<title type="main">James Wright 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 4 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-0001-020-1971 MG23-426 to MG23-427

Marion County, Kentucky Marion County, Kentucky 1862-06-05 Petition English Version 1 of page "4": Changes to page transcript. Version 1 of page "3": Changes to page transcript. Version 0 of page "4": Empty transcript -- probably initial upload of page facsimile. Version 1 of page "2": Changes to page transcript. Version 0 of page "3": Empty transcript -- probably initial upload of page facsimile. 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

State of Ky Marion Co } Sct To his Excellency B. Magoffin Govr Ky

Your Petitioner James Wright would most respectfully state that on the day of Novr 1861. hi was indicted for an affray in the Marion Circuit Court in Conjunction with one John. W. Neville That on the day of May 1862 said Case was tried in said Court and your Petitioner was fined in the sum of $45. for said alleged affray. He states that the facts of the dificulty are as follows His Co Deft Neville who was a Deputy U. S. Marshall was on the street in Lebanon and came down the street meeting this Petitioner when he came up to Petitioner they entered into conversation in regard to some political prisoners that had been confined in the Co Jail and some exciting words ensued between both parties -- This Petitioner knew that said Nevill was all the time heavily armed and while said conversation was going on said Neville advanced on this Petitioner your Petitioner giving back several steps. just at this Mr. D. S. Maxwell saw a dificulty was probable came in directly between your Petitioner and Nevill pushing Petitioner one way with his left hand and Nevelle another with his right hand and was standing directly point

2

blank in between us both and was interposing and urging quietness and peace to which interposition your Petitioner yealded and so far as he was concerned the dificulty was at an end and would so have remained had not said Nevelle while said Maxwell was immediately beween us and when it was wholly unexpected by said Maxwell and this Peitionr said Nevill reached his hand over the right shoulder of said Maxwell and fired immediately in the face of Petitioner and his ball passed so near Petitioners face that he for the time supposed he was certainly shot -- A moment passed and as soon as Petitioner could see what was going on for he was greatly confused and stunned he looked and saw Neville in the middle of the street where he fired the second round at Petitioner and this your Petitioner followed him and fired at him. immediately after which several shots were exchanged between us none of which fortunately took affect upon any person.

Now your Petitiioner states that he did not fire until it was absolutely necessary in his own defence and when he regarded his life in extreme immideate peril -- Some of the witnesses on the trial stated that Peitioner shoved Neville back which was not true these were witnesses who were not in a good position to see how the dificulty progressed and no one had so good a chance to see and know how it occured as Mr. Maxwell who was immediately at and between the parties He states that on the trial Mr. Maxwell was not asked

3

in regard to Neville's advancing on Petitioner this was omitted from oversight of some sort -- Mr Maxwell so soon as the trial was over told Petitioner that the witness who thought your Petitioner was advancing on Neville were mistaken and that if he had been asked upon that point he would have stated that Neville was advancing on Petitioner whom he stepped in beween us -- From this oversight and other causes a verdict has wrongfully been obtained against your Petitioner for the amount afsd Your petitioner would further state that he is a married man with a family consisting of himself wife and four small helpless children that he owns no property save some insignificant articles of household furniture that he is a Carpenter by trade and is compelled to look exclusively to the very small amount he is in these times enabled to earn to furnish the daily bread and other necessaries to his family. and that he has no means of paying the said fine Wherefore he most respectfully asks that your Excy remit said fine except the costs And as in duty &c

James Wright

Sworn to by James Wright before me this 5th day of June 1862.

Thos. C. Woods N. P. M. C.

Affiant J S Maxwell states he has read the statements above made in regard to what his evidence was and would have been. The same is correctly stated affiant was not asked in regard to whether Neville was advancing on Wright or not= It is true that at the time affiant stepped in between them Neville was advancing on Petitioner and after he got between them witness supposed there would be no further difficulty until Neville unexpectedly fired over his shoulder --

D S Maxwell

Sworn to before me by D S Maxwell this 5 day of June 1862

H. W. Purdy D. C

4

Marion Cir Ct $45. } Affray Jas. Wright Remission IssdJuly 22. 1862