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

Virginia a free girl of color held in slavery who is
permitted by he court to sue by Alexis Amelin
her next friend as a poor person by her attorneys
John M Bass & Isaac C McGirk assigned as Counsel
by said writ complains of Francois Menard & Andre
Landreville of a plea of trespass with force & arms for that the said defendants
heretofore to writ on the first day of Jany in
the year of our lord one thousand eight hundred twenty seven
with force & arms at the County of St. Louis aforesaw unlawfully
an assault did make in & upon the said Virginia
and then and there beat bruised &ill-treated the said
Virginia and then & there imprisoned her and kept
and detained, her in prison without any reasonable
or probable cause whatsoever, and have ever
since kept & detained her the said Virginia in prison
and do still, detain & keep her in prison against her will contrary to the laws of the state and the plaintiff avers that before & at the time of the committing thegrievances aforesaid she was &
still is a free person and that the defendants held & detained her & still hold & detain
her the said plaintiff in slavery and
other wrongs then and there did to the said Virginia
against the peace of this state wherefore the said Virginia
says she is injured & has sustained damage
to the amount of five hundred dollar and therefore
shesues &c

Bass & McGirk
Alty P. Q.

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

We command 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 Virginia
who sues by Alexis Amelin her next friend of or plea of Trespass to the damage of the
said plaintiff Five hundred Dollars and have you then there two writ

Witness Archibald Gamble Clerk of our said Court at office
this fourth day of August One thouand Eight hundred
and twenty seven Archibald Gamble Clerk

Executed this writ on Andre Landreville Augut 8th 1827 in the City
of St. Louis by informing him of the Content thereof and his acknowledging
the service of the same Francois Menard not found in my
County Nov. 10th 1827

S. Simpson Sheriff Francois Menard not found
July 1.2.1828 R. Simpson Shff Service $1.00
non Est 50
1.50 1 . 50 8th Augt

No 14 In the St. Louis Circuit
Court
Novi Term 1827.

Virginia a free girl of Color
vs
Francois Menard
&
Andre Landreville

This is an action of
assault & Battery and
false imprisonment.

Let a summon issue
Bass & McGirk
P. Q.

filed 4h August 1827 Archibald Gamble Clerkamended declaration filed 18h December
1827 Arch Gamble Clerk

St. Louis Circuit Court July Term 1827

John M Bass presents to the Court the petition of Elizabeth , Virginia and Victoire Children
of Mary a colored woman praying that they may be permitted to institute suit
against Francois Menard and Andre Landreville for Establihing their right to freedom
and that they may be permitted to sue as poor persons - therefore 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 and
Virginia and assign John M Bass and Isaac C McGirk as their Counsel and it is
ordered by the Court that the said defendants permit the said plaintiffs to have a
reasonable liberty of attending their counsel and the Court when occasion may require
it and that the said plaintiffs shall not be taken or removed out of the jurisdiction of this court and that the said plaintiffs shal not be subject to any severity of
treatment on account of their said application for freedom

A True Copy of the order Arch Gamble Clerk

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

We command 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. Loui within and for
the county of St. Louis on the fourth monday of July next then and there to answer
into Virginia who sues by Alexis Amelin her next friend of a plea of trespass to the damage
of the said plaintiff of Five hundred dollar and have you then there
this writ

Witness Archibald Gamble Clerk of our said Court at Office
this 9h day of May 1828 Archibald Gamble Clerk

St.Louis Circuit Court

The last named defendent will take notice
that on May 13th the day of this month between the hours of
9 O clock in the forenoon and 5 O clock in the afternoon of
that day at the of fice of J.V. in this city we stillall proceed
to take the depositions of witnesses to be read in the above
suit in behalf of the Plaintiff

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

Verginia
vs
Menard & Landreville.
notice

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

November 1827 Andre Landreville

Virginia

And the said Andre Landreville by
his attorney causes &
defends this force and injury whereforeand
says he is not guilty of the said supposed
trespass assaults & batteryimprisonments &
detentions above said to his charge or any
part thereof in manner and form as the
said Virginia by her next friend Alexis
Amelin hath above thereof a
gainst him and of this he the said
Andre Landreville puts himself upon the
County- and the Plaintiff doth the like McGirk & BassforPltff

And for further plea in this he
half the said Andre Landreville says the
said Virginia ought not to have or
maintain her aforesaid action against him because
he says that he the said Andre at
the times mentioned in this declaration
had not nor claimed to have her hath he nor
doth he now claim to have but disavowethanddisclaimeth
to have anytitle claim
or interest in and to the said Virginia and
this the said Andre Landreville is readyto
verify wherefore he prays Judgement if the
said Plaintiff ought to have or maintain this
aforsaid action against him

attorney fordefendent

No 14 November Term 1827

Virginia
vs Plea
Landreville

Filed Nov 29th 1827 A Gamble clk

Virginia vs A Landreville

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

Bass & McGirk
for Pltff.

Virginia
vs
Landreville

Rep filed Decr
2nd
1828A G Clk