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To his Execellency Wm Trousdale Gov
Dear Sir James Massey was indicted at the August Term 1850 in the circuit court of Meigs County Te for the murder of John Brown the proof in the cause as appeared before the Grand Jury is substantially as follows Jane Camnnon a witness who said the transaction states that the [affair?] took place in Meigs County on the 16th day of May 1850 when she came to where the parties were they were desputing Massey states to Brown that his name was [big?] fighting Jim Massey - Brown said he could not whip him if he was but that he had nothing aganist him Brown then sat down at the root of a tree she then saw Massey pick up a rock that would weigh about two pounds she did not think that Brown observed Massey take up the Rock Massey then struck him with the rock holding it in his hand just over the left eye mashing in the skull and continued to repeat his blows some four or five times upon the head and back of the neck she heard Brown during this time say oh massey do quit do not hurt me so bad she told mas sey he had killed Brown he Massey then turned round walked a few steps away turned round picked up a rock and said if he had not done so he would do it came back and jumped upon the body of Brown either on the breast or abdomen & quit
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[illegible] his [illegible] said now d - n I reckon youll die
[illegible] met massey a short distance from the place & massey told him that he Massey had killed Brown Massey told another witness that Browns horse had thrown him and hurt his body Brown lived five days was in his senses a part of the time and in prospect of dealth stated to [various?] pursons [sic] that Massey had murdered him without any provocation From these and [varous?] other cercum stances the [illegible] appears to be a most wilful murdurer masser has fled the country and is [illegible] to be making his way to some of the western tribes of Indians perhaps Arkansas The father of the dead is a man of good character but of Slender means and I have [illegible] hesitency in se parting this to your Excellency as a case calling for a prompt and [illegible] reward for the appre hension of the murdurer
James Massey is a man aged about 40 years is about 6 feet high heavy set slightly stoopshoulder Sandy hair [illegible] to be curley a little grey, blue eyes [illegible] complexion long arms large hands and feet articulates many words badly particularly when the letters th occurs such as dis for this he has a down cast look has a gap in on of his front teeth [illegible] by decay also a very small [illegible] or mole over the left eye
Very respecfully [illegible] W Bridges atto Genl for the 3rd Judicial Circuit
Sept 14th 1850
