Green Clay Smith to Beriah Magoffin

Accession Number

KYR-0001-020-1189

Document Genre

Correspondence

Repository

Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives

Collection

Office of the Governor, Beriah Magoffin: Governor's Official Correspondence File, Petitions for Pardons and Remissions, 1859-1862

Item Location

MG21-22 to MG21-23

Place of Creation

Covington, Kenton County, Kentucky

Date of Creation

25 June 1861

Dates Mentioned

1861-06-25

1861-06-28

Covington Kentucky
June 25^th 1861 —
Gov. Magoffin,
My Dear Sir,

With this I enclose you a petition for the pardon of a young man by the name of Frank Peak- Permit me to ask you to grant him a pardon as a matter of kindness, and charity to himself and his mother who is a widdow and at this time quite dependant on the labors of her son- she has two other children, a small boy about eight or ten years of age, and a daughter about sixteen- Young Peak was charged with stealing some ten or twelve dollars an other young man was arrested with him, and the impressions with many is that whatever Peak had to do with the matter was superinduced by others- the money was found in the carpet sack of Peak- and on this ground alone he was convicted- It is likely he is equally guilty with others, and it is equally likely that he did not steal the money — This is his first offense, he is poor, uneducated and now seems to be amply penitent on act of his condition- And his Mother is an exceedingly
clever and industrious woman, and is very much beliked by all who know her- No effort was made upon the part of counsel to release him from his trial or a verdict of the jury- the case was submited without evidence or argument- believing the jury would probably acquit him, or if they found him guilty Your Excellency would interpose in his behalf- I must say that I really believe this a case where your clemency could well be exercised and a young man returned to his family, who if he has been once misled, will in future do right and be a credit to his Mother and Community- I do sincerely hope you will act in his case Kindly, and send me his pardon- If your Excellency pardons him will you be so Kind as to telegraph me before friday that he may not go to Frankfort —

I am most Respectfully
Your obt. Set
G Clay Smith

P. S.
Gov. I do not ask the pardon of a man unless I believe he should be forgiven- I have procured but few names to his petition but those I have present the case as well as a thousand- The Commonwealths atty. M^r Arthur has written a note for his pardon. This I think better than one hundred names- he Knew all the
Circumstances —

G. C. S.

Dear Gov.

I append with Col: Smith on behalf of Young Peake whose pardon he solicits — I fully concur with him in his representation of the Young man's case —

I have known the family of the Young Man for many years though had no special acquaintance with him- and can safely say that there is no Young Man of the country more respectably connected. No thieves have ever been found amongst them heretofore and it is hoped this Young Man is not yet deserving of that appellation, and that should you pardon him he may proffit by the lesson-

Yours &c
J. O'Hara Jr

Kenton Cir. Ct
1 yr. Penty
Frank Peak
Larceny
Pardon Iss^d June 28^th 1861

Civil War Governors of Kentucky is always evolving. Help us improve the edition by suggesting a correction or addition to this record.

Suggest a correction