To his Excellency T E Bramlet
Governor of Kentucky. —

We the undersigned Citizens of Union and Webster Counties, would most respectfully represent to your Excellency, that at the last (October) term of the Union Circuit Court the Grand Jury for said County found a bill of Indictment against Gabrial Nall and Edmond N Jones for the alleged "Murder" of one Sam Dial on the 13^th day of August last. Said Dial was a Citizen of Union County and said Nall & Jones are both Citizens of Webster County. We would further represent that at the time of said alledged murder the said Nall & Jones belonged to Capt Bassil Watsons Company (A) "1^st Kentucky State Forces", Jones being 1^st Corporal in said Company and Nall a Private. That said Company was at that time stationed at Clayville in Webster County, and about 9 miles from said Dials residence. That said Dial from the very begining of the Rebellion up to the time of his death had been one of the most desperate, reckless,

daring, vindictive and blood-thristy villains known to the [...]infamous and revolting annals of guerilla warfare. That he and his thieving, murderous, cut-throat followers had been during the whole Course of the Rebellion a perfect terror to this entire section of Country.

Numerous instances of villanous and infamous outrages committed by him within the scope of our own personal knowledge might be given if we deemed it necessary. And we have no hesitation in saying that as far as said Dials history was known and particulary within the field of his late infamous opperations, there is not a single good Citizen who did not earnestly rejoice when they heard of the event which had so effectually ended his villainous career.

We would further represent that about the time of the killing of said Dial many of the late rebel soldiers and guerillas were returning to their homes in Union and Webster Counties, and that Capt Watson acting under, and in accordance with the instructions

of his superior officers had given instructions to his own subordinate officers and men to arrest and bring to his Head Quarters at Clayville all returned guerillas; and that said Corporal Jones and private Nall in obediance to said instructions went to said Dials house on the said 13^th day of august last for the purpose of arresting said Dial, who had returned home but a few days previous and information of his return just having been received; and according to the representations of said Jones and Nall (of the truth of which we have not the shadow of a doubt) Dial ^resisted &^ retreated into his house, and drawing his pistol, fired the first shot; upon which Jones and Nall fired; one of the shots taking effect in Dials breast inflicting a wound of which he died a few ^hours^ afterwards. Now we would further represent that at the time of the killing of said Dial there was no one present save two of Dials sisters and a man by the name of [Hoof] and one by the name of Bailey the latter having married a relation of Dials and both having been guerillas from the

beginning of the war; all of whom we know entertain the most bitter deep-seated & vindictive feelings of hatred towards all Federal soldiers and we believe they would not hesitate to use any means to convict these men.

Now in view of all the foregoing facts we most earnestly ask of your Excellency in ^the^ exercise of the power vested in you by the Constittuion to grant to said Jones and Noll a full and complete pardon.

We ask this because we believe and your Excellency will readily perceive that upon a final trial the lives of these men would be placed virtuely in the hands of the most bitter, reckless, and unscrupulous enemies

Basiel,, Watson Capt Co (A) 1^st Ky State Forces
C, W, Cook Judge Webster County Court
M C Davis Clk W, C, C
John Nasbitt Sherriff of Webster Co
S, D, Trice D " " " "
H. L. Keiser ^Ex^ Capt. Co. B. [P. C.] Bat
B B. D. Winstead Deputy Sheriff for Webster County
J A Jackson D W C
D H Thomasson C W, C
[...] D Palmer S W C
W^m Herron J P W C
Jas M McKinney Lieut Watson C A State ^Forces^
Charles Liman Conor of Webster Co

A S Hawkins Justice of peace of Union ^Court^
R. P. Howard J. P. Webster County Ky
F. J, Sigler J P u c
C J Sigler J P w c
James Jennings assesor for webster county
W. D. Bailey C. W. C. of Webster County

J, W, Tate Justice of the peac of Union Ky.
W. W. Gentry J. P. w c
Jess Ashby J P W C
J F wright C W C
Joseph Potts
J, W, Omer
Jas. H. Williamson
W^m L Jeffreys
I J Sigler
Wm Dills
David Welsh
Thomas Pullam
H M Curry
Jacob Curry
Thomas Brantly
J W Vaugh
Jos Skinner
G. J. Price
Jesse Brantley
Willam Woodring
Gabriel Woodring

Kentucky
Webster County } Sct

I M C Davis clerk of the Webster county court do certify that the [...]persons whose names are signed to the foregoing Petition are citizens of Webster & Union Counties and that their signatures as they appear to the foregoing are genuine, In Testimony where of I have hereunto

set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court this 30^th day of December 1865

M C Davis clrk

{WEBSTER COUNTY COURT
KENTUCKY}