Palatka, Florida, July 12th. 1902.

Mr. Wm. S. Jennings Tallahassee Fla.

Dear Sir:- Yours of the 11th. inst. is at hand and noted And am surprised that you should write as you do.

You say that you received mine of the 8th. you say written with a Typewriter signed with Typewriter and with pensil. I infer that you think I should have written to you with pen and signed with ink. Is it strange that I should have written with Typewriter? If it is I will explain, For ten years I have been afflicted with finger paralisis and that drove me to write as I do. It is with considerable difficulty that I sign my name with pen or pensil. You ask if the letter of the 8th is not the first letter that I have written to your office on this subject I answer yes, and answer because I wanted to give you time to think the matter over and offer your excuse for the blunder which you have not yet done. next you ask if I have not been importuned by some one else to write this letter also you ask if it was not inspired by another? To both of those questions I answer promptle No No neither of them came from anyone else, I used the Typewriter with my own fingers and I do my own thinking, and if a fool I have not yet found it out. Next you say that you never saw my name in a death warrant, and ask if I did, to that I answer no, But officials of this country this morning told me they did and more that they saw your name signed to the document and they are much surprised that you try to dodge the fact. But you say you had not knowledge of the incident. Now let me ask you a question do you as a high official sign important documents without reading them? if so are you worthy the office you hold? Then you say that I or some one has published a millicious attack on you in a Palatka paper also in

the Savannah News and other news papers and that they falsify the facts

The information or charge that some one was bent on fleeding is all false the only lawyer talked with on the subject I told in plain words that I would not pay him nor anyone a penny to talk to you in regard to the matter, and your charge that it was for the purpose of blackmailing you is absurd. So far as the news paper articles was concerned I did not request advise or dictate a word of any of them neither did anyone know that I wrote or was going to write to you the letter of the 8th. neither has anyone advised suggested or dictated for me in all this matter. You say that I had been advised abou the matter, but you do not say who informed me, in fact what you say is not so, you may have been told that such was the case. You deny ever seeing me name in the death warrant and ask it I did for myself I answered no, but there are three worthy officers of the law in this town who did see my name there and saw your name signed under the document, and these three mena re willing for me to give their names to you if you wish I should.

Now I further declare that no man has up to this time appeared to me with any excuse or explanation from you. One man did come to me and talked about the matter but it was not clear whether it was in his own behalf or that of your clerk, if in your name he did not tell me so.

Now I ask you a fair plain question, are you willing for me to have published in all the papers that I choose the facts in the case with your reply to me of the 11th? If you are not tell me quick.

Or will you publish all the facts in the case with your excuse for same and neglicence inregard to the matter. Let me know which you choose that the annoyance may stop,.

Yours.

(Print) Noah J. Tilghman.

(signature) Noah J. Tilghman