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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.
of Common pleas on
Change
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.
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.
Be it Remembered that heretofore to wit on the
was filed in the Office of the clerk of the
petition which is in the words and
Lawless- Judge of the
Petition The petition of negro
the
year of our Lord eighteen hundred and
of that year, he was ordered directed
and sent into the
certain
claimed him, your Petitioner as his slave
& exercised the
him your Petitioner for the
work in and about the
fitting up for a
did go into that State for the
for the
during which time he (your Petitioner)
was
in painting and plastering; that he (your
Petitioner afterwards returned into this
State & has remained as he was before
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.
in the servitude and as the slave of the
said
few days past, when the said
having left this city, he your petitioner
has been in the Servitude and acting as the
slave of the said
Your petitioner believes that the laws of the
land do therfore entitle him to freedom. To those
laws he here makes his appeal, and prays
that your
to sue as a poor person, in order to establish
his right to freedom; and that
as his counsel; and that he may have
reasonable liberty to attend his counsel
& thus Honorable Court, as occassion may
require; that he be not removed out of
the Jurisdiction of this Court & that he
not subject to any severity on account
of his application for freedom, may it
please your Honor to grant him orders
to that effect- And as in duty
he will ever pray &
is endorsed the following order- order
be allowed to sue as a poor person to establish
his right to freedom: & that Trusten Polk
& C.C.
also, that said
liberty to attend his counsel & this
court as occassion may require; & that he be
not removed out of the Jurisdiction of this
court & that he be not subject to any severity on
account of his application for freedom
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.
And afterwards to wit at the
term of said court for the year eighteen hundred
and forty on the Sixteenth day
the following no readings were had
in said cause to wit -
files his petition and thereupon it is ordered
by the court. that said plaintiff be
to sue as a poor person to establish his right
to freedom and that
be assigned him as counsel also that said
charles
his
require and that he be not removed out
of the juris
he be not subject to any severty on
of his application for freedom -
“On the day and at the term for the year
last aforesaid was filed a declaration
which is in the words and
to
In the
a man of color, the plaintiff in this action by
his allorneys
of
of
on the
and forty
with force and arms, made an assault upon
him the said plaintiff to wit at the County
aforesaid and then and there beat,
and
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.
then and there
plaintiff and kept and detained him in
probable cause whatsoever for a long time
to wit for the space of Twenty days then next
following contray to the laws and customs
of this state and against the will of the
plaintiff and the said plaintiff
before & at that time of committing the aforesaid
person and that the said defendant held
and detained him, and still holds and
detains him in slavery against law & right
and against the will of the plaintiff to wit
at the county aforesaid; and other wrong &
to the said plaintiff then and there did
to the great damage of the said plaintiff
and against the peace and dignity of the
State. wherefore the said plaintiff saith that
he is injured & hath sustained damage
to the amount of
therefore he brings this suit
Petition and declaration the Clerk of said
Court Issued a summons which is
the words and figures following to wit
To the Sheriff of
We command you to summon
if he be found in your county that he
be and appear before the judge of our
Circuit court, on the first day of the next
term thereof to be held at the city of
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.
on the third Monday of July next, then and
there to answer unto
color of a plea of trespass to the damage
of said plaintiff of Five hundred dollars
and have you then there this writ
Witness
court with the seal thereof hereto affixed
at office, in the city of
day of May in the year of our
Lord eighteen hundred and forty
Clerk. - Return Upon which said writ the Sheriff
endorsed his return in the word and figures
following to wit “ Executed this writ in the
county of
1840
& declaration and also the order of the
Honorable Judge to
within named defendant all of which
he said defendant refused to hear-
Brown D.Pty.Plea filed and afterwards
to wit at the July term for the year last aforesaid
on the twentieth day of said month the
following proceeding were had in said cause to wit Plea filed
Plea Filed= which plea is in the words and
a men of color No 209 In the
by his attorney, comes and defends the the force
and
guilty of the said supposed
said to his charge or any or either of them
in manner & form as the said plaintiff hath
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.
in his said declaration alleged and of
this he the said defendant puts himself upon
the County & C- Primm p.d. Change of
And the said plaintiff does the like P-G.
And afterwards to wit at the
Term of said court for the year eighteen
hundred and forty One
day of April
had in said cause to wit
color= vs =
of this court having given an opinion
at the bar in this case it is ordered that the
court of Common pleas. and that the Clerk of
this court make out a
record and proceedings in the cause. and
transmit the same duly certified together with
all the original papers filed in the cause and not
forming a part of the record to the clerk of the
said court of common pleas. —
I
of the circuit court within and for said County
certify the foregoing to be a true full and
correct transcript of the proceedings in
the case of
on file and of record in my Office
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.
of
having
the cause
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.