Anderson Steward , a free colored man respectfully represents to your honor, that he is confined and restrained of his reasonable liberty by one John M . Jamison jailor of the County of St Louis , aforesaid, in the said jail - that said confinement is not by virtue of any warrant, order or process. Petitioner does not know with certainty the true cause of his imprisonment, but believes that it is owing wholly to his color - he states that prior to the 22 June 1844, he had been in the service of Lt Col Loomis 6th infantry U.S. Army at Fort Smith & also at Fort Gibson as a hireling, that on that day he left the service of said Loomis, intending to go up the upon Mississippi , and there hire himself as a servant to some officer of the U.S. at a government fort, and with that view recieved from said Loomis a certificate of character &c, which will be shown your honor, that he got on board of the steamer Jm. White on her passage up from New Orleans to St Louis with the purpose of proceeding up the said river to Praire Du Chien or St Peters , but that on the landing of said boat at St Louis on yesterday, he was taken by the officers of said boat and committed to the custody of the said Jamison . Petitioner states that said imprisonment is illegal in as much as it is made, without warrant order or process of law, and he prays for the benefit of the writ of Habeas Corpus, and that he may be discharged.

Anderson Steward being sworn says that the facts set forth in the forgoing petition are true.

The State of Missouri to John M . Jamison , jailor of St Louis County Greeting You are hereby commanded to have the body of Anderson Steward , imprisoned as it is alledged by you, before the Circuit Court of St. Louis, County at the hour of ten o'clock A.M. of this day, together with the time and cause of said imprisonment and have you then there this writ - Herein fail not.

Petitioner brought into Court & discharged Bk 15 p 174. (July 1st 1844.). fee bill vs Petitioner

Anderson Steward vs John M . Jamison

``By the Habeas Corpus act''

I herewith return this writ, and state that I have the body of Anderson Steward before said Court as herein I am commanded, and further state that said Anderson Steward was not committed to my custody by virtue of any warrant order or proofs of law but was delivered into my said Anderson Steward was not committed to my custody by of any warrant, order, or process of law, but was delivered into my hands , by the officers of the Steam boat J. M. White , for safe keeping, until satisfactory proof should be had of his freedom, he said Anderson being a passenger up the said river Mississippi on said boat; said commitment was made to the jail of said county on the 30th day of June 1844.