Petition from Wm. Bolton to Mississippi Governor James L. Alcorn; May 3, 1870

Documents
Petition from Wm. Bolton to Mississippi Governor James L. Alcorn; May 3, 1870

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Each transcribed document contains links that connect it to other documents on the same topic in the collection.

People

Alcorn, J. L. (James Lusk), 1816-1894 Baldwin, Woodson Bolton, William H.Brentlinger, Unknown Brooks, D. E.Brown, Jeptha Devenport, Robert Greenley, J. C.Hinds, Thomm Hunter, W. H.Jervis, C. W.Nelson, John H.Penrice, Jno. S.Preuss, Had. K.Worthington, George P.

Events

Crime Crime--Theft Criminal Procedure--Convicted Criminal Procedure--Imprisonment Criminal Procedure--Pardon Criminal Procedure--Sentencing

Organizations and Businesses

Courts

Occupations

Bakers Justices of the peace Police Shopkeeper

Places

Greenville (Miss.)Warren County (Miss.)

Social Identifiers

African Americans Criminal Status--Imprisoned people Historically free and newly freed African Americans

Page 1

Greeenville Miss
May 3^rd 1870

To His Excellency AJ. EL. Alcorn

We whose names are hereunto appended have the honor to petition your Excellency for the pardon of Woodson Baldwin a young freedman sentenced by court a few days ago to six months in inprisonment and a fine of $200. for an alle ged attempt at theft. He has bourne a character heretofore [unassociatd?] with the connection of crime. has been know from infancy by the majority of us as being thoroughly honest and industrious, in fact we deemed his integrity unimpeachable. He was convicted upon the affadavit of a storekeeper of this place, Who stated that Young Woodson was in this store with two other freedmen all standing near his counter in which was a money drawer, whilst he was attending a customer at his door he turned and saw Woodson closing the drawer, the contents of which were scattered on the floor inside the counter, and the other side of it from the freedmen, Woodson was detained until an officer could be summoned The others were permitted to leave. If guilty it was surely an attempt at crime, and if your Excellency will pardon the offense we feel safe in promising for the prisoner a return to his habits of industry and honesty and by assiduity to each completely re establish his good character in the community

Robert Devenport
Jeptha Brown
Had. K. Preuss
Jno, S. Penrice
D. E. Brooks
CW Jervis
J, C, Greenley
Jno. H. Nelson
W H Hunter
Geo .P. Worthington
Thomm Hines

Page 2

petition to the Executive for his consideration respectfully sugges=ting that a modi=fication of the sentence might meet the ends of justice,

W^m H. Bolton J. P.

Page 3

Greenville Miss. May 4/70

Respectfully ussered—

The within named Woodson Baldwin was by me on 23 Apl. 70 sentenced to be imp=risoned in the County Jail of Warren County (the Jail of this County being condemned) for the term of Six months & to pay a fine of $200—& to stand Committed until fine & Costs were paid, the evidence upon upon which the Verdict was founded was to the effect that the accused entered the store of one Brentlinger a Baker & opened the money drawer ^in said store^ taking there from $8 in U. S. Currency He was detected while

in the act by Bremtinger & by him arrested—& taken before me, (then holding Court) two other Negroes: were in B. store at the time but they were in no way connected with the Off=ence: Nothing was off=ered in mitigation & the Court taking into consideration the resp=ectability of pro=secuting witness, imp=osed a just sentence as he on [inclined?]

If the character of the accused had been off=ered in evidence it might have reduced the amount of the fine,

The Gentlemen whose names are attached to this petition I Know to be responsible in statement, and I res=pectfully ofer this