Frederick County MD Archives Court.....Abraham BECRAFT, Petition, 1768
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Alice Warner Brosey http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00015.html#0003503 April 22, 2010, 2:01 pm

Source: Proceedings Of The Council Of Maryland 1761-1769
Written: 1768

His Excellency is pleased to lay before this Board the following Petition of
Abraham Becraft of Frederick County.

To His Excellency Horatio Sharpe Esqr Governor and Commander in Chief in and
over the Province of Maryland.

The Humble Petition of Abraham Becraft of Frederick County most humbly sheweth,
That your Petitioner was at a County Court held for Frederick County in the
Month of March last, Indicted, tried, and found Guilty of a Felony in Stealing
some Hogs, the property of a certain Conrad Dutterer, That your Petitioner was
so unhappy as to be found Guilty by the Jury, yet your Petitioner begs leave to
assure your Excellency, that he was found Guilty of a Felony on very weak and
doubtful Testimony, that he was wholly innocent of Theft, or the least Intention
to Steal the Hogs of the said Conrad Dutterer. Your Petitioner begs leave
further to State to Your Excellency the Fact which happened in the following
manner Viz. That Your Petitioners Father, George Becraft having lost some Hogs
for a Considerable time, and being informed by a certain Joseph Gorling that he
had seen them in the Woods, went with your Petitioner into the Woods, and having
found some Hogs, which your Petitioner, and his Father, then thought was the
Property of your Petitioners Father, drove them into the Inclosures of the said
George Becraft, That your Petitioner never claimed any of the said Hogs as his
Property, nor in any manner whatsoever Acted otherwise than is above set forth,
That the said Conrad Dutterer brought a Suit against Your Petitioners Father for
the taking of the said Hogs, and was satisfied by him for the same, That your
Petitioner humbly apprehends that any Act done by him, and proved to the Jury,
could only amount to a Trespass. He also humbly apprehends that the Jury, from
an Error in Judgment only, Mistook the Trespass afd for Felony. Your Petitioner
therefore prays your Excellency to grant him a Pardon. And your Petitioner as in
Duty bound will ever pray &c.

March 18th 1768. Abraham Becraft.

We the Subscribers recommend the within named Abraham Becraft as a Person worthy
of Your Excellency's Favour. Signed by Sixty eight of his Neighbours.

On Consideration of the Premisses, It is Ordered by his Excellency the Governor,
with the Advice of this Board, that a Pardon issue to the said Abraham Becraft,
which issued accordingly.


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