Petition to Mississippi Lieutenant Governor A. K. Davis; December 21, 1874

Documents
Petition to Mississippi Lieutenant Governor A. K. Davis; December 21, 1874

Document Network
Document Metadata

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

People

Ames, Adelbert, 1835-1933 Barksdale, W. R.Davis, A. K. (Alexander Kelso), -1884 Davis, O.Ford, Henry Humphries, Tobe Kenneday, D. J.Packer, A. G.Phillips, Alexander Pierce, J. H.Shumpert, J. M.Stewart, Westly Stockard, Robert Sullivan, H. M.Thompson, Victor W.Vance, M. D.Wiggins, Windsor

Events

Crime Crime--Forcible entry and detainer Crime--Rape and Sexual Assault Crime--Trespass Criminal Procedure Criminal Procedure--Charges and specifications (Civil and Criminal)Criminal Procedure--Clemency Criminal Procedure--Convicted Criminal Procedure--Imprisonment Criminal Procedure--Indictments Criminal Procedure--Pardon Criminal Procedure--Sentencing Criminal Procedure--Trial

Organizations

Churches Courts and Judicial Systems Courts and Judicial Systems--Chancery Courts Courts and Judicial Systems--Circuit Courts Courts and Judicial Systems--Criminal Juries Mississippi--Executive Department Mississippi--State Penitentiary (Jackson)

Businesses

Law Offices Law Offices--Lamar, Mayes and Sullivan (Miss.)

Occupations

Cooks Judges Lawyers Secretaries

Places

Mississippi--Grenada County Mississippi--Hinds County. Jackson Mississippi--Lafayette County. Oxford Washington (D.C.)

Social Identifiers

African Americans African Americans--Historically Free and Newly Freed Impoverished People Imprisoned People's Families Imprisoned people

Page 1

Oxford Miss
Dec 21, 1874

His Excellency
~~Adelbert Ames~~A K Davis
Acting Governor of Mississippi
Jackson

We the undersigned citizens of LaFayette County Mississippi beg leave respectfully to state. That Henry Ford was indicted at the last term Oct 1874 of the Circuit Court of this County and tried at same term summarily without previous opportunity to consult or Employ Counsel for his defence (Counsel being appointed at the trial) and was convicted of "Going into a dwelling house for some unknown purpose at night" and was sentenced to the state Penitentiary where he is now confined. That he is very youthful, that we very much doubt his guilt, that no offence was committed or attempted in the house in which he was charged with entering and no damage was done. That the colored boy said Henry Ford is of a good family, is himself industrious and so for as we know honest. We Earnestly solicit Your Excellencys Executive Clemency and pardon for said Henry Ford, and we will

Page 2

consider such pardon as an act of charity and generous humanity to a poor, youthful colored boy whom we deem entitled to his freedom from confinement

And Your petitioners will further accept such act with great gratitude

Respectfully Submitted

Tobe Humphries
Robert Stockard
D, J, Kenneday
Windsor Wiggins
Victor W. Thompson
M D Vance
Westly Stewart
J. H. Pierce
J. M. Shumpert

H M Sullivan Atty for Prisoner

Page 3

The Statement in this petition that the pris-oner convicted of "Going into a dwelling house for Some unknown purpose at night" is ob-viously untrue. These words are in quotation marks as if intended to imply that such was the language of the verdict of the Jury. If this had been true he would need no par-don. No Court could have pronounced Judgment. He is found guilty of no offence Known to the law. The truth is that he was Charged & found guilty of breaking & entering a dwelling house with intent therein to commit a rape. The only witness to was a colored youth_under 10 years old. The girl was locked up in the rooms by her mother who had gone to_church the entry was by a window. The room was adjoining a kitchen that adjoined the room of the white family for whom the mother was cooking. The prisoner after operating on the fears of the little girl for Some time left_with out the use of any force in accomplishing_his apparent purpose. The nearness of the white family & the disposition of the girl to scream it was believed caused him _{to de}-sist. It wa^s in roof that he Knew the Mother was away. She passed_him and a witness setting on the Sidewalk The prisoner's offence wasnot the most aggravated one of its kind—This was I think Considered by the Court in sentence—IKnow nothing that makes [page torn]—a fit fuly cet for the exercise of the par-doning power

W R Barksdale Dist Attor

I concur in the statement of facts, and in the Conclusion reached by Mr Dist. Atty. Barksdale, who officiated in the trial of Ford

ODavis
Judge &c,

July 1. 1875.

Page 4

[Page torn in left hand upper corner]
EY,
CO [gap] TOR,
SOLICITOR IN CHANCERY.

Practices in State and Federal Courts and PROSECUTES CLAIMS before the Departments at Washington, D. C.

LAW OFFICE OF
H. M. SULLIVAN,
(Late of LAMAR, MAYES & SULLIAN,)
ATTORNEY AT LAW.

Oxford, Miss. July 26 1875

His Excellency
A, K, Davis
Lt Governor
Jackson
Miss

The friends of Henry Ford a convict in the Penitentiary, desire me to inquire whether or not you received a Petition for his Pardon & whether or not said Henry Ford has been pardoned

Your prompt reply is respectfully requested

Respectfully &c

H M Sullivan

Page 5

Henry Ford

EXECUTIVE OFFICE,
STATE OF MISSISSIPPI.
Lafayette County.

From Citizens
Address [gap]
Dated [gap]
Received [gap]
Answered [gap]

[gap]

SUBJECT:

Petition for Pardon

Referred to Judge & Dist. Atty for recommendation

Returned Ex Of: July 2/75

~~No Action~~

A. K. Davis,
Lt.=Gov. Acting Gov'r

A. G. Packer,
Private Secretary.

No Action

Page 6

Oxford Miss June 25 1875

To His Excellency
Gov. A. K. Davis
Jackson Miss

Dear Sir:

It seems from the foregoing petition that is now presented to you for your consideration that Henry Ford who is now confined in the penitentiary and who was convicted at the Circuit Court of the October term of 1874 and sentenced by Judge O. Davis. The petition has been presented to me for my signature it is a petition from the citizens of LaFayette County I am not a citizen of Lafayette County in the sense which that petition is worded though I have been a long resident of Lafayette County and I know, and am Known to all the people of Said County ^an_d I know the needs and wants of the people as well as any one, You know that I am a citizen of Grenada County I know something about the Young man who the the above petition is favoring

Page 7

I know the family of which he is a [member?] ^an_d they are of good Repute The young man has a good appearance and I feel from all that I can learn a sympathy thinking that the court on the testimony of his Adversarys Sentenced one to the Penitentiary that ought to have his liberty therefore-fore I Join the petitioners in his behalf hoping that these few lines on their mission of mercy may have the desired effect I am verry Respectfully

Yours

Alexander Phillips

Page 8

"Henry Ford"

EXECUTIVE OFFICE,
STATE OF MISSISSIPPI.
Lafayette County.

From Alex' Phillips
Address Oxford
Dated June 25 1875
Received " 26 "
Answered [gap]

SUBJECT:

Endorse petition for par-don of Henry Ford.

A. K. Davis
Lt.=Gov. Acting Gov'r

A. G. PACKER,
Private Secretary.