Smithland Jany 19^th 1861
His Excellency B Magoffin
Governor of Ky

Der Sir at the last Term of the Livingston Circuit Court Mr H C Murry a citizen and steam Boat Builder at Paducah M^cCrackin County was fined One Hundred Dollars for Permiting a fence to Remain a Cross the Public Road

The circumstances are these Mr Murry Living at Paducah Bough a saw Mill on the Ohio River in Livingston County that in fencing up a lot or a small field they had Run it a cross where and old Road had been established for propabily fifty years but the old Ferry had been Discontinued for a number years and the Road was Onely used for those going to the River or mill and the hands at the Mill seemed to knot know there was any County Road there the proof showed there was plenty of Room and Just as near to go along by the side of the fence and that no invonveinance was intended

or done any One

yet they Jury seeme to feel they had no Discretion and found him guilty of obstructing the Road One Hundred Days Now we would say that Mr Murry is a very Industrious mecanick and would not knowingly violate the Law- and further that the County Court amediately made an Order changing the Road where it had been turned by the building of the fence. Under these circumstancees We beleive this to be a case calling for executive interference and Do hope you will at Once Remit the fine as the sheriff is pressing him for the Money which is verry dificul Rare under the present state of affairs

Your OBT servt
R S Ratcliffe

I have reviewed the statements made in the foregoing letter and find them to be corrct I defended the case for Mr Murry There is one additional fact [...][...] to consideration. The fence had been built across the road before Murry purchased the land and there was no proof he had knowledge of the road being there until long after he had purchased the land

W. P. Fowler

Livingston Cir. Ct
$100. } [...]
H. C. Murry

Remission Iss^d
Jany 30. 1861