<title type="main">William E. Arthur to Beriah Magoffin Edition created from new transcripts of this manuscript. Initial upload of this work's facsimile images and metadata to FromThePage for editing Kentucky Historical Society Digital Collections Administrator of the CWGK Migration transcription project on FromThePage Kentucky Historical Society Digital Collections Kentucky Historical Society Digital Collections made 3 edits between June 22, 2025 and June 22, 2025. Dynamic TEI export from FromThePage (version 22.10)

This image and transcription is publicly accessible. The image appears courtesy of the repository named in the Source Description. The transcription and annotation were undertaken by Kentucky Historical Society staff, volunteers, and interns. If referencing this document title, accession number, and permanent URL.

 November 11, 2025 Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives Office of the Governor, Beriah Magoffin: Governor's Official Correspondence File, Petitions for Pardons and Remissions, 1859-1862 KYR-0001-020-1116 MG20-225 to MG20-226

Covington, Kenton County, Kentucky Covington, Kenton County, Kentucky 1861-05-29 Correspondence English Version 1 of page "4": Changes to page transcript. Version 0 of page "4": Empty transcript -- probably initial upload of page facsimile. Version 0 of page "3": Empty transcript -- probably initial upload of page facsimile. Version 1 of page "2": Changes to page transcript. Version 1 of page "1": Changes to page transcript. Version 0 of page "2": Empty transcript -- probably initial upload of page facsimile. Version 0 of page "1": Empty transcript -- probably initial upload of page facsimile.
1

Covington Ky May 29th 1861 Hon. Beriah Magoffin Governor &c Dear Sir

At the last February Term of the Circuit Court for the County of Campbell, held in the City of Newport one John Moyughn or Monahan was indicted & and convicted for cutting with a pair of Taylors shears a man by the name of William Karney- His punishment was fixed at six months confinement in the County Jail and fifty dollars fine. The proof indicated that Karney was drunk and disorderly and although the conviction & the punishment were manifestly just and proper yet there were mitigating circumstances in the case-

Poer Mayughn or Monahan has now been serving his time in the County Jail near four months- His conduct has been exemplary-

His poer and excellent wife has called upon me this afternoon to ask you to pardon her husband and also remit the fine- She is entirely destitute. She has two helpless children, one one a cripple. A third child she buried since her husband has been ^in^ Jail-

2

Her husband is a Taylor and she says he is good to her and her children and pr will provide for them if he can obtain his liberty Her case is one which appeals strongly to my sympathy. The law has been vindicated, and the prisoner punished to a wholsome extent, and I Know of no good likely to result from to his further punishment- but his innocent and suffering family will be benefitted by his release

I think this is a case where Executive clemency may well be freely bestowed

I therefore ask your Excellency to gladden the hearts of this good woman and her little famishing children by granting a free and full pardon & remission both as to imprisonment & fine.

I beg that this application may be acted on at once and if it should prove agreeable to the Executive will to grant it request hereby to enclose to act of pardon & remission to me at this place

Your Excellency's obedient Servent

W. E. Arthur Atty Com'th

3
4

Remitted May 31st B M

Campbell Cir. ct