To his Excellency Beriah Magoffin
Governer of the State of Kentucky

The undersigned citizens of Green County, would most respectfully state to your Excellency, that at our August term of the Green Circuit Court one Jefferson.J. Russell was found guilty of the offense of cutting and disfiguring the stock of William Thompson, by a jury of said County. the facts in this case being clearly proven as follows. (viz)

"During the night of the 20^th day of May 1860 the said Jefferson. J. Russell proceeded to an pasture near the residence of William Thompson in Green County, in company with a confederate, and disfigured and injured four horses by cutting off the ears of two of them close to the head, and marking the y ears of the others by crops, slits &c. Shaving their manes off close to the neck, and cutting the hair off their tail bones, and cutting a portion of the tail bone of one of the horses, off," for which offense the said Russelll was found guilty and sentenced to four months imprisonment in the county jail. So far from considering this a case meriting the pardoning mercy of your Excellency, we regard his punishment as far too light for one proven to be guilty of so degrading and revolting a crime.

Having learned that the lawyer and relations of said Russel had drawn a petition to your Excellency to pardon him, we do

but express the pervading sentiment of this entire community, by most earnestly and respectfully remonstrating against any pardon or remission being granted, to one who could be guilty of so disgusting an offense, and against his being again allowed to roam at large, when he is so dangerous to the peace and security of the good citizens of Green County.