<title type="main">Rountree & Fogle to Thomas E. Bramlette Edition created from new transcripts of this manuscript. Initial upload of this work's facsimile images and metadata to FromThePage for editing Kentucky Historical Society Digital Collections Administrator of the CWGK Migration transcription project on FromThePage Kentucky Historical Society Digital Collections Kentucky Historical Society Digital Collections made 4 edits between June 21, 2025 and June 21, 2025. Dynamic TEI export from FromThePage (version 22.10)

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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-0001-004-1651 BR13-119 to BR13-120

Lebanon, Marion County, Kentucky Lebanon, Marion County, Kentucky 1865-03-15 Correspondence English Version 1 of page "4": Changes to page transcript. Version 0 of page "4": Empty transcript -- probably initial upload of page facsimile. Version 1 of page "3": Changes to page transcript. Version 0 of page "3": Empty transcript -- probably initial upload of page facsimile. Version 1 of page "2": Changes to page transcript. 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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Lebanon Ky Mch 15th 1865 To Gov. Bramlett. Dr. Sir.

At the instance of our Clients Joseph Short & John Harding. we write you on the subject of Executive interposition in their favour -- we may be biased in their favour owing to our employment, as we know & so do you that Counsel sometimes are, We feel however no hesitancy in saying to you that we have satisfactory reasons for the belief that; our clients did not design to Rob. or steal. we think it probable that under the influence of drink, they may have and likely did abuse the authority given them by the Military to arrest suspected persons: but in this

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they are liable to an action by the prosecutor, we have little doubt one year ago had we been able to try the case they would have been cleared & but a combination of circumstances was brought to bear at the trial, that we were unable to resist -- This sir is our view of the case and impartial we think we have satisfactory evidence of the actions of others tending much more strongly to implicate them criminally than the evidence in this case does these parties, and they have been praised by individuals & the public -- & these men are to be made examples of --

we think the question is was the act done with an intent to Rob or steal. -- only in that event ought they to be convicted or even tried -- the evidence did not convince us that they were guilty -- we have known

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them a number of years, or rather Short -- Hardin since he grew up -- we knew his Father & grand Father, they have been regarded as highly reputable, never heard aught against them until this affair:

we hope sir you may deem the case of that character to admit of executive Clemency, & that you will give them the aid prayed for.

we are sorry to trouble you with so large a statement, but could not say less, in truth --

truly yours -- Rountree & Fogle

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To Gov. Bramlett. Frankfort. Ky