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The original document is part of the Missouri State Archives St Louis Circuit Court collection.
This electronic document is published as part of the St Louis Circuit Court historical records project.
The original document is part of the Missouri State Archives St Louis Circuit Court collection.
petition was filed in the
petition the words & figures following to wit: To the Hon
the
Judge of the
years respectfully represents to your Honors that he
was
born a slave in the state of
resided until the year
five,
was brought by his Master one Charles Drexter to
the Spring of
in the month of March
-med his
Master the Said Charles Drexter told your
Petitioner to one Doctor
of said Drexters Wife. that said
in the
after becoming the owner of your Petitioner to wit:
in the month of
and thirty nine
in the
to labor and service on his the said
County of Morgan State
of
of April until the month of December in the Same
year
being for a period of
was employed during
said time at ordinary farming
labor for the said
of said year last named, there began to be a good deal
Petitioner
as a Slave in said
authorities there came from
with his father in law to his Farm where your petitioner/2 was at work,
brought Petitioner to
and there
hired him out. And now does and ever since
has received the rewards of Petitioners labor.
That
Petitioner now is and has been for the last two years
and now in the possession
of one
holds Petitioner in Slavery as a hireling from said
his freedom and prays your Honor
for leave to sue as
a poor person, in false imprisonment against said Milton
W.
and he will pray &c
of Color
being duly sworn says that the matters and
things contained in the foregoing petition are
day of December
1842
Peace. Upon which petition the following
orders were
made.
Satisfied that the
foregoing Petition contained sufficient
matter to authorize the commencement of a Suit.
I
do make the following orders - I wish that the said
person to establish his right to freedom and also
assign
F B. Murdock, Esq. as his Counsel. Second that
that the said
to attend his counsel and the Court as occasion may
This electronic document is published as part of the St Louis Circuit Court historical records project.
The original document is part of the Missouri State Archives St Louis Circuit Court collection.
require that he be not removed out of the Jurisdiction
of the County and that he be not
subject to any
severity on account of his application for freedom
Done in open Court
by Judge &c and on the day and year
last
aforesaid the following Declaration was filed to wit.
Declaration
on the
and forty-two,
assault upon the said Plaintiff to wit at the County
aforesaid and then and there
beat bruised and ill
treated him the said Plaintiff and then and there
imprisoned
him the said Plaintiff and kept and
detained him in prison there without any
reasonable
cause whatever for a long time, to wit. for the Space
of twenty four
hours then next following contrary
to the laws of the said State and against the
will
of the said Plaintiff and the said Plaintiff avers
that before and at the time
of the committing of
still is a free person. And that the Defendant held
and still holds him in slavery to the said Plaintiff
damage one hundred Dollars and
therefore he brings
Dec. 1842
Summons issued in the words & figures following to wit "
Louis County Greeting. We command
you to summon
next term thereof to be held at the
within and for the
Monday of March next and then and there to answer
unto
Trespass in false imprisonment to the damage
of
said Plaintiff One Hundred Dollars. And have you
then there this writ Seal
Witness
Clerk of our said Court with the seal thereof hereto
affixed at
office in the
day of December in
the year of our Lord eighteen
hundred and forty two
“Upon which summons the Sheriff made the following
Shffs return
reading it and the declaration
and order of the
Judge to
the following
the following admission of Defendant was filed to wit:
Admission
"In the
defendant in this case admits that at the time of
the
institution of this suit he held the said
having hired him of Doctor
are true and that this may be recd in evidence
Leslie Attorney
for
day of May
1843
Plea In the
This electronic document is published as part of the St Louis Circuit Court historical records project.
The original document is part of the Missouri State Archives St Louis Circuit Court collection.
by his Attorneys comes and defends the wrong & injury
when &c & says he is not guilty of the said supposed
grievances above laid to his charge or any part thereof
in manner & form as the plaintiff hath above thereof
complained against & of this the Defendant
himself upon the County &c
for Deft. And upon the
eighteen hundred and forty four
proceedings were had to wit
vs
Court having heretofor
cause it is ordered that the
to the
the Clerk of this Court make out a full true and
complete Transcript of the record and proceedings
in this cause and
certified, together with all original papers filed
in the cause and not forming part of the record
thereof to the Clerk of said Court of Common pleas
State of
ss
I
County aforesaid Certify the foregoing to be a full
true and complete transcript of the record and
proceedings in the case of
on file in my office.
In testimony whereof I have hereto
set my hand and affixed the
seal of said Court at office in
the
day of July 1844
Thos. Jefferson
vs
Shff
$ 6.75
This electronic document is published as part of the St Louis Circuit Court historical records project.
The original document is part of the Missouri State Archives St Louis Circuit Court collection.
You are hereby commanded, that, setting aside all manner of excuse and delay, you appear before
our
in our said court, wherein
plaintiff and
on the part of
Thos Jefferson
vs
(for the two last witnesses
inquired of
of the
Block, on main St opposite the market.)
This electronic document is published as part of the St Louis Circuit Court historical records project.
The original document is part of the Missouri State Archives St Louis Circuit Court collection.
You are hereby commanded, that, setting aside all manner of excuse and delay, you appear
before our
in a certain cause pending in said court, wherein
plaintiff and
on the part of the
and herein you are in no wise to fail.
Executed this writ By
of Dr Wm C
this
vs
This electronic document is published as part of the St Louis Circuit Court historical records project.
The original document is part of the Missouri State Archives St Louis Circuit Court collection.
We command you to attach
by
before the Judge of the
now pending in said Court, between
plaintiff, and
the said
on the part of the said
Thomas Jefferson
vs
attacht for
This electronic document is published as part of the St Louis Circuit Court historical records project.
The original document is part of the Missouri State Archives St Louis Circuit Court collection.
Verdict
Thos. Jefferson
vs
Doct
We the Jury find
for the defendant
This electronic document is published as part of the St Louis Circuit Court historical records project.
The original document is part of the Missouri State Archives St Louis Circuit Court collection.
vs
The
his attorneys moves the Court
for a new trial, for the
following reasons
1st That the verdict is against law,
2d That the verdict is against the evidence
3d That the verdict is against to the law & evidence
4th That the plaintiff since the trial, has
he cannot obtain a
vs
trial.
This electronic document is published as part of the St Louis Circuit Court historical records project.
The original document is part of the Missouri State Archives St Louis Circuit Court collection.
Refused
If the jury believe from the evidence that
after the family of
for the South in
charge existed, the plaintiff was permitted
by Doc.
of the plaintiff they will find for the plaintiff.
This electronic document is published as part of the St Louis Circuit Court historical records project.
The original document is part of the Missouri State Archives St Louis Circuit Court collection.
Given
vs
Instruction asked by deft.
If the jury find
that the plaintiff, while in the
W.
in that State with the knowledge and
consent of said
for the defendant.
This electronic document is published as part of the St Louis Circuit Court historical records project.
The original document is part of the Missouri State Archives St Louis Circuit Court collection.
Refused
If the jury believe from the evidence
that at the time the plaintiff was
on the farm of
agent of the owner of the plaintiff for
taking charge of plaintiff, they will
find for the plaintiff
This electronic document is published as part of the St Louis Circuit Court historical records project.
The original document is part of the Missouri State Archives St Louis Circuit Court collection.
The plaintiff asks the following instructions.
1 That the introduction of a slave into the
and then holding him to service and labor, by the
consent of the owner, is in
of that state, and works the
of the
2. That the jury, may infer such knowledge and consent
3. That such knowledge and
fact, for the jury to determine from all the facts and
circumstances, given
This electronic document is published as part of the St Louis Circuit Court historical records project.
The original document is part of the Missouri State Archives St Louis Circuit Court collection.
Refused
If the jury believe from the evidence
that the plaintiff
when
was put to work & kept to work for
months with the knowledge &
of
was the agent of
change of the plaintiff at that time, they
will find for the plaintiff
This electronic document is published as part of the St Louis Circuit Court historical records project.
The original document is part of the Missouri State Archives St Louis Circuit Court collection.
Refused
If the jury believe from the evidence
that the plaintiff was slave
his farm, they will find for the plaintiff.
This electronic document is published as part of the St Louis Circuit Court historical records project.
The original document is part of the Missouri State Archives St Louis Circuit Court collection.
Refused
If the jury believe from evidence that the
plaintiff was taken to the
by his owner or the agent of his owner & there put to
do
This electronic document is published as part of the St Louis Circuit Court historical records project.
The original document is part of the Missouri State Archives St Louis Circuit Court collection.
Refused
4. That
evidence, that the plaintiff
taken to
him there kept or permitted to be kept at service and labor, the said
the effect of that
acquired
Thom
vs