To His Excellency Thomas E Bramlette
Governor of Kentucky

The undersigned citizens of Anderson County would respectfully represent, that, as shown by a copy of this indictment herewith sent, Benj Houser, James Taylor & W^m Harrison Terry Brown, & Lycurgus Hudson were at the last November Term of the Anderson Circuit Court indicted for the murderr of one John Ash — The circumstances were as follows: The said Houser, Taylor, Harrisson, Brown & Hudson, are citizens of Spencer County Kentucky, and as they were passing along the road they fell in company with a detachment of Federal troops ^Cap N Collins Company 39^th Ky Mounted Infty^ on a scout after Guerillas, in the lower part of Anderson County which was at that time a strong hold of different marauding bands then infesting the country and committing depredations of the worst character. — As the party were going on the road near Van Buren Ash was perceived going out into the Country with a basket, and the Soldiers supposing that he was a Guerilla, halted him & he ran off

and as he ran the Soldiers Shot & Killed him, neither of the above parties having anything to do with it in any way, & having no power, even if willing, to have prevented the action of the Soldiers in the premises

Wm Searcy
B. L. Boston
M V Royalty
Ben S. Myers
Wiley Searcy
G L M^cGinnis

Such are the facts as I am informed and believes as stated in the foregoing petition I further state that they were acting under the command as I believe of a superior federal officer and as such are not amenable and are therefore entitled to Executive clemency

C H Fenwick

M^t Eden Spencer County Ky