Springfield Ky
March 6^th 1861
Dear Governor

We enclose herewith a petition for a poor ignorant fellow, who our vigilant County atty seems to have obtained a hard verdict against, You will see that the magistrate who tried the case and eleven of the twelve Jurors are petitioning for him. The other Juror is not now at home but the others say he would also sign it, The other signers are his immediate neighbors, who say his statements are correct. The whole matter occured some fifteen miles from town, & we know nothing about it, except what his neighbors tell us - and we write at their request. We have advised them that the signing of the Magistrate and Jury and immediate neighbors who endorse his statements was sufficient - and it was useless to get a long list of names of men who knew nothing about it — We suppose the

verdict was obtained by the county atty taking some advantage of deft ignorance and want of Counsel — The magistrate thinks he done wrong - and has himself taken the liberty to repreive him, until his case can be heard by you - and has not sent him to Jail —

In haste
very truly
Your friends
M R & T BHardin