State of Missouri
County of Wayne
James Mathis (Mathews) citizen of Butler County, MO makes oath and states that he is acquainted with Joshua Epps and says that he is in the habit of keeping guerillas for I have seen them eating at his house number of time to my certain knowledge. I know that Joshua Epps staid in the brush when federal troops were passing thro county to keep from being arrested and he is considered a dangerous person by union men.
James Mathis
(Signitures)
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State of Missouri
County of Wayne
The undersigned a citizen of Patterson, Wayne County, and State of Missouri being duly sworn deposes and Says, that he acquainted with Joshua Epps, a citizen of Butler County and State of Missouri that on or about the twenty fourth day of February 1864 Joshua Epps at his house in Butler County told me that he did harbor and feed Daniel Epps, Elijah Covington, Benjamin Barton and Joshua Arnol (Arnold) who are guerillas, insurgents and public robbers committing depredations on Loyal citizens of the United States. He further said that these men were fighting for their rights they were southern men, and so was he, that he had as good a right to feed them as he had to feed me or any of the federal army.
This in Butler County and State of Missouri on or about the twenty seventh day of February A.D. 1864.
David Manning
(signitures)
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(Joshua Epps)
Headquarters Department of the MO
Office Provost Marshal Gen.
St. Louis, MO. July 13, 1864
Respectfully returned to Assistant Provost Marshall Patterson, to collect further testimony in regards this case and forward the same.
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Office of Asst Pro. Mar.
5th Sub Dist. Patterson
Wayne Co. MO., July 21st/64
Respectfully returned with the information that no further testimony in regard to this case could be had. Jas. Mathis the principle witness has absconded and he cannot be found.
(signitures)