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Pikeville July 9th 1848
His Excellency Neil S. Brown
Dear Sir, your com-t munication of June 24th to the Clerk of the Circutit Court of Bradley County & forwarded to me has reached me at - this point - on my Circuit
As I can not be in that County for some weeks it will be impossible for me to procure the affida vits of the witness sent before the Grand Jury in the Case of Alfred Bailey Charged with the murdr of Isaac Howell; & as they were mostly strangers to me I do not now sufficently recollect the names or distinct statements of each of the witnesses to un dertake to furnish a correct brief of all the coic dences. The affair occurred at some public gathering perhaps a Muster ground, I could not ascertain that there had ever been any difficulty between the parties before the day on which Howell was killed nor did there seem to have been very serious on that day prior to the fatal encounter & as I understood the witness very little provocation on the part of Howell John Carson swore that when the diffi culty occurred or while it was going on, (I cannot remember which) several persons were aiding or encouraging Bailey - that he (the witness) making his way into the crowd for the purpose of sep arating them, he discovered a knife, I believe he said a large one in the hand of Bailey who was within striking at or stabing Howell with it He caught Bailey's arm in order to prevent it but was caught and forced away and when he re turned and got back to where the parties were
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the fatal wounds had been given Howell was severely stabbed in some five or six different places principally in the breast-and side. Dr Luck the physician who attend Howell swore that he died of the wounds, Howell as it appeared was a quiet inoffensive sort of man while Bailey seem to have been reckless and overbearing. As there were several others concerned some of whom were indicted jointly with Bailey my attention was mainly turned on the examination of those who were aiding & abetting
There were perhaps other small circumstances than those related above but I have given the best account of the matter that my recollection affords me
Enclosed is a description of the person of Bailey furnished me by Mr Payne together with the supposed direction he has taken
Very Respectly Your 0bt Servt Jas B Cooke
