Caldwell. Co. Ky. Janu 28 / 1861
Mr. Berih. Magoffin

Dear. Sir. I once for the first time in my lif take my pen in hande to rite you a fiew concenrning the murder of Mr Carteright which was one by Mr Wadelton, and how mr Wadelton has hade afare triel and is condemed to bee hung on the first of March and now Sir they are giting up a Pentisers to have him repreved from hanging and Sende hime to the Penitentryand they are giting all of the little boyes to sine the Pertition they are leting evry thing Sine hit they cane persuade in to hit or either hive theme to done hit And now sere Wadelton, has hade a fare triel and the jurors. was got out of a nother county men that node nothing about either. Wadleton. or carterite they woun't interested in the [sort] in noe maner what ever and now nothing more then haning would bea rite hea has murderde his felow mane in one of the affules maner that any man ever was mirderd in before hea [...] Shot hime all to peases and then after hea was dead hea thene took a axe and chop hime all to peases and Mr. Carterite. was one his one Primeses when Wadleton. kild hime atending to his one afares. A now sere this Pertition is the most of the names is forge to hit and then the worst of all all of the little boys has sinde hit this ivol to bea the fact hit

is going one here rite in mye one setlemente and now sere if you wil geste let the law have here one way ruld wil git shut of one of the meanest mene in our contry hea aught to a bin hung ten year agoe hit would a Stoped a great deal of meaens his father is well of and some pore. Devils looks one hime as a Perfict god hea is as me^e^ne as there is aney youse of any mane beaing and now sere fore the sake of heaven gest Say hang old. Tomes. Wadleton, hea has murderd his felow man one of the finest men in our county a perfict gentleman a mane of hie ranke respectied by all men and as onerbel aman as ever the sone frome heaven ever Spired one think of the Pore mane how hea was murderd by the olde slink caled from time to eternity taken frome his friendes now Pleas gest let us have the pleasure of hanging old. Tome. Wadleton our county is more then wilen to pay Some mane to put the rope a round his neck imus bring my leter to a close thoe I hant half threw with my subgect

Remaing your [unworth] friend til Death so fare well
Alexander,, T, McElroy

I can git this backed by a large number of our citizens I rote this by a request of a good old sitizen and my one opinion