Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1761-1769. 233

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

To His Excellency Horatio Sharpe Esq^r Governor and Com-
mander 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 Dut-
terer, 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 in-
formed 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 Dut-
terer 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 af ^d 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 18^th 1768. Abraham Becraft.

Lib. C. B.
No. 20

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 ac-
cordingly.

p. 18