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 November 11, 2025 Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives Office of the Governor, Thomas E. Bramlette: Governor's official correspondence file, petitions for pardons, remissions, and respites 1863-1867 KYR-0001-004-3420 BR42-304 to BR42-305

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1

The Evidence in the case of the Commonwealth of Ky agst James Johnson was in substance as follows:

Mrs Maria N Johnson wife of James was living in a house on W Arthur Street in Newport Campbell County. That two parties ^Mefford & Wilson^ suspected of dealing in Counterfeit money were seen to go then and thereupon the Marshall of Newport & his posse made a sudden and unsuspected enterance upon the premises, Johnson & his wife & two children were in the back room of the house also a little girl Mary Burns - Johnson arose from a seat by the store and opened the door for the Marshal & posse to enter. The two men Mefford & Wilson were in the front room, they immediately came out & Wilson was detected in dropping some counterfeit coin into a tub that was standing in the room filled with table ware. In the room in which Mefford ^& Wilson^ were wasfound was found a large amount of counterfeit coin scattered about in Confusion. A package of counterfeit coin was found on the girl Burns who first said that Mefford gave it to her in the front room

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but afterwards said that Mrs Johnson gave it to her to take away while the officers were gone with Mefford, Wilson & Johnson & before the return of the officers to the house, After the officers were gone with the parties arrrested ^according to Mrs Burnes statement^ Mrs Johnson entered the front room & found some paper money which she burned in the grate.

It was proved that Johnson had been absent from home for severl months & until within a few days before the arrest, and that the house was under the Control of his wife There was no Evidence of Johnson having possession of any of the Counterfeit money Except that it ^was^ found in the house-

Mefford & Wilson were seen to go to the house & having been suspected of dealing in counterfeit money the arrests were therefore made

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The foregoing is a skeleton abstract of the evidence adduced in the trial of Johnson, as made out by F. M. Webster of counsel for Johnston. I made no notes of the testimoney at the time. and I had, as Att'y for the Com'th until recently, so many similiar cases that the evidence soon becomes dim & shadowy in my memory. I think however that Mr Webster's statement may be relied upon, by the Governor, as as a safe guide for his experienced Judgement

W. E. Arthur

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Comlth v } Statement of Evidence Jas Johnson