Muhlenberg Circuit Court

Pleas before the Hono^l R. T. Petree Judge of the Muhlenberg Circuit Court at the Court House in Greenville on Thursday the 14 day May 1863.

Muhlenberg Circuit Court
May Term 1859
The Commonwealth of Kentucky
against
W G Jones Presiding Judge Muhlenberg County Court
Charles Morehead W K Morgan Lemuel Boggess H. P. Wilborn J S Eaves Jr. John R Roark S. C Fleming Matthew B Clark Justices of Muhlenberg County

The Grand Jury of Muhlenberg County in the name and by the authority of the Commonwealth of Kentucky accuse W G. Jones Charles Morehead W^m R Morgan Lemuel Boggis H P Wilborn J S Eaves Jr. John R Roark S C Fleming & Mattew B Clark Members Constituting the Muhlenberg County Court of the Officce of a failure to provide for and Keep a ^suitable &^ a sufficient Jail & prison House for the use of Said County Committed as follows viz the Said W^m Jones Charles Morehead W^m K Morgan Lemuel Boggiss H P Welborn J S Eaves Jr. John R Roark S C Fleming and Matthew B. Clark on the 1^st day of May 1859 in the County aforesaid were the Members of & constituted the County Court of Muhlenberg County and as such it is their duty by Law to provide for said County a good & sufficient Prison & Jail House for the use of said County & they being required by Law to provide Such Jail they on the day & year aforesaid did not in county aforesaid at the time aforesaid or any other time build erect or cause to be built erected and Keep in good repair a good & sufficient Prison and jail House

for the use of said County but has wholy failed to Keep the old Prison & Jail house already erected in good repair & in such Condition as to Secure prisoners and they have also failed neglected and refused to build erect & cause to be built & errected a suitable and Substantial prison Jail House for the use of the Said County of Muhlenberg State of Kentucky Against the peace and dignity of the Commonwealth of Kentucky

Jn^o E Arnold Atty for the Commonwealth

Information given
By J W Simpson
W^m Roark
W C Jackson
H W Jernigan

The Commonwealth of Kentucky Plff
Against
W G Jones, Clarkes Morehead W^m K. Morgan Lemuel Boggis H P Welborn J S Eaves Jr John R Roark S C Fleming & Matthew B Clark } County Judge and Justices of Muhg County Defts

The jury empanneld and sworn herein on yesterday appeard & took their seats upon their jury bench and after hearing the evidence and argument of counsel and instructions of the Court, to wit, Nathan Eades W D Lindsey T H Reynolds W^m Driskill Robert W Eades W. C Martin Thomas S Wyatt B H Coleman E G Mercer J B Staples A Malin & R H Simmons and after retiring to their Jury room for a Short time returned into Court the following verdict to wit We of the Jury find the defendents named in the indictment guilty and assess their fine at Fifty dollars each

A Malin Foreman

It is therefore adjudged by the Court that the defendants make their fine to the Commonwealth of Kentucky by the payment of the sum of fifty dollars each and that they pay the cost of this prosecution

I certify that the foregoing is a true copy of the record from the Muhlenberg Circuit Court

Jesse H Reno Clk

To his Excellency
The Governor of the Commonwealth of Ky.

The undersigned Citizens of the County Muhlenberg State of Kentucky and late members of the County Court for said County would represent that in the year 1859 and 1860 They were indicted by the Grand Jury of said County for failing to keep a suitable Jail & County Prison. At the present term of the Muhlenberg Circuit Court each of sd indictments were tried and a Judgement rendered in each case in favor of the Commonwealth of Ky against each defendant for the Sum of fifty dollars making the Sum of one hundred dollars against each defendant.

They state that the County jail though not a first rate one is about as good as it has been for many years. But they intended to erect a new jail & for that purpose made a levy before they were indicted. The money they levied & raised was loaned out, the court intending to continue the levy until the means should be acquired to build the jail But they state that after the War broke out they believed that all public

building would be in danger of being destroyd and many of the best citizens of the County advised them not to commence the building until they could do so with more safety Under these circumstances & acting in good faith as they believe for the best interest of the County they failed to erect the jail and they respectfully request. Your Excellency to remit the fine in each of said cases,

John S Eaves Sr
Charles Morehead
Joseph.J. Wells
Absalom Lowe
J J Wood
John L Spurlin
M B. Clark
H P. Welborn
W K Morgan
W, G, Jones