I take my pen in hand to day to drope you a few lines to inform you of a prisoner health. That i am very well in health but not well in mind my motto is for this purpose to day as i know it is in your power to do so and I pray that you will take a self consideration and compassion and look with an eye of pity upon poor unworthy me and please sir to take my life out of the hands of these weaked men. the judge and the solisitor and the lawyers and the jurors promise to give me a fair and impartial trial and they have fail to do and i will state one reason to you first good citizens of the county has sworne that that if the jurors brought out a verdict that i was not guilty they would kill me before i could leave the county and this is the truth sir i can prove this by good honable men by Major H. Giloms and Col. Spruil and Mr. J. W. Bycraft Mr. H. W. Bell woh is sheriff of Windsor. My case was moved from these and they said that they would give me a fair and impartial trial, and they moved me down to Plymouth and it is proved that faults witnesses did follow them down here men that never did see me in there life came and told faults on me and i was not permitted to speak or to object them the next place at the magistrate court when the bill of inditement went before the grand jurors it was change so that they could make it a true bill in order they might condem me and if it had not been for the jailer I would have been dead because men came there by night and tried to shute me 25 men and he being a brave man stood up for me i am one innocent man just as clear of it as you is to day charge of murder.
I do beleave it and hope and beg you if you please sir to release me from the gallow I dont beleave you will let and innocent man be hung on fault accuasion. I hope to you in clemincy that you will favour me in so doing and god will bless you when you come to die if you please sire dont ders denigh me in taking my life off the gallows for i am sentence to be hung on the 18 day of January 1878. May god help you and teach you and save you for i am one poor labouring young lad for a fact. Sir ask Mr. D. M. Carter and about, me and my family mother and father and my master Wm. Grimes and they can tell you the truth if you have ever pitied any one poor boy please to looke down on me one that is bourn out of due season the lord said do unto your fellowmen as you would have them do to you and i beleave you will pardon me from death as I do not know how to write a proper letter to you but i houpe you will read this and looke with pity on me and excuse all misstakes and blunders as i am ignorant in writting to a honable governor if i was by your side and state the hold thing to you i thinke you would turn me over to states prison or to the N. C. W R R as i am evil in treated by weaked men I will ask you and beg you and pray to god for you for gods sake please sir to pardon me from the gallow and turn me over to prison as short a time as you can for god sake may god help you and teach you and this is all i can say if you please sir dear master to spare my life it is in your power god bless you is my prayer amen please sir to let me know in ful haste and god will Reward you for it i am not guilty Jesus know it and god also and the angels.

<I can prove it to you by white men and by good lawyers who you do know.>
<I ask Mr Judge to give me an other trial and he would not grant me a new trial & refuse for party the other>
<OR my master William grimes and Mr DM Carter they can tell from my youth up please please please sir and dont fail in doing so for me, humble obedient servient>