Williamstown
Dec 1 — 1863
Hon Thos E Bramlett
Gover. of Kentucky
Dear Sir

Enclosed is the petition of John Marquesof this county which explains itself. I will add that the facts are I believe correctly stated, but not so fully as they might have been John Neal is his son in law, lived near the line betwene Scott& Grant — There was a great nest of theives in his neighborhood that annoyd> the people greatly — Neal was accused of being one of the theives — was tried with a number of others & held to bail by a court of inquiry — Marques was his bail —

After the trial a company of citizens mostly Home guards & mostly good citizens held a meeting & resolved that John Neal should leave ^the^ neighborhood together with his brother Thomas Neal & others or they would hang them. Neal was notified & left & has never returned — now as I am informed lives out of the State — I believe in Ia — The others left also — The stealing had no connection with the rebelion the Neals being loyal Unionmen & prosecuted in part by the best Union men in the country — Neal is a bad man but is gone — I was prosecuting him & know what I write is true — Marques gets drunk — but is an industrious peaceable old man — is loyal — owns 200 acres of poor bushy hill land & nothing more

has a host of grandchildren to support — the family of one son who has been in the Federal army since 1861 — being of the number — He is truly & actively loyal & c & except his disapition is a harmless citizen — is old & infirm & will be ruined — utterly ruined — if he has this Judgt to pay. I therefor earnestly write in asking that you remit it all except officers fees &c If desired he will try to get Neal & have him tried although he is his son in law —

Truly &c W S Rankin

His land is to be sold on the 14^th — inst — Mr Scott is the comwlths atty —