1: State you name to the Notary please?
Josiah W. Swearingen is my name.
2: Mr. Swearingen what is your business?
I am deputy clerk of the County Court.
3: How long have you been deputy clerk of the county court?
Thirtu seven years.
4: All of this time have you been deputy clerk of the County Court?
Yes sir, with the exception of about six years.
5: You are acquainted with the records of the county court, are you not?
Yes sir.
6: Where are the tax books of the county deposited?
In our office.
7: What do you mean by “tax books”, – the assessors’ books or the collector’s books?
Yes sir.
8: The collector’s books?
Yes sir.
9: They are deposited in your office?
Yes sir.
10: After the collector gets done with his books, where
does he return them?
To our office.
11: That is the office of the county court?
Yes sir, the office of the clerk of the county court.
12: Have you examined the records of your office so as to find out whether all the tax books of this county are in deposit in your office?
Yes sir.
13: Well are they all there?
There is none on file prior to the year 1860.
14: Now in your office?
No sir.
15: Mr. Swearingen, would your memory be such as to enable you to state whether any particular piece of land in the county and been assessed and had paid taxed prior to that date?
No sir.
16: With reference to their contents?
No sir.
17: And yo would not undertake to do that?
No sir.
18: That is all. You may cross examine.