Hugh A Torrance, Neighbor of John Twitty Baker

 

Depositions herein was again resumed, and thereupon came Hugh A. Torrance, a witness known to me to be of lawful age, who after being duly sworn in accordance to law, to testify the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, in regard to the matters in the caption hereof mentioned upon his oath deposed as follows, to wit:

 

My name is Hugh A. Torrance, I reside in this county. In April 1857, I was living on the farm of the said John T. Baker. I was then in the employment of the said John T. Baker, and while he was gathering cattle for his intended trip to California, I halped take care of the cattle and to feed them. They were a good stock of cattle, well selected and likely. I know that the cattle he left here with, when he started to California in April 1857, were worth Twenty dollars per head, and perhaps had cost more to buy them and gather them up and feed them while he started with them. The oxen were worth from fifty five to sixty dollars per yoke. The mare was worth one Hundred dollars; The mules about one hundred and twenty five dollars each, the ox wagon was well worth one hundred and twenty five dollars, and from my knowledge of the outfit, provisions, clothing and camp equipage, I am satisfied that the same was well worth from three hundred and fifty dollars to five hundred dollars. He had one hundred and thirty five, or forty head of stock cattle worth twenty dollars per head, and I think he had nine yoke of work oxen worth per yoke from fifty five to sixty per yoke. I have been shown and had hearings of the tabular statement made by the witness Mary Baker, whom I know to be the widow of the said John T. Baker, and from my close and intimate knowledge of the property therein mentioned, I am satisfied that the estimate therein made is below what the property was worth in cash the morning that the said John T. Baker left for California and further this deponent saith not.

 

H.A. Torrance

 

Subscribed and sworn to before me this the 13th day of October, A.D, 1860

John Bunch JP

State of Arkansas
SS
County of Carroll

 

I, John Bunch, an acting, commissioned, Justice of the Peace, duly qualified as such within and for said county, do hereby certify and make known, that the annexed and foregoing depositions of Mary Baker, John Baker, and John Crabtree, and Hugh A. Torrance were sincerely taken before me on the days therein named.

That the statements, dispenses, and evidences of said several witnesses was reduced to writing in the presence of said several witnesses, and respectively read over to them in their presence, and hearing, and by them, severally sworn and subscribed to by them, I further certify and make known, that I am personally well acquainted with each witness, and know them to be reputable persons, and to be the identical persons who they represent themselves to be. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand officially as such, Justice of the Peace, this 23rd day of October 1860.

 

John Bunch J P

State of Arkansas
SS
County of Carroll