His Excellency Beriah Magoffin
Governor of the State of Kentucky:

Your petitioner, Wiliiam C May of the city of Lexington and State of Kentucky would represent to his Excellency that at night about the 1^st March 1862 your petitioner was on his road home when by some unknown hand he was struck and knocked down — Your petitioner gave the alarm when a night watchman came to his assistance and perceiving a knife upon the person of your petitioner the watchman reported him for carrying concealed weapons & Your petitioner, not wishing to make a defence in which the proof of an attempted assasination woud lead to further difficulty and probably the death of your petitioner and he confessed judgment for $50⁰⁰, and paid $24⁰⁰ cost and obtained permission of the court to appeal to his Excellency for relief Your petitioner hopes that His Excellency will interpose in his behalf

W. C May

The undersigned trust that his Excellency will interpose his Clemency in behalf of the within petition

This is to certify to your Honor that the petitioner [...]to your had his life threatened in my presence previous to his carrying the Concealed weapon for which he was fined

George Frazer

Lexington City Ct
$50. } Weapons
Remitted

Ap^l 4th 1862
B M
W. C. May