James Y. Bliss to Richard Yates

Macomb McDonough Co Ill Oct 14, 1864 Hon Richard Yates Dear Sir From the kind manner in which you listened to my statement & petition concerning my unfortunate son, now in prison at Joliet, I have been encouraged to drop you a few lines upon the same subject. I think I can credit the statement of my own son, though a criminal, in the eye of the law. He affirms again & again his innocence as to the alleged crime-his statement of the affray, which unfortunately he witnessed is in substance the following, viz (a preliminary to introduce the matter) Having been sick, he lost his position being engineer on some rail road in the northern part of the state, he went to Chicago

with but a dol-in his [pocket] was fortunate got a job on the north western r road-an acquaintance of his took him to a certain bourding house, kept by a Mr Palmer, not such an one as he would like, yet it was the best he could do as he was a stranger & without means He had been there but a few days, or a week or two, when two men robed a third in his presence in a kind of a bar room Mr Palmer testified that my son not near the men when the robery was commited, the only other person in the room at the time I have not time to dwell upon the matter as I must take the carr in a few moments to get to [illegible] & from there to Rock Island Later I am now at Galesburg on my way to dr could not finish what I wanted to write. have changed pen & ink-after seeing Judge VanDuren's letter,

should you conclude to parden my son which I fondly hope you will do, you will do me a kindness by sending it to me at Rock Island [illegible] the care of the Rev S Wilson that is providing it can reach me there by the 26th. [I ask] and I will go directly to Joliet & get my son at liberty so that he can vote for honest Abe whom I respect & love & have done since I heard his speech at Galesburg when he was canvassing the district with Mr Douglas. Should not not send in time, as above direct to me at Macomb McDonough Ill Yours most respectfully Jas Y Bliss

Bliss, Jas. Y McDonough Co Macomb Oct 14 1864 wants his son who is a convict in State Prison pardoned as he is innocent wants Gov to send pardon to him at Rock Island if sent by the 26th if not to Macomb