To his Excellency B Magoffin Governor &c

The undersigned Citizens of Warren County respectfully represent, that Rufus Jones has been convicted of Manslaughter, by the Warren Equity & Criminal Couty, in taking the life of Henry Jenkins. The jury fixed the term for which he should be confined in the Penitentiary at four years.

Jones & Jenkins had been school mates & were intimate friends up to the evening in which the unfortunate homicide was committed. We have felt a deep sympathy with the aged grand father of Jones, M^r William Gossom & his numerous discendants, who have been severely afflicted by the conduct & conviction of their relative. The family and connections of young Jones are among our most useful & respectable citizens. The young man is now in the beginning of his manhood & was when he killed Jenkins only nineteen years old. Jones had a dangerous wound or stab inflicted upon him & which according to the testimony of Henson Wilson must have been inflicted by Jenkins immediately proceeding the shooting by Jones. We trust that an abstract of the testimony will be laid before you & that upon its examination you will discover that

the case is one in which it is your constitutional duty to exercise mercy & pardon the offender. We know that Jones erred very greatly in going armed with deadly weapons to a social party. He erred also in drinking to exceses. These errors no doubt had their influence in producing his conviction.

Is it more likely that Jones will become a good citizen by being pardoned, than he will if confined & educated four years in the Penitentiary? We trust you will find in the evidence & in the youth of Jones sufficient grounds in which to pardon him.

Feby 25^th 1861

Seaf J Smith
John L. Row
John Terwilleger
Sid. P. Smith
Ed V Covington