Early Governors' Papers

Greeneville July 28^th 1818

Sir,

inclosed is the deposition of W^m K Vance Jailor of Greene County, showing that on the night of the 21^st Inst the Jail was broken open and the following prisoners made their escape,

Michael Hill charged with the wilful murder of Henry Brown - Hill is about 28 years old 5 feet 6 or 8 Inches high well made, fair complection light hair inclining to curl, grey Eyes. an Insolent countenance and by occupation a farmer

James M^cGill, charged with stealing one bay mare & sundry articles of clothing the property of James Courtney M^cGill is about 17 years of age, fair complection, his lip has the appearance of a hair lip that has been [served?] up a [balorir?]

37

Greeneville Ten 29 July 1818}

His Excellency Joseph M^cMinn Esq^r Murfreesborough West Tennessee

Mail}

Proclamation for Still issued 24^th Aug^t. 1818

Recvd $50

Greeneville June 7th Inst. 1828

Dear Sir,

Permit me to take the privalege of recommending to your clem^ency Mr. Daniel Allen of this County who was con= victed of Manslaughter in the Circuit Court of Greene - The Petition to which there are many signatures I presume has been presented to you - This Petition will as my recollection serves me I believe to be substantially correct; altho it may not detail every minute circumstance given in evidencte on the trial - I was employed on behalf of the prosecution and aided in it - and from a know= ledge of the whole of the circumstances of the transaction, as deposed to by the wit= nesses, believe him to be an object toward whom executive clemency should be extended - In mind & in estate he has suffered much, and that he has felt that unfeigned [?]

Greeneville June 7th 1828

Sir

At the request of the Counsel of Danl Allen I addressed a letter to Governor Carroll on the subject of a petition presented for a Pardon but my letter may have been mislaid Mr Allens counsel has again requested me to write to you,- D Allen was charg'd with the murder of James Houston, tried in the Greene County Circuit Court at the ^March Term 182[smudged out] and found guilty of manslaughter, he was sentenced to be branded in the hand & to be imprisoned six months, from which Judgment he took an appeal to the supreme Court & as I have been inform'd the Judgment was there affirmed, & the execution of the Judgt suspended on the application of Allen's Counsel for the purpose of giveing him an opportunity to apply for a Pardon

I was perfectly satisfied in the trial that the Verdict of the Jury was correct & nothing has since occured to change that opinion,- I carefully examined the Petition that I understood was forwarded to Gov. Carroll (& I am informd was not finally acted on by him) the statements in the Petition I think substantially correct with one or two exceptions which are refer'd to in my letter to Gov. Carroll more particularly than I can now refer to them as I have not my Notes before me nor have I as distinct a recollection of the matter ^now as then, but I did not consider the exceptions would materially change the complexion of the Petition, I think from my knowledge of Mr. Allen as well as from general report the character given of him in his Petition is substantially correct & the circumstances that attended the Homocide set forth substantially correct, Considering Mr. Allen's general good character

Greeneville 7th June 1828

His Excellency Saml Houston

Dear Sir

If any apology for this communication be necessary, I cannot better offer it than by a clumsy recital of the subject I wish to present and which I hope your Excellency will hear without supposing me vain enough to believe that myself or any other individual could have the least influence in. A simple statement of a few facts that may not be before your Excellency is my object The case of my unfortunate neighbour Mr. Danl Allen will probably soon be before your Excellency for consideration My Personal knowledge of him and his connexions from my youth, would justify me in saying much in his favour, and indeed no little to his Praise for meritorious conduct of a public nature since the ocurrence of the lamentable accident that has excited so much sympathy and interest among a large and respectable community. Mr. A. is a farmer, of a respectable and honorable minded family. He justly sustained the character of an honest, industrious, peaceable and useful Citizen, Sincere and affectionate but subject to hasty and Overruling Passions - No one in my knowledge more ready and Vigilant in detecting and punishing