The Pork Barrel

Note: This document is courtesy of Mrs. Jane King Fohn, who typed the original document. I have altered the appearance of the document somewhat in order to put it on line. R. Campbell, Ed.

THE PORK BARRELL

Oct.5, 1822

WILLIAM ROBEY Vs. PORTSMOUTH, OHIO.

William Headley.

WILLIAM LODWICK saith:

that Wm. Robey instructed Wm. Headly to as the best for him he could with his produce and was willing to deposit the Money in Orleans.

MARCUS COLE saith:

that Wm. Robey entrusted Wm. Headley to sell pork at $10.00 per barrel if he had a chance; if not sell it at that price then to ship it if he had a chance; but to sell it the first chance. -he instructed this near Alexandria on the boat going down; & Headley was to pay Sattle $40.00.- & for Sattle laying by in Portsmouth reasonable compensation & Aeneas Collins $11.00 per month from the time the boat left Robeys and allow him one month for returning and reasonable expenses.

LUCIUS COLE saith:

Wm. Robey instructed Wm. Headley to sell his pork at $10.00 per barrel; and if he could not sell it at that price Headley was to ship the pork positively; the corn or the rest part of the load he was to sell the best he could.

AENEAS COLLINS saith:

The cherry plank and the scantling he supposed to be worth$100.00. Headley was offered at Natchez $3.00 per hundred; he supposes about 3000 feet in the lot. Headley sold all the pork before he got to Orleans; the bargain between Wm. Headley and Obentine in Natchez was $7.00 per barrell; the Marked price of pork in Orleans at that time sold for $12.00 per Barrel. Robey told Headley that $10.00 per barrell would not save him, & Headley told him that he would ship the pork if he could not sell it for $10.00 per barrel .Beef sold at Orleans for $6.00 he believes; ten barrells of beef deposited in Orleans by Headley; the money coming from Giss? He believes Headley received. Headley had sendt about $200.00 in a hunting shirt to a Washer Woman very carelessly the day before it was stolen. Headley gave deponent said Money & the PocketBook to keep, which he bid him to put in his Knapsack, he said Headley took afterwards some change out of said Money in the Knapsack, which was stolen out of the boat; the night following in the absence of Headley who was at the Rolett table in Natchez he supposes; in Sattles Pocket Book was $30.00;in Headleys about $200. The Knapsack lay in the stern of the Boat. The Boat was in Charge that night of Sattle; who staid in the boat that night and is a trusty hand. Mr. Gift seemed a very respectable Man and officious in helping on the Boat. Lavis seemed a lousy looking fellow who was taken on the Boat by Headley; he thinks Headley to be a careless Man as to Money Matters. Headley paid him on the Steamboat in Natchez $3. In Orleans $3. Headley was to pay Sattle $40. & $3.50 for laying by; & the instruction from Robey to Headley was that he should do the best for him he could, & he understood that it should be shipped if not sold. He believes the Pork was well put up, he saw 20 barrells opened.

JOHN W. LEISH saith:

that Pork sold at Orleans for $10 to $12; & Flour $4. & Corn at 7 bits on the 5th of May 1822; in April at Natchez Pork sold 6 ¼ cents by quantity. Headley had been at Orleans a few days before him, & left Orleans the 12th of May; Headley told him the Pork he had on board was not good.

JOHN BALEY saith:

saw a few barrels of the Pork opened which appeared old and rusty; but did not smell bad; one of the barrels appeared bad on account of the brine run out; he believes the pork was well put up. He heard Wm Robey tell Headley he should do with the property as if it was his own; Headley kept his Money generally in a Mitten at the head of his bed.

ISAAC JOHNSTON saith:

that one Davis was on his Boat three nights at Natchez. Then ordered him of, told Headley not to keep him. Which he promised to do; found the next morning Headley searching Davis for Money which said Headley (Davis meant undoubtedly) had stolen in the night. $270. Headley stated that he sold $300. worth of Pork, Freeman's Note $300. Cash $200 and after $70 cash in Pork. We saw the Pork which he supposes not to be good pork & would not stand inspection at Natchez he could not sell the Pork & Scantling understood of Headley and his hands that he had sendet a Pocket Book with $200 in it to the Washer Woman once. He allowed that Headley did the best he cold for Robey, but was rather careless with his Money.

ANDREW HUNTER saith:

that Headley went up to town in the night when the money was stolen he saw him in a house were the fiddle was playing. Lendet him 50 cts, which he said he would lose at hotel.

THOMAS D.H. WILCOXON saith:

that the disappointment of the first trip in 1821 to Headley did not altear to effect him because he stated that he was as well satisfied not to go the next season; and he discovered no damage to him. Nor did he complaine of a disappointment in said lost trip.

N.B. Wm. ROBEY

did not expect that Wm. Headley would bring in a charge for a disappointment in a trip which he admits Headley might made with Harness.