To his Excellency B Magoffin Govenor of Kentucky

Your petitioners Citizens of Chrstian 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 afixed his punishment by confinement in the Pententiary for a period of five years

Now your petitioners will state that said Greer is 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 kiled 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 firing with pistols at each other that they both fell that Ferrell after they fell was in pursuit of William Greer who was unarmed and firing at said William (who was also a son of Johnathan Greer) that Johnathan Greer the father having his rifle gun in his hands & being himself severely wounded by a pistol shot his son Abner shot down and Ferrell pursuing of afiring at his son William who was unarmed & retreating fired upon said Ferrell & 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 & 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 & favour 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 & has ever borne the character of a peaciable quiet sober & industrious citizen a good neighbour a firm friend as a kind & 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 an act of clemency would meet with the hearty approval of an overwhelming majority of the best citizens of the Country

I was foreman of the grand jury that found the indictment against Greer, and heartily subscirbe the above petition