State of Missouri
County of St Louis In the Circuit Court
November Term 1827.

Victoire a free girl of color held in slavery, who is
permitted by the court to sue by Alexis Amelin
her next - friend as a poor person, by her attorneys
John M Bass & Isaac G McGirk assigned as Counsel
by said court complains of Francois Menard and
Andre Landreville of a plea of Trespass with force & arms for that the
said defendants heretofore to wit, on the first day of
January one thousand eight hundred and twenty seven with
force and arms at the County of St Louis , aforesaw unlawfully
an assault did make in & upon the said Victoire
and then and there beat, bruised & ill-treated the said
Victoire and then & there imprisoned her and kept
and detained her in prison, without any reasonable
or probable cause what soever, and have ever
kept & detained her the said Victoire in
prison and do still keep and detain her in prison
against her will contrary to the Laws of the state
and the said Plantiff That before & at the time of the committing the grievances aforesaid she was & still
is a free person and the defendentsheld & detainedher & still hold & detain her the
and said Victoire in slavery other wrongs then and there did to the said / Victoire
against the peace of the state
wherefore the said Victoire says she is injured and
has sustained damage to the amount of five
hundred dollars and therefore she sues

Bass & McGirk Attys PQ

The State of Missouri
County of St Louis SsTo the Sheriff of St Louis County Greeting

We commanded you to summon Francois Menard that he be and appear before the Judge of our
Circuit Court at the next term thereof to be held at the City of St Louis within and for the County of
St. Louis on the Fourth monday of July next then and there to answer unto Victoire who sues by her
next friend of a plea of Trespass to the damage of said plaintiff of Five
hundred dollars and have you then there this writ

Witness Archibald Gamble clerk of our said court at office
this Ninth day of may 1828 Archibald Gamble Clerk

St Louis Circuit Court July Term 1827

John M Bass presents to the court the petition of Elizabeth , Virginia & Victoire children of
Mary a colored woman praying that they may be permitted to institute suit against Francois
Menard and Andre Landreville for establishing their right to Freedom and that they may be
permitted to due as poor persons thereupon the court permit the said Elizabeth Victoire and
Virginia to sue as aforesaid and direct that an action of assault and Battery and false
imprisonment be commenced against the said defendants by their next friend in the
names of the said Elizabeth, Victoire & Virginia and assign John M Bass and Isaac @
M McGirk as their Counsel and it is ordered by the court that the said defendants permit
the said plaintiffs to have reasonable liberty of attending their counsel and the court
when occasion may require it and that the said plaintiff shall not be taken or removed
out of the Jurisdiction of this court and that the said plaintiff shall not be subject to
any severity of treatment on account of their said application for freedom

A True copy of the order Archibald Gamble clerk

The State of Missouri
County of St Louis SsTo the Sheriff of St Louis County greeting

We commanded you to Summon Francois Menard and Andre Landreville that
they be and appear before the Judge of our Circuit Court at the next term thereof to be
held at the City of St Louis within and for the County of St Louis on the Fourth monday
of November next then and there to answer unto Victoire who sues by her next friend
of a plea of Trespass to the damage of said plaintiff of Five hundred Dollars and have
you then there this writ

Witness Archibald gamble clerk of our said court at office
this fourth day of August 1827 Archibald gamble Clerk

No 15 In the St Louis Circuit
Court . November Term 1827.

Victoire a free girl of color
vs
Francois Menard
and Andre Landerville .

To the clerk.
This is an action of
assault & Battery and false
Imprisment

Let a summons issue

Bass & McGirk
PQFiled 14th August 1827. Archd Gamble ClerkAmended declaration filed 18th December 1827 Archd Gamble Clerk

Executed this writ on Andre Landreville August 8th 1827 in the
City of St Louis by informing him of the contents thereof and his acknowledging
the service of the same - Francois Menard not found
in my county Nov 10th 1827

R. Simpson Sheriff Service $ 1.00
non est 50
1,50 Francois Menard not found
R Simpson Sheriff

Victorie
vs
Francis Menard
&
Andre Landreville

St.Louis Circuit Court

The last named defendent will take notice
that on the 13th day of this month between the
hours of 9 O clock in the forenoon & 5 O clock in the
afternoon of that day at the of file of J.V.
in this city we shall /proceed to take the depositions
of witnesses to be read in the trial of the above
cause in behalf of the Plaintiff

St Louis 6th of Nov: 1827. Bass & McGirk
Attys for Pltff

Victorie
vs
Menard & Landreville .
notice

Served a copy of the within notice on Andre
Landreville Nov 8th 1827
in St Louis Jn Timonds Jr Dp Sheriff Service $ 0.50

November Term 1827 Andre Landreville
vs
Victoire

And the said Andre
Landreville by his
Attorneycauses and defends
the force and injurywherefore And says he
is not gulity of the said supposedtrespass
assaults and battery and falseimprisonment &
above laid to his charge or any
part thereof in manner and form as the said
Victoire by hernextfriend Alexis
Amelin hathabovethereofagainsthim
of this he the said Andre Landreville
puts himself of upon the county

and the plaintiff doth the like Bass $ McGirk for pltff
And for further pleainthis behalf
the said Andre Landreville says the said
Victoire ought not to have or maintain her aforesaid
action thereof against him because he says
that he the said Andre Landreville at the
timesmentionedinthesaiddeclarationhad
not norclaimed to have norhathhenordothhe
now claim to having but disavoweth and disclaimeth
to have any titleclaimorinterestin or
to the said Victoire and this the said
Andre Landreville is ready to verify ;wherefore

he prays judgement if the said plaintiff ought
to have or maintain her aforesaid actionagainst
him

attorney for defendent

no 15 November Term 1827.

Victoire
vs
Landreville

filed nov 29th 1827A gamble clk

Victoire vs. A Landreville

and the said Victoire for replication to
the plea of the said Landreville secondly above pleaded says that
she ought not to be banned & precluded from having & maintaining
her action aforesaid against the said Landreville because
the says that the said Landreville at the said several times in her said
declaration mentioned & before the said times did claim to have
& hold the said Victoire as a slave & still does claim the said Victoire as a slave and of this she the said Victoire
puts hereself upon the county

McGirk & Bass for pltff

Victoire
vs
Landreville

Rep filed Dec 2nd
1828A gamble clk