State of Missouri
County of St Louis
In the Circuit Court July Term 1825

Malinda a free girl of color, held in slavery
who is permitted by the court to sue, by Alexander Clark
her next friend as a poor person, who by her Attorney
Edward Bates and Isaac C. McGirk assigned as counsel
by saidCourt, Complains of Rufus Pettibone , Charles
B. Hatton and Sally his wife, Owen Wingfield and Sally
his wife, Isaac Voteau , John Butter and Betsy his
wife, John Whitset , alias Whitesides , Mitchel Hatton
and Anne his wife, Michael Sanford and Theresa his
wife, John Whitset aliasWhitesides, LucindaWhitset
alias Whitesides of a plea of trespass, for that the
said defendants, heretofore to writ, on the first day
of January in the year of our Lord eighteen
hundred and twenty five, with force and arms at
the county of St Louis , unlawfully an assault did
make in and upon the body of the said
linda, and then and there beat bruised and ill treated
her the said Malinda , and then and imprisoned her
the said Malinda and kept and detained her in
prison there, without any reasonable or probable
cause whatsoever, and have ever since kept and de-
tained her in prison, and do stillkeep and detain
her in prison against her will, contrary to
the laws of this stateand then and thereother
wrongs did to her the said Malinda against
the peace of this state, Missouri the said Ma-
linda says she is injured and has sustained
damage to the amount of five hundred dollars
ant therefore she sues

Bates & Mc Girk
Attys for plff

and said Lanford
his wife
cause & defend the wrongandinjury when
says that the said Malinda is the slave of then
said Landford and wife and this they are ready
to verify, & C.
and said Lead administrator of
said Rufus comes and defend's the wrong and injury
when & C. and says that said Malinda at the time
when & C. was the slave of said Rufus and this he is ready
Served this writ on Issac
Voteau on the ninth day of
July 1823 by reading to him
On Michael Landford and
Theresa his wife in the city
of St. Louis by reading the said
to them on the 6th of the said
month. The other defendants
named in this writ are not
found in my countyneither
they a plea of
in my countyknown to
me, at which served leave
a copy hereof July 9th 1826:

John R. Walker Shff Service - $3:00
6:00
$9:00

No 13. In the Circuit Court
July Term 1825

Malinda
vs
Pettibone &

To the clerk

This is an action of
trespass, assault & bat-
tery and falseimprison-
ment

a summary
for Defendants

Bates J. Mc Girk
Attys P. S.filed 2nd June 1825 Archd Gamble clerk

County of St. Louis Ss
The State of Missouri To the sheriff of said County Greeting.

We Command you to summon Rufus Pettibone , Charles B . Hatton and Sally his wife
Owen Wingfield and Sally his wife, Issac ,supplied>Voteau, John Butter and Betsy his wife
John Whitset aliasWhitesidesMitchell Hatton and Ann his wife Michael Sanford
and Theresa his wife. John Whitset aliasWhitesidesLucindaWhitset alias Whitesides
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
in July next then and there to answer unto Malinda a free girl of color who is
permitted by the Court to sue by Alexander Clark her next friend as a poor person
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 second day of June 1825 Archibald Gamble Clerk.

County of St Louis Ss.
The State of Missouri To the Sheriff of the County of Franklin
Greeting

We command you to summon John Butter and Betsy his wife impleaded with
Rufus Pettibone , Charles B Hatton and Sally his wife Owen Wingfield and Sally his
wife Issac Voteau John Whitset alias Whitesides Mitchel Hatton and Anne his wife
Michael Sanford and Theresa his wife John Whitset alias Whitesides, Lucinda
whitset alias whitesides 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 in July next then and there to answer unto Malinda a free
Girl of color coho is permitted by the court to sue by Alexander Clark her next friend
as a poor person of a plea of trespass to the damage of said plaintiff of four hundred
dollars and have you then there this writ

Witness Archibald Gamble clerk of our said
court at office this second day of June eighteen
hundred and twenty four Archibald Gamble Clerk

In the Circuit Court
July term 1825No 13

Malinda
vs
Pettibone

The within is a counterpart of the writ
Issued to the Sheriff the county of St Louis
2nd June 1825.

Archd Gamble clerk Shff Brock's fees 2$ Robt Brock Shff

Executed the within writ on John Butter and Elizabeth
Butter his wife in Newport Township Franklin coun
ty by reading the same to them and in their hearing
an the 14th day of June 1825

Robert Brock Shff
Franklin

and said Levi administrator
of levi Pettiborne deceased & said Lanford &
wife come & defend the wrong & injury
& say they are not nor is either of them
guilty of said trespass & false imprisonment &
wrongs in manner & form as in said
declaration set forth and of this they
put themselves upon the country

Malinda
vs. Pettibone and others
plea

filed April 12th 1826 A Gamble Clerk

Nov Term 1826 of St. Louis Circuit
Court

and for further plea said Levi Pettibone
administrator of said Rufus & said Landfordand Theresa
his wife say they are not guilty of said supported grievan-
cestrespass & wrongs in manner and form as laid to
their charge in said declaration and of this they
themselves upon the country &c.

Malinda
vs
Pettibone et al.

Plea

filed Nov 29th 1826
A Gamble
Clerk