Petition of William H. Herndon and Others to Thomas Ford, [November 1845]1
To the Honorable the Governor of the State of IllinoisThomas Ford.Your Petitioners would respectfully represent that Samuel Smith a citizen of this State and of Sangamon, was at the last Term of the Circuit court, indicted for an assault by the Grand jurors of said County and convicted by the
petit jurors of an assault and sentenced by the Honorable Judge of the Circuit Samuel H. Treat, to three days imprisonment and ten dollars fine and pay the Cost of suit,2 Your petitioners would further respectfully represent that the Said Saml. Smith has
been in the County jail all the said time and several days more and that he is still
in jail and is a poor man and is unable to pay the fine and cost of suit and they
would most respectfully beg ^ask^ of Your Excellency to release him from prison, so that he may pay the fine and Cost
of suit3
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1845–
Petitition for Pardon
Saml Smith
Decemb[December] 2– 1845
Petitition for Pardon
Saml Smith
Decemb[December] 2– 1845
2On November 14, 1845, Samuel Smith was indicted for assault with intent to commit
bodily injury. He retained Lincoln & Herndon and pleaded not guilty. On November 21, 1845, the jury found him guilty, fined him
$10, and sentenced him to three days in jail, to remain in jail until the fine was
paid.
People v. Smith, Martha L. Benner and Cullom Davis et al., eds., The Law Practice of Abraham Lincoln: Complete Documentary Edition, 2d edition (Springfield: Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, 2009), http://www.lawpracticeofabrahamlincoln.org/Details.aspx?case=140106.
Autograph Document Signed, 2 page(s), Illinois State Archives (Springfield, IL).