Early Governors' Papers

State of Tinasee Lincoln County

the undersigned The Petition of the undersignd cittizens of the County & State afores^d to his Excellency Samuel Houston Esq^r Governor of the s^d State of Tinasee your Petitioners Humbly Sheweth that a Certain Sam^l McClure was apprehended in the town of Fayetteville in the County afo s^d, for haveing kiled a m^r McBride & was convicted for the same for murder your Petitioners beg leave to state that they think & believe from the Best information they can get some Previous altercation did take Place Betweaen s^d McClure & Mcbride in which Probably some threats was made by McClure to kill Mcbride but we think it Probably the affect of insanaty but when the assault & Battery was made by McBride on McClure McClure had turnd his Back & was walking of[f] home when s^d s^d McBride Ran out of his shop dore with his hamer & to[n]gs first threw his Hamer with such violence & striking McClure on his back nock'^d him down & before he had time to Rise threw his toings with such violence struck him on the Head & cut through his hat & into his scu ull Bone which stunted McClure & the s^d McBride being a large strong Robust man & McCure a small man McBrid was able to hold him & Beat him first with one hand & then with the other which he did untill he got his death wound, McClure not being able to get a way, your Petitioners therefore being impres'^d with a belief that the assault & battery was mad by McBride with intent to kill, & that McClure kil^d him in self defence your ^Petitioners therefore Humbly Conceive that it would be unjust to hang McClure under those impressions your Petitioners hope your Excellency in your Clemency will grant a pardon for McClure as by so doing your Petitioners in duty bound shall Ever Pray &c

W^m P. Martin William T Poss Josiah Smith Joel D. Clements James P. Plenco Felix G M^cConnell H M H [Memon?] G W Blakemore John Roberts James Milsted Patrick glisten Zulus Milsted John Milsted Charles M^cKinney John M^cKeney G. W. Lang Milton Posey Orden W Poiter James Laylor James M^cKeney [Roth?] W Woodruff James Cuningham [?] Wallace]] William Swinney Tho^s Laton Jesse Coley James Swinney Benjamin Butler Cread Taylor John Taylor W^m H Taylor John Smith Jonathan C Taylor G W L. F M Taylor Tho^s J Adams John q adams James Adames W^m S Adams Lewis E Meal Taylor Eligia Taylor William Marshall Onean Taylor John S Taylor Jackson Taylor Abslam Taylor