Transcribed from microfilm and contributed by: Charles A. Sherrill, 1992
A project of the Bradley County Historical Society

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Year 1857, Petition Number 27

[Cover sheet is marked: “T.L. Bates Sheriff & Jailer of Sd. Co. asking relief from expenses incurred while locating prisoners.”]

To the Legislature of Tennessee, now in session at Nashville, Tennessee. Your Petitioner, Thomas L. Bates, a citizen of Bradley County and State aforesaid, would humbly represent to your Honorable body, that in the year 1853, Richmond Pearson, Joseph Jones, and Joseph Waters were confined in the jail of said Bradley County, on a charge of offering to pass Counterfeit Bank notes, who remained in said confinement until about Oct. 1853, and then broke jail.

And the said Bates, being sheriff and jailer of said Bradley County at that time, offered a reward of fifty dollars each for the apprehension of the defendants; and after that, in the year 1854, having heard by letter from the Sheriff of Mercer County, Kentucky, that the defendant – Waters, was confined in jail at Harrodsburg, the county seat of Mercer, he went there with two of a guard, for the purpose of bringing him back to Bradley County, Tennessee, to stand his trial on the charges preferred against him, and the sheriff and jail or at Harrodsburg refused to give him up; being confined there as they said upon another charge. Said trip to Harrodsburg and back to Cleveland, cost and expenses of the said Bates and guard, was the sum of fifty three dollars, beside about fifteen days each which was lost in traveling which at one dollar per day would be worth forty five dollars. The said Bates further shows to your body, that for all these costs, expenses, and traveling he has paid the cost and expenses out of his own pocket and never received one cent of the same back from the State, county, or any individual, and will have to loose all both cost, expenses, and traveling unless there is an act passed by your Honorable body at your present session, giving the same back to him.

He therefore prays your body to pass such law, giving him the cost, and expenses of said trip, if no more. As he thinks, it would be nothing but justice for the State to pay, officers engaged in doing its business.

And of the your petitioner will ever pray. Feb. 10th 1858.

T.L. Bates

State of Tennessee ))
Bradley County ))

Personally appeared before the undersigned an acting justice of the peace for Bradley County, Thomas L. Bates the foregoing Petitioner, and made oath in due form of law, that the facts therein stated are true, to the best of his knowledge and belief. Sworn to and subscribed before me Feb. 11th. 1858.

Jos. H. Davis, Justice of the Peace for B.C.