1p document signed by 19th U.S. President Rutherford B. Hayes (1822-1893) as "R.B. Hayes" at lower right. Signed in Washington, D.C. on May 6, 1879. The partly printed and partly handwritten document is on pale blue bifold paper. Blank interior pages, and docketed on the last page. Expected light folds, and some uneven toning/minor yellowing to isolated areas of the first and last pages. A pencil inscription from a former collector can be found in the top left hand corner of the first page. Else very good to near fine. 8" x 10." Accompanied by a Letter of Authenticity from James Spence Authentication, certification number Z85059, dated July 3, 2018. Also comes with an additional Certificate of Authenticity, certificate number 3613, from KGold Collectables (Bellevue, Washington and Mt. Laurel, New Jersey.)

In full:

"I hereby authorize and direct the Secretary of State to cause the Seal of the United States to be affixed to a warrant for the conditional pardon of William Burfoot, dated this day, and signed by me; and for so doing shall be his warrant.

[signed] R.B. Hayes

Washington, 6th May 1879."

The William Burfoot pardoned by Hayes was almost certainly a William Burfoot who had been arrested in Baltimore, Maryland in September 1877 for possessing $50 counterfeit notes drawn on a Buffalo, New York bank. Burfoot was sentenced in mid-October 1877 to two years in prison and a nominal fine, according to the October 20, 1877 issue of the "New York Times."

President Hayes pardoned or commuted the sentences of 893 individuals including William Burfoot during his four-year-long presidency, from 1877-1881.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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