An American newspaper has unearthed an interesting anecdote from an ancestor of incumbent President Joe Biden. The great-great-grandfather of the head of state was convicted of attempted murder after a fight. But after a few months, then-President Abraham Lincoln pardoned him in 1864.
A court transcript in the U.S. National Archives details the incident that led to Moses J. Robinette’s conviction, according to a Washington Post report. Biden’s great-great-grandfather served as a veterinarian in the Northern army during the American Civil War. At a military camp he clashed with another civilian employee named John J. Alexander.
According to the report, Robinette allegedly heard Alexander say something negative about him to a kitchen employee and then confronted him. During the ensuing scuffle, Robinette pulled out a pocket knife and inflicted several cuts on his opponent before other attendees intervened.
Sentenced to two years in prison and then pardoned
The 42-year-old later defended himself before a military court, saying that Alexander “would have seriously injured me if I had not resorted to the means I had chosen.” Nevertheless, the court sentenced him to two years of hard labor.
But several officers felt the punishment was too harsh and called for Robinette to be pardoned because he had only defended himself against someone “far superior in strength and size.” President Lincoln agreed and signed the pardon on September 1, 1864.
Source: Krone
I am an experienced and passionate journalist with a strong track record in news website reporting. I specialize in technology coverage, breaking stories on the latest developments and trends from around the world. Working for Today Times Live has given me the opportunity to write thought-provoking pieces that have caught the attention of many readers.
