Affidavit on Michael Roark
Hawkins County Circuit Court, October 1824
(Jacob Rush and Jesse Creech had posted bond for Jesse Walker; when Walker skipped town, they hired Michael Roark to find him.)
Michael Rork makes oath that he was imploied by Rush and Creech to hunt after Jesse Walker, that he was in the states of Alabama and Kentucky in search of said Walker, that he rode 33 days in trying to take Jesse Walker to surrender him to the sherriff of Hawkins County, that he must have rode nearly or quite 1000 miles after him, and that the parties must have spent nearly or quite $100 in trying to take Jesse Walker to surrender to justice in discharge of themselves as bail for his appearance to the Circuit Court of Hawkins Co to answer a charge by the state against Jesse Walker.
He further states that Jesse Creech accompanyed him in to the state of Kentucky, near to a place cal’d Rock Castle where they came up with said Walker and had like to have succeeded in taking him but was baffled by a masterly manoevre of the said Walker. And he further states that he does not believe that there is any reasonable prospect of the said Walker being taken to surrender in discharge of themselves as his bail. Sworn in open court 4 Oct 1824.
Jacob Rush and Jesse Creech makes oath that they were induced to become bail for the appearance of Jesse Walker ... because they were indused to believe that he was inocent of the charge and through the tears and prayers of his wife and mother, and not for the purpose of facilitating the escape of said Jesse. They further state that they hired Captain Michael Rork who is justly celebrated for catching runaways to go in pursuit of said Walker to surrender him in discharge of his bail. ... They further state that they have used every exertion to take said Walker to surrender but have wholy failed and that they do not believe that they will ever be able to take him. Sworn in open court, 6 Oct 1824.
John Grigsby, Joshua Smith, John Reynolds and James Sanders makes oath that they are well acquainted with Capt. Michael Rork and would believe him when on oath, and that Capt. Michael Rork is esteemed to be among the best hands in the country to detect criminals and catch runaways. Sworn in open court, 4 Oct 1824.