From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Alcorn Collection. Letter from Judge Jason Niles of the 13th District to Mississippi Governor James L. Alcorn, giving the names of persons who were sentenced to the Mississippi State Penitentiary during the last term. Included is a note from H. F. Hewson, Alcorn's private secretary, giving a summary of Niles's letter.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Alcorn Collection. Letter from A. Wooley Patterson to Mississippi Governor James L. Alcorn, sending word to Alcorn that he has turned over unnamed persons to be tried in a circuit court. Patterson requests payment for his services from the governor. He also offers his services to the governor in the future, stating that his hotel had been burned and he is now without much to do and is "quite poor". Included is a note from H. F. Hewson, Alcorn's private secretary, giving a summary of Patterson's letter.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Alcorn Collection. Letter from A. D. Jones to Mississippi Lieutenant Governor Ridgley Ceylon Powers, asking for assistance in prosecuting a Ku Klux Klan case. Jones asks for three things for the Governor to help with to ensure the safety of the witnesses who are African American.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Alcorn Collection. Letter from W. S. Cannon to Mississippi Governor James L. Alcorn, concerning the possibility of the Ku Klux Klan members of Union County, Mississippi being convicted of their crimes.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Alcorn Collection. Petition from several petitioners to Mississippi Governor James L. Alcorn, requesting a full pardon for Peter Kesler who, having been convicted of cotton stealing, is now believed to be innocent. Having heard testimony from a Mr. Yates, who was also convicted in this same incident, the petitioners believe Mr. Kesler was a victim of circumstance and ask for his release.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Alcorn Collection. Letter from J. M. Patrick to Mississippi Governor James L. Alcorn, making his petition to have the law changed so that he can leave a subpoena at the home of a witness and levy a fine for those who fail to appear�that way he could begin to prosecute certain citizens who are "prowling about in disguise" and causing trouble in the area.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Alcorn Collection. Petition from Sheriff M. A. Metts to Mississippi Governor James L. Alcorn, asking for a pardon for William T. Hester. The item also cites reasons for the petition, one being that the defendant is disabled in one arm due to an injury sustained at the Battle of Seven Pines.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Alcorn Collection. Letter from Thomas J. Norton to Mississippi Governor James L. Alcorn, requesting assistance in getting a pardon from the Governor of Indiana, Conrad Baker. Norton has been in the Indiana penitentiary since 1865, his sentence having been extended after his recapture following his escape in 1867.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Alcorn Collection. Petition from White and Chalmers to Mississippi Governor James L. Alcorn, requesting executive clemency for Thomas Ward, who has served four years of a five-year sentence on grand larceny. (Petition not included)

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Alcorn Collection. Invoice from Ben Trimble and Charles Clark to the State of Mississippi, for services rendered during the trial of Jacob Jackson in Bolivar County, Mississippi.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Alcorn Collection. Letter from John Gillis to Mississippi Governor James L. Alcorn, requesting a pardon for Anderson Rutland, who has spent nearly three years in the penitentiary. The request is made due to the indigency of him and his family.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Alcorn Collection. Petition from Wm. Bolton and several residents of Washington County, Mississippi, to Mississippi Governor James L. Alcorn, seeking a pardon for Woodson Baldwin, an African-American man, who was convicted for attempted theft and sentenced to 6 months imprisonment and a $200 fine.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Alcorn Collection. Letter from J. F. Moore in Newton County, Mississippi, to Mississippi Governor James L. Alcorn, stating that Moore has seen a published proclamation from Alcorn calling for evidence of violent crimes being committed in Mississippi. Moore is now ready to offer his testimony. Included is a note from H. F. Hewson, private secretary to Alcorn, giving an executive summary of Moore's letter. (Hewson's note appears to give the date of the letter as January 5, 1871. This may be an error, as Moore's actual letter bears the date January 5, 1870).

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Alcorn Collection. Letter from M. B. McMicken at Canton, Mississippi, to P. B. Starke, giving Starke details of the case of Robert Brown, an African American man incarcerated in the Mississippi State Penitentiary, who was accused of murder and defended by McMicken and Henry S. Foote. McMicken is requesting a pardon to be given to Robert Brown.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Alcorn Collection. Letter from T. V. Noland at Woodville, Mississippi, to R. J. Mathews, recounting from memory the case of Res. Smith and stating that the two counts of larceny and burglary were weighed against Smith circumstantially. Although Smith was in possession of some of the items, Noland believes he most likely did not steal them. Noland states that Smith should be pardoned as he has fully atoned for his crime.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Alcorn Collection. Report from William Morest at Grenada, Mississippi, to L. M. Hall, chief of the Mississippi Secret Service, stating what part of the state he is working in. He also states that the officials from several counties are cooperating with him in his investigation into the assassination of W. F. Brantley, mayor of Winona, Mississippi, and his tracking of fugitives who have escaped from jail in those counties. He recounts his conversation with Brantley's widow. Morest further explains his intentions to carry out the investigation.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Alcorn Collection. 2 -sided letter between Z. A. Philips and Mississippi Governor James L. Alcorn. One side is from Alcorn, the other from Philips. Philips writes to Alcorn giving him the reason for the imprisonment of Ann Parker, an African-American woman, who was convicted of arson and sentenced to five years in the penitentiary in Jackson, MIssissippi. Alcorn writes back to Philips that after a conversation with Parker, he has decided to grant her a pardon due to her age and frail condition.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Alcorn Collection. Letter from W. H. Fitz-Gerald at Charleston, Mississippi, to P. B. Starke, recounting the case of an African American man named Henry White who was convicted of rape in May 1867. Fitz-Gerald claims that White and the woman whom he was charged with raping had previously had consensual intercourse except for the night in question, where he forced himself upon her against her will. Fitz-Gerald states that although White is legally guilty, Fitz-Gerald believes that there were "extenuating circumstances" and that the sentence imposed was too great.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Alcorn Collection. Letter from Z. A. Philips, superintendent of the Mississippi State Penitentiary in Jackson, Mississippi, to Mississippi Governor James L. Alcorn, requesting the early release of Samuel Harmon, who was convicted in 1868 of larceny. Included is a note from H. F. Hewson, private secretary to Alcorn, giving an executive summary of Philips's letter.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Alcorn Collection. Letter from Superintendent of Mississippi State Penitentiary Z. A. Philips to Mississippi Governor James L. Alcorn, recommending that George Lewis, an African American man who is currently incarcerated at the Mississippi State Penitentiary, be given a pardon on the grounds that Lewis still professes his innocence. Lewis is also suffering from a gunshot wound received during his service in the United States Army.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Alcorn Collection. Letter from H. S. Van Eaton at Woodville, Mississippi, to R. J. Mathews, recounting the case of Elisha Boker and stating that he ought to have never been convicted, stating that the prosecutor had gone to the cabin of Boker looking for a woman that was staying there. When Elisha came out, the prosecutor tried to attack Elisha with a long piece of iron. Van Eaton claims Elisha defended himself with a knife, cutting the prosecutor. Van Eaton also accuses the witnesses in the case, all African Americans, of being prejudiced against Boker. Van Eaton requests executive clemency for Boker.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Alcorn Collection. Letter from Judge Wade H. Hough of the 13th District in Louisiana, containing a certified copy of a judgement of the conviction of William E. Brewer from the State of Louisiana. Brewer was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to two years of hard labor in the Louisiana Penitentiary in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He was also fined $1 and is liable for the cost of prosecution.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Alcorn Collection. Letter from James R. Chalmers at Austin, Mississippi, to R. J. Mathews, recounting details of the Isaac Franklin case and that he thought for what Franklin was sentenced his going to the Mississippi State Penitentiary was a hardship.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Alcorn Collection. Letter from John Butts to R. J. Matthews, explaining that one of his bags had been stolen in Vicksburg, Mississippi, from the porter, and that part of the contents of his bag were found in the possession of John Thomas, who had been convicted of receiving stolen goods. Butts believes that Thomas has made amends for his part in the crime and deserves to be released. Butts also states that he had promised Thomas last year that he would do all that he could to help him but had not had an opportunity to do so.

From the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Governor Alcorn Collection. Letter from James T. Coleman at Vicksburg, Mississippi, replying to an inquiry concerning the case against Parker Lacey. Coleman believes an injustice had been done by the conviction of Lacey, arguing that a companion of Lacey had been swindled out of some money and when Lacey went to recover the money from the alleged swindlers, they had Lacey arrested. Coleman believes that Lacey was convicted because he is an African American man and the alleged swindlers are white, and that Lacey's punishment was far beyond his offense.