Margaret MADDEN'S Petitions

Petitions to The Governor Of New South Wales

[18]65/4631 ....................................................... 9 October 1865

To His Excellency Sir John Young Bart: K.C.B. &c
Governor in Chief of the Colony of New South Wales &c &c &c
Margaret Madden - Praying remission of John Madden's sentence.

The Petition of the undersigned Margaret Madden
of Young in the Colony aforesaid.

Humbly Sheweth :

1st That Your Petitioner's husband John Madden of Young aforesaid Carrier was on the sixteenth day of May last just tried and sentenced at the Quarter Sessions at Yass, presided over by His Honor Judge Meymott to three years imprisonment for stealing, as charged, an empty case which had contained Vinegar in bottles the property of John A. Murphy Esquire or Messrs Murphy and Son Merchants of Murrumburrah and which sentence His Honor the Judge was subsequently pleased to say he would recommend Your Excellency to commute to one year on condition of good conduct.

2nd That by some inadvertence the witnesses for the defence who were in attendance and could have proved important facts in Madden's favour were not called at the trial.

3rd That had those witnesses been heard Your Petitioner verily believes her husband would have been honorably acquitted.

4th That Your Petitioner sincerely believes her husband innocent of any criminal intention in the matter hereinbefore mentioned he having picked up the case alluded to on the road-side.

5th That Your Petitioner has a family of ten children who were mainly depending upon the exertions of the said John Madden for support and are consequently nearly destitute.

6th That the said John Madden is now, as Your Petitioner is informed, lying ill in the Hospital at Paramatta Gaol.

7th Your Petitioner therefore prays that Your Excellency will be graciously pleased to take the subject matter hereof and the subjoined recommendations into your early and favourable consideration and make such order in the case as to Your Excellency may seem meet.

And Your Petitioner as in duty bound will ever Pray.

[signed] Margaret Madden

Young September 1865

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I have the honor to state that since the trial and conviction of the within named John Madden circumstances have come to my knowledge which I think justify the belief that if the witnesses for the defence had been called at the trial the said John Madden would have been acquitted and I therefore most respectfully beg to recommend the within Petition to the favourable consideration of His Excellency the Governor.

[signed] J. A. Murphy

We beg leave most respectfully to support the foregoing recommendation.

Having known Petitioner's husband John Madden for many years as an honest and industrious man, I beg most respectfully to recommend the prayer of this Petition to the favourable consideration of His Excellency the Governor.

[signed] John Hurley

Campbell Town
30th September 1865

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