This J. M. P. Williams letter is part of the Civil War & Reconstruction Governors of Mississippi Project. The original is held at the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.
Natchez June 3th 1872
To
His Excellency R. C. Power
Governor of the state of Mississippi
Sir
there was a convict escape from the state penitentiary at batton Rouge La. By the name of george flecher, or Williams. I would state when flecher came to natchez ^he^ went to work and is a master of his trad. Mr G. M. Brown the Brick mason employed this young man and found ^him^ to be a number one mason. there was one or two shaper stoped in the city with doubt occupation and was arrested. ^one^ of them betrade the said flecher to the cheft Pollece who notified by telegraph the authority of penitentiary that such a man was in natchez an upon receivin an ansewer that there would be thirty dollars $3000 Paid for his delivery to them at batton rouge and all exspences going two coming ^from;^ with doubt the knowlege of the city authority. it did look to me like taking the advantage of the law to see them not adhere to nothing but going on heedless of all could be said to them a committee waited on the gaurd and ask that you, be consulted, ^first^ because we veiwed the matter thuss, that you were the gov. of miss. and all authorization to party should come from you, to take a man from the state of mississippi to the state of lousanania with doubt first notifying of you of the fact. I will say some of our embelent lawyear state to the committee that the cheft Pollece had no sh such authority. May 29th F. Husey [?] away with men} Governor has the Cheft pollece such power to. not if ask by citizen for his authority to take person from one state to an nother with doubt the proper authority eather from mayor she-riff, or gov. I may be misstaking if so please let me know very Respectfully
J. M. P. Williams
Here is the names of the Committee that waited on the cheft of Pollece and lawyear [?] and other lawyear who said they had no law to sirstain him.
Lawyear G. F. Bowle atterrney at law
Albert Brooks Pollece
Henry Willson constable
James Gaines citezen
J. M. P. Williams senator
Committee all Colored and the convict also