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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-0001-004-2753 BR16-442 to BR16-443

Caldwell County, Kentucky Caldwell County, Kentucky 1865-12-18 Petition English 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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Governor Bramlett,

We, the undersigned, would most respectfully ^state^ to your Excellency, that Walter R. McChesney, being indicted for murder in the Caldwell Circuit, he togeather A. W. McChesney, his uncle, acknowled themselves indebted to the Commonwealth of Kentucky in the sum of Fifteen hundred dollars if Walter did not appear and answer said charge; and at the same time, June Term 1863, Walter and Alfred Beckner acknowledged themselves indebted to the said Commonwealth in the sum of Three Hundred dollars to be void if Walter appeared and answer the charge of robbery, for which he was indicted in said Court. We will here remark that prior to the War, Walter was as reputable young man as lived in Caldwell County, that thes two offences were committed by a Company that professed to act in the Confederate service and that Walter was not a member thereof, but your petitioners are not going to accuse or excuse him, though it perhaps would be proper in justice to him to say that it can be shown by undoubted evidence that he was compelled against his will to go with the Company that day on which those offices were committed. Walter remained here in the County, demeaning himself in a commendable manner until in the Fall of 1864 when he was conscripted by the Rebils and was taken or went off with them. Be that

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as it may your petitioners have ^no^ hesitation in saying that Walter did not depart from the Country with the approbation or consent of A. W. McChesney or Alfred Beckner. That at the June Term 1865 thoes two recognizances were taken by the said Court rendered a judgment against A. W. McChesney for the sum of $150000 on the 1st, and a judgment for $30000 against Alfred Beckner in the 2d recognizance.

Your petitioners take pleasure in stating A. W. McChesney and Alfred Beckner are peaceable citizens, good farmers and exaemplary Christians. That both have lost a large amount of their property by the War, and since its happy termination the former was robbed of $100000 or $120000 more than one half of it being in specie and the latter has had a mare, worth at least two hundred dollars, stolen from him. Thes losses render it oppressive on them to have the two judgments to pay. Walter R McChesney left no means, known to us, out of which his surities may be indemnified.

We would therefore respectfully aske, if consistent with your view of public justice ^to^ remit the said two judgments that were rendered on the said forfeited recognizances.

December 18th 1865

D W McGoodwin J. C Barnes clk Caldwell Circuit Court F W Dabney deputy clk c c c

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D. Ross. Baker, Sheriff. C. C. R, B, Ratliff J H Turner P J C C C A Reynolds D. S. Sherriff S C C W H Trustee Jury fund C C Ky W. D. Marlow P M W. T. Talbott Police Judge of the Town of Princeton.