To his Excellency Thos Bramlette
Gov^r of the Commonwealth of Ky

Sir I have been acquainted with James Pettit who was Convicted in the Jefferson Circuit Court in January last charged with the murder of his wife, & was sentenced To five years imprisonment in the state prison I have known him for ten year's, two years of which time he lived with me in my house after he was married he lived near to mi,, he was a steady industrious man and no man Could be more devoted to his family than he was untill his wife^s conduct was of such a character as to nearly run him crazy she would get drunk from home and on many occasions would be halled home drunk & in his absence would beat and abuse her Children & swear she was Too pretty to be a poor man's wife and in every manner annoyed him in such a way untill I am satisfied his mind was so impaired that he did not half his Time Know what he was doing

Bernard McElvogue

Personally appeared before me Barney M^celvouge who is personally known to me to be a worthy and reliable citizen of the city of Louisville Ky and made oath that the above statements To which his name is signed are correct & True Given under my hand this 5^th day of [December] 1864

J. M. Stephens J. P. J. C.

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