To his Excellency Thos. E. Bramlette
Govenor of Kentucky

Your petitioner, W^m S. Johnston, says that by Indictment found at the September Term 1864 of Kenton Circuit Court he was charged with committing or allowing a nuisance, in this, that, water having collected upon ground belonging to him in the month of August 1864 & having become noxious and putrid, thereby endangered the health of the neighborhood.

Your petitioner says that the water, out of the accumulation of which & the unhealthy affects arising there from, the Commonwealth relied in the prosecution under said Indictment, is situated upon the ground at the S. W. Corner of Russell St & Covington Avenue and that your petitioner had sold & conveyed all the ground he at any time owned, upon which said water touched, during the month of January 1864 as will appear by the County Records.

He says that he had employed Atty & was prepared to make showing of the above on trial, but that verdict was had against him & judgment for $100⁰⁰ in the temporary absence of his Atty. He sends his affidavit herewith — which was submitted to the court upon motion for a new trial — which motion was over ruled.

He respectfully asks the interference of your Excellency's clemency in the remission

of said fine to the extent that the law permits —

W^m I. Johnston

We recommend to the favorable consideration of your Excellency the foregoing petition

R Richardson
Jno E Hamilton
J, S, Scott
S M Moore
M, M, Benton

The facts in relation to the Indictment & trial are correctly set out herein. There was no proof offered to show that deft did not own or possess the land & I know nothing as to the ownership or possession beyond ^information given me by^ the statement herein

J. R. Hallam
Comlth's Attorney Protem

Jany, 20^th 1865