William W. Boswell to James F. Robinson

KYR-0001-029-0558.xml

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Accession Number

KYR-0001-029-0558

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

Item Location

R4-385 to R4-386

Date of Creation

n.d.

Dates Mentioned

--10-06

1862-09-26

1863-08-27

William W. Boswell to James F. Robinson, n.d., Office of the Governor, James F. Robinson: Governor's Official Correspondence File, Petitions for Pardons, Remissions, and Respites, 1862-1863, R4-385 to R4-386, Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives, Frankfort, KY. Accessed via the Civil War Governors of Kentucky Digital Documentary Edition, discovery.civilwargovernors.org/document/KYR-0001-029-0558, (accessed August 1, 2025).

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To His Excellency
Jas F. Robinson
Governor of Kentucky.

Your petitioner Wm W Boswell would respectfully represent that on the 6' day of October last he was fined in the City of Covington Ky. in the Sum of $30⁰⁰ by John S. Nixon Esq then acting as Provost Marshall, upon the chargens of Selling liquor to a Soldier, He represents that he is a poor man, but an honest and law abiding man; that he has but one hand that he can use for any purpose of labor; that he is engaged in the business of keeping a Hotel, for which business he has both County and City license as the laws require; That he occupies a hotel known as the St Charles Hotel, which he rents; That he has a family to Support,, and although the amount of Said fine appears insignificant, Still to him who can in these times but make a comfortable Subsistence for his family and live honestly, and as a law abiding citizen Should, it is too much for him to pay.

The charge was for Selling one drink of liquor to a man in citizen's dress or clothes, who was Subsequently reputed to be a Soldier; this man was a Stranger to your petitioner and, if a Soldier, he had no knowledge of the fact, and as he always, Since the passage of the law of the Legislature of Ky. prohibiting the Sale of intoxicating drinks to Soldiers, has refused, persistently, to Sell to Soldiers, and he thinks, that if in this one instance he did Sell to a man who had no distinguishing mark of a Soldier, he Should be pardoned the offence, if even it can be denominated an offense,

He States, further, that he has at all times acquiesced cheerfully and heartily, not only in all the restrictions upon his business deemed necessary for the good of his country by the laws of Ky, but also by all Military Commanders during Martial law, and ever will,

The money was borrowed by your petitioner from a friend and paid to Mr Nixon, who now has it in his hands. and is ready to pay it over when required and where directed,

He States that the fine was assessed by Mr Nixon, acting as Provost Marshall in lieu of the Mayor of the City, under appointment of Brig. Gen^l A J. Smith, and 8 days after the order promulgated from the office of the Secretary of War in Washington Sep^t 26' 1862, the 8^t Sect. of which Seems to been a general provision as to Provost Marshalls, but which, but which he understands at the request perhaps of Your Excellency and others, has not been enforced in Kentucky.

He States that through his attorney, he has made application to Lieut, Col, Wm B. Siper, com'd'g cities of Covington & Newport, who expresses a desire to afford the relief herein after asked for, but who States that he deems it out of his power, and through whose Suggestion and advice this application is made to your Excellency,

Your petitioner therefore prays your Excellency to afford him relief and direct that the Said money be refunded to him, and as in duty bound will ever pray.

W^m W Boswell

We the undersigned are residents of the City of Covington Ky. and know the above petitioner Mr Boswell to be a man of good moral character, and well deserving the clemency of your Excellency, We further believe, fully the Statements made by him in above petition to be true, We therefore join in the the petition,

James Ayars, Jr. Clk. Kenton Co Court.
,Captn Geo,, H, Rodefer
John R Ricke, City Clerk of Covington
Clinton Butts M C. C
C A. Preston Mayor C, C,
C Beam
John F Fisk
A, H, Herod county and city Jailor
J, C, Sayers--
R. Richardson

Covington City

W^m W. Boswell
To } Petition

Fine Remitted
J F Robinson

Iss^d Aug 27. 1863,

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