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 November 11, 2025 Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives Office of the Governor, Thomas E. Bramlette: Governor's official correspondence file, petitions for pardons, remissions, and respites 1863-1867 KYR-0001-004-0811 BR10-252 to BR10-253

Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky 1864-05-12 Petition English Version 1 of page "4": Changes to page transcript. Version 1 of page "3": Changes to page transcript. Version 0 of page "4": Empty transcript -- probably initial upload of page facsimile. Version 1 of page "2": Changes to page transcript. Version 0 of page "3": Empty transcript -- probably initial upload of page facsimile. Version 1 of page "1": Changes to page transcript. Version 0 of page "2": Empty transcript -- probably initial upload of page facsimile. Version 0 of page "1": Empty transcript -- probably initial upload of page facsimile.
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Louisville, Ky. May 12th 1864 Gov. Bramlette

We, the undersigned, most respectfully ask your Excellency to pardon Joseph Brown, who was yesterday sentenced by the Circuit Court to two years confiement in the Penitentiary for the manslaughter of Albert Goldsmith.

Brown is very young, only 17 years of age, and we believe that without any malice or deliberate intention to do violence, was provoked into the difficulty by deceased who was very quarrelsome and the Widow adds this her signature to this appeal for your executive clemency.

Hellen Goldsmith Widow of the deseased Wade F Lane James W. Prather N. V. Gerhart C S Snead Robt F Orr Richard Isaacs -- J A Sproul Thos J Hackney Jno. N. Fletcher Wm. E. Hughes Peter Pfeiffer Stephen Seversin A L Hardan

I James P Chambers Clerk Jefferson Circuit Court certify that eleven of the names signed to this petition are the names of jurors in the case of Commonwealth against Joseph Brown convicted of felony in this Court on May 11 1864

Attest James P Chambers

I further certify that the name of A L Harding the twelfth juror has been subsequently added

att Jas P Chambers

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C. B. Smith Thead. Schwartz. Henry Deppen

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To Gov. Bramlette Dear sir,

I ask your excellency's clemency to be extended to young Brown. Seeing the name of the widow of the decease, as well as eleven of the jury who tried him to the petition for the pardon, and being asked to intercede with you for the young man, I do it without hesitation, from the high characters of the parties who ask me. If consistent with your duty, it would gratify me much to have you pardon him. His youth should have much weight

very truly Richard T Jacob

To Gov; Bramlette

I was of counsel for young Brown whose petition for a pardon is on a preceding page. On the trial of the case I offered as a witness in behalf of the accused, his younger brother by name Charles Brown, who testified in the Examining Court, and whose testimony explained the course of the shooting. It was that the deceased had kicked the accused several times on a portion of the the body and that great suffering was caused thereby and that during the difficulty Brown shot Goldsmith. The Circuit Judge excluded young Charles Brown as a witness on account of his youth and his ignorance of the nature of an oath; although he had testified as before stated in the Police Court. I unite in the petition for a pardon.

Respy Nat. Wolfe

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Jefferson Cir Ct vs Joseph Brown

Pardon granted May 16" 1864 Tho E Bramlette