To his Excellency B Magoffin Govenor of Kentucky

Your petitioner Citizens of Christian County would respectfully represent to your excellency that at the present March term of the Christian Circuit Court Johnathan Greer was tried on an indictment against him for murder that the Jury acquitted him for murder but found him guilty of manslaughter and fixed his punishment by confinement in the Penetentiary for a period of five years

Now your petitioners will state that said Greer an old man being about sixty years of age having a large family of children that he was involved in the fight or affray in which Addison Ferrell (for killing of whom he was tried) was killed that the proof on the trial established the fact that Stephen Shelton who was also killed in the same affray by Abner Greer a son of said Johnathan Greer and said Abner who was very dangerously wounded by Shelton were engaged fireing with pistols at each other that they both felt that Ferrell after they fell was in pursuit of William Greer who was unarmed & firing at said William (who was also a son of Johnathan Greer) that Johnathan Greer the father having his rifle gun in his hands and being himself severely wounded by a pistol shot his Son Abner Shot down and Ferrell pursuing & firing at his Son William who was unarmed & retreating fired upon said Ferrell and killed him which ended the affray Now your petitioners taking into consideration all the circumstances in the case the relation of father & child that existed between Johnathan Greer & his sons Abner & William and fully appreciating the parental feelings of said Johnathan Greer at the time of the killing cannot but think that it is a case addressing itself with peculiar force and favor to the consideration of your Excellency and we the more readily urge his cause before your Excellency for the reason that Johnathan Greer has lived in our midst from early youth to old age and has ever bourne the character of a peaceable quiet sober and industrious citizen a good neighour a

firm friend and a kind and affectionate husband & father

Taking all things into consideration we respectfully present his case to the favourable consideration of your excellency and earnestly ask for him a full & free pardon believing as we do that such a act of clemency would meet with the hearty approval of an overwhelming majority of the best citizens of the Country.