To His Excellency B Magoffin
Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky

The undersigned citizens of Shelby & Oldham Counties would respectfully represent to your Excellency that at the present May Term of the Jefferson Criminal Court, one William Johnson was tried and convicted in said court and sentenced to the state Prison for the Term of Twelve months

Your petitioner farther states the said Johnson had ^gone^ from Shelby County (his residence) with some acquaintances to Louisville on business and unfortunately got to drinking And became intoxicated, and in that condition went to shop of Watchmaker & Jeweller to have his watch repaired, and made a purchase of some small articles of Jewelry and hand the Jeweller a (Ten dollar bill, who had to leave his shop in order to obtain change (after his being absent some time Johnson went out to [...] him but not finding him [...] returned to the shop but the man was not in the room and picked up a watch (supposing it his own) and left. The Jeweller upon coming in discovered that Johnson had taken one of his watches and had him pursued and arrested, We give the above as the substantual facts of the case — as we had them from persons who were present at the trial

The said William Johnson is a youth of some seventeen or eighteen years of age, and ^has^ uniformly borne an honest reputation, Temperate and industrious.

In view of the facts set forth herein in Concern the youth a subject worthy of Executive Clemency, And humbly ask your Excellency to grant him a pardon & restore him to liberty & by effected friends & as in duty bound and every pray &c

G

If your Hon. sees proper to refuse this petition, you will please return it to John W Sloan Floydsburg Harlan Co. Ky

The young man is destitute of earthly connections as without Father mother, Brother sisters of cousins, therefore the petitioners as not related to him in [...]

John W [Shoat]

Petition