The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-12-12
He isa Confessed Bigamst and Rob-
bed a Church,
MAY NOT HAVE BEEN IN WAR
His Claim that lie Was in Calvary
Service Interested a Son Of Gen.
VIM. &. Wick ham, Who Writes
90 Rockingham and Learns
that the Convict is Not
Deserving of Pardon.

a case of what appears to be misplaced
sympathy has just came to- lisht.
Some days ago the pathetic appeal of
one Joseph =. Chipley TO Governor Tyler
for pardon was printed i'm tine newspapers.
Chipley was sent 10 the penitentiary
from Rockingham. In ms letter TO tho
Executive he laid great stress upon the
fact that he had been in the Confederats
cavalry service.
Colonel William n. Wickham read The
mans petition i'm the Times. Ills heart
was touched lie recalled that Inns di--
tiugu.shed father. the late General VIII
liams e.. Wlcbhdm. was gallant calvary
officer and d man who loved every one
who served under him.
What it this man should have been one
of General Wickham's soldiers.
Colonel Wickham went 90 soc thc Gov
ernor lie read Chipieys petition every
line of it. and determined III possible TO
get the uan his freedom.
The Governor said Doe could DO nothing
until he could hear from the officers who
tried the man Colonel Wick1am thought
DIS old friend Colonel o. b. Roller was
the Commonwealth Attorney at tine rmc
Chipley was sentenced So Doe wrote 90
him and 90 Judge Grattan.
THE PETITION
Here IS The petition of Chipley that
interested Colonel Wickham:
State Prison,
Richmond. Va, october % $780, 0
To His Excclcncy j. Hose Tyler Cow
cruor OF Virginia
Sir.-The anirmaut Joseph i. Chipley
40. lose. now serving twelve QY year
sentence iu the peniteutiaIy. does earuest-
ly pray YOU 10 consider. this my feeble.
sclf-c0mp0sed prayer for Executive
Clemoncy ] was born iu Rockingham
county. Virginia. April sth. 1884, and there
remained with my parents until tae
breaking ont of the Civil War When
at the age of sixteen 0D years. j enc
listed in Colonel A-hny dh NH-inla
regiment oI General J. D.. is. STUART b
cavalry, serving lI through thc war
until the surrender. During the service
/ was twice wounded m battle. once at
Gettysburs and once at Cold HWhor
And ] now. as dn OIL soldier who fought
and hled with ile gallant Io"'"lns oi
the brave grand ahd gallant Stual %
through Inc service until Doe was moildllF
wounded in battle and died Tor the lost
tnue my appeal to You Tor ciemency
and give you The details of the case
which led 90 my trial aud convi tiol,
your sense and Justice VIII not allow
an old Confederate Veteran % die in The
pcnitenuary OF this state for which he
fought and gave his blood. I say that
I win die in prison [ Will give YOU my
reasons for saving IL OF course I will
admit that have "a chance of living to
serve out my sentence. but 10 is so poor
compared with the chances opposed 10
it that 7 do not depend upon DO. I am
now nearly Gfty-scvcn 5O years of age.
] am afflicted with rheumatism mv eye-
si-ht is fast failing. and OF late / real
ize that / ann declining very rapidly.
such circumstances prove that mlo-s
something is done for me I'm the way Of
Executive Clcmcncy the future holds
but little hone. for mo ON fhis eiJo of
tho pr,ve. and. We viii saw .bsu h.
So fortunate AS to live to serve ouf ,ny
e,,tirh .enterca vrhat ,ro,fJ tre r,r,,frl.r
or u,. me- bo worth On moo ,bi,t o.
,,.o,,ld ho tbo bsst la. far If D ,,.er. ,l d'o
nm ,ba da,. of nv release on c.5 H.
li,.,r ,,o from de9tb in prieon
After tho e,lrrender mi.,,t,f .o
Irredericl, countv. NI9r,l1rd ard ,,,,,...i
where rDv v,ifs ANA ohudro,. .,,o,,. ,..,'l,
v,iu now e,p',ln fo ,.,f,, F,..f,,r.,.
fine csrso of nv ipcarcerotio,. ,fy,r,c
,4ors AGO ] came 10 Uarri-ont,,ro- ,,,, d.
,,sit while horo mot s.,.er.,i ~ ,,,. oi.i
army comrades. o,t ~ drirti,,- ,..,,,
them and while urd.r fh. i,Gu,,,, ~,
liouor 1 committed "a BURGLARY ~ bre,t,-
ir, ipfo 81 store ANA ann CHARGED ,.itt e,t
inr "a can of s9rdfnos som. cheese aod
cr8cl.srs and 3f.o t.tira 60 ina rors,.
,rr.ro va. op. witness s.lirs+ me- ,,ro
t,stif.d tb.t Z told.bip tb8f I cor,r,i. ..i
t.,s crime. fla said I Was ,ef dr,ni, ,,.b,-
tol5 him man 4 co-pmilfaI tbe crin,, 4
was convicted ON thi- evidence alone
. feel confident thaf when won con.lCtr
,,. matter that you win soe TINT re.oi,,
- 40, .,.s..i,.. .,,rf.h,rr,+ +or .,,ct e
.t...i,t ..o,.,.. and t,,,.t ,,et ,..,, .,,.ui ..
- ~, 49,, ,.-,,.,r lt ,f.t. ''t,to,,
l,,,t o., mn. re,i,cti,,, .s -.
I,,.a served tbree l2l yeors NJ r,, se,-
80. ~ ,-i.d a.. tb. e,r,,,,,t.,. -,
~s ,o .,l,,,t,. cl,.rt ~ p,.t,,,,..,,'.,,,
-. n tsls have f,ifbf,,ii,. I'M
.o,,.o6 tfo r,i,s - tbe nrisoo as INV
record will proye. have no influential
sI,on6s - ,bon, can rofer v5n feel
l"'- my '.' Ivy - ,,,,. sl.,',o.