Testimony taken by a jury of Inquest held upont he body John Goff March 28th, 1843
Arthur Price being duly sworn saith?In the second Saturday in last January at our usual muster ground Cureton's Mile[?] the first thing I seen of this matter was Thomas Motley on John Goff. Both were down, Motley on the top of Goff beating him on the head. Goff said take him off or [?] as I don't know which was the word, but the amount of it was he had enough. I then pulled Motley off Goff. Goff did not seem m uch hurt. I did not see much blood but seen some?one eye was gouged or looked like it was. Goff went off from the muster ground very soon. Daniel Motley ordered him off, and told him, did he see that limb on that tree, well, if he did not go he would hang him up on it. A. Price.

Isaac Boatwright being duly sworn saith the commencement was a wrestle between William Goff and Thomas Motley. They appeared in good humor. Thomas Motley struck at William Goff. John Goff said fun was fun but we must have no fighting. Daniel Motley then struck John Goff three or four licks and knocked him down and then told hi brother Thomas Motley to jump on John Goff and give him enough. John Goff soon hollowed enough or something like that. I did not see John Goff make any resistance to either Daniel Motley or Thomas Motley. I seen John Goff next day at his Father's house. He said he felt very sore from the fight. He never said any thing more to me about it. He never worked any more than I know of. Isaac his mark Boatwright....

Mrs. Sarah Goff, the mother of the deceased being duly sworn saith When my son John came home on Saturday night from the muster he puked several times, more than once any how. He never drank spirits. He complained that his side hurt him very bad and that it was from the lick he got from Mr. Motley. That was the second Saturday in January. He died the 5th day of this month. He was well enough to attend to him business before this time, and never was the same man again after the affair. He was confined to his bed two or three weeks before his death. There was not any Doctor with him. We sent for one the day he died but he did not come. He could not lie in bed; he died sitting up in a chair. Sarah her mark Goff

....Dr. Flemming Watkins being duly sworn saith. . . I with Dr. J.J. Barkley have made a post-morten examination fo the body and cannot discover any evidence that his death was caused by blows but my opinion is that he died of dropsy of the chest. We examined as closely as we could. B.F. Watkins.
I agree in the above testimony, J.J. Barkley.