To the Honorable Luke E. Lawless Judge of the Circuit court of the Louis County: The petition of Lewis a boy of color by Celeste his mother and next friend respectfully represents: That abourt the month of March eighteen hundred Judy the grandmother of your petitioner was transferred by a certain Robert Bunton then a resident of Vincerroy in the northwestern Territory as an indented servant to a certain Louis Dubois who conveyed her to the town of whence she was brought to the town of St Louis by a certain Pierre Menard and sold as a slave for life to a certain William H. Lecompte. That the said Robert Bunton held the grand mother of your peitioner the said Judy for the space of six months at least in the town of Vincerroy and territory aforesaid during which time of she was performing the various duties of a servant at the house and for the family of the said Bunton .

Your petitioner further represents that his mother the said Celeste , his grand mother the said Judy and his aunt Aspisa daughter of said Judy have all been pronounced free by the verdict of and distinct juries bond upon the facts above set forth an are each of then now enjoying their freedom, while your petitioner is held in slavery by a certain John Stacker contrary to law. Your petitioner therefore prays that he may have leave by Celeste his mother and next friend to sue as a poor person in order to establish his right to freedom and that counsel may be assigned for that purpose and as in duty bound ever pray &C

This day Celeste a woman of color personally appeared before the undersigned a Justice of the in and for the county aforesaid and made oath that the matters and things in the foregoing petition contained so far as the same come within her knowledge are true and those derived from the information of others she believes to be true.

It is hereby ordered: First: That Lewis by Celeste his mother and next friend be allowed to due, John Stacker , to establish his right to freedom asid that be assigned as counsel for that purpose.

Second. That Lewis the plaintiff have resonable liberty to attend his counsel and the court as occasion may require; that he be not removed out of the jurisdiction of the court and that he be not subject to any severity on account of his application for freedom. Done at my chambers this 29th day of May 1839.

Lewis by Celeste his mother & next friend vs John Stacker Petition

St Louis County to wit:

Lewis a minor by Celeste his mother and next friend complains of John Stacker of a plea of trespass for false imprisonment, For that the said defendant on the twenty seventh day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty nine with force and arms asaulted the said plaintiff to wit at the county aforesaid and then and there beat, bruised and ill treated him and there and then imprisoned him and kept and detained him in prison there without any reasonable or probable cause whatsoever, for a long time to wit for the space of hours then next following contrary to the laws of the state of Missouri in such case made and provided and against the will of the said plaintiff. And the said plaintiff avers that before and at the time of the committing of the said grievance he was and still is a free person and that the defendant held and still hold him in slavery and other wrongs to the said plaintiff then and there did against the peace of the state of Missouri and to the damage of the said plaintiff one hundred dollars and therefore he brings his suit &C.

Lewis by next friend vs John Stacker Declaration

This is an action of trespass for false imprisonment in forma pauperis. Damage $ 100. The clerk will issue summons in accordance with the orders of the Judge.

We command you to summon John Stacker 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 therof, to be held at the City of St. Louis , within and for the County of St. Louis , on the third Monday of July next, then and there to answer unto Lewis who sues by Celeste his mother and next friend of a plea of trespass for false imprisonment to the damage of said plaintiff of One hundred dollars: And have you then there this writ.