. Statements of others & my own observation and knowledge of the man & his charact conduct
J F Robinson
4 Yrs Penty
Horse Stealing
Pardon Issd
