State of Missouri
Circuit Court Third Judicial
Circuit July Term A D 1835

St Louis County Ss- Mary Ann Steel an infant under
the age of Twenty one years by G A Bird her
next friend complains of of a plea
of trespass & Battery & false imprisonment
for that the said defendant heretofore to wit
on the first day of January in the year of
our Lord eighteen hundred & thirty two at St Louis
in said County with force & arms an assault did
make upon her said Mary Ann & did then &
there & ill treat her & subject her
to & did then & there imprison her
without any reasonable on probable cause
& hath kept & detained her imprison
from the day last aforesaid untill this time
and during the time aforesaid did imprison
the said Mary Ann in the Common goal of
said County & kept & detain her in prison there
as a runaway slave for the span of ten days
he the said defendant then & there knowing
the said plaintiff to be a free person & other
wrongs to the said plaintiff then & there did
against the peace & dignity of said state
By means of premises the plaintiff says she
was prevented from attending to her
affairs & business by which she might & otherwise
should have obtained a large sum of money
the sum of Two hundred Dollars
wherefore the plaintiff says she is really
& hath sustained Damages to three hundred
Dollars & therefore she sues

G A Bird next friend
for Peff

I acknowledge my willingness to prosecute the above
suit of the above named Mary Ann
as her next friend

G A Brid

The State of Missouri
County of Saint Louis Ss;To the Sheriff of the County of Saint Louis
Greeting

We Command you to summon Curtis Skinnier 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 Saint Louis on the second monday of July next then and
there to answer unto Mary Ann Steel an infant under the age of
twenty one years of a plea of trespass assault & Battery & false imprison
ment to the damage of the said plaintiff of three Hundred dollars
and have you then there this writ

Witness Archibald Gamble Clerk of our said
Circuit Court at Office this twenty sixth day of
June in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight Hundred and thirty five Archibald Gamble Clerk

Not executed for want of time June
27th 1835

J Brotherton Shff
by G Hammond

No 96 Saint Louis Circuit Court
July Term 1835

Mary Ann Steel by her
next friend
vs
Curtis Skinner

This is an action of
assault & Battery & false imprison
ment at
& not under the
statute Damage $ 300

The Clk and state
issue a summons

G A Brid Filed 26th June 1835 Archibald Gamble Clerk paid for issuing
& tax

St. Louis Circuit Court
July Term 1835

And the said defendant by
J Spalding his attonrey comes & defends the force & injury
when, &.C & says that he is not guitly of the said
supposed trespasses in the declaration mentioned in
manner and form as the plaintiff hath above there
of complained against him, & of this he puts him
self upon the country & c.

and for a further plea this defendant says that
said plaitiff ought not to have and maintain
his said action thereof against him because he
says that at and during the time when said several
supposed tresasses were committed, she the plaitiff
was a slave and not a free person to but at said
County and this he is ready to verify where-
fore he prays judgment & C.

and for a further plea this defendant says that
the plaintiff ought not to have and maintain
her said action thereof against him as to said subjecting her to slavery & imprisoning her & keeping & detaining her in prison because he
says that said plaintiff is a colored person &
was born a slave and has always remained
in the condition of a slave then held and treated
as such: and that before the said supposed tres
passes were committed, she was sold and delivered
to this defendant as a slave, he not knowing or having notice that
she was entitled to her freedom: wherefore the com-
mitted the several acts alleged in said declaration
as trespasses and in this plea justified as he will might do, he not knowing
then of her right to freedom or having had notice of
the same and this he is ready to verify and as
to the assaulting heating & her &

as to the force and arms &.C, he says he is not
guilty & of that he puts himself upon the county

filed July 14th 1835AG J Spalding atty
for deft

No 96 July Term 1835
St Louis Circit Court

Mary Ann Steel
vs
Curtis Skinner

pleas
not guilty
plff a slave
plff in condition of
&C.

J Spalding attyFiled July 14th 1835 A Gamble Clk

Clerk Gamble's fees $2.261/4
fees book 22.2

21 M W March Term 1836.

Mary Ann Steel
vs
Curtis Skinner

: for Ptff

Wm. C. Skinner
James S. Thomas &
Wm . Walker 20 JulyAprl 1. 1836

Executed this writ by Reading it to
William C Skinner on the 22nd James S
Thomas William Walker on the 29th
days of march 1836 in the county of
St Louis

James Brotherton shff
By M Brotherton D Shff Service $1.50

County of St. Louis , sct.
State of Missouri To the Sheriff of St. Louis County-Greeting.

You are hereby commanded to summon
Wm. C.. Skinner , James S. Thomas & Wm . Walker .
that setting aside all manner of excuse and delay, they be and appear in proper person
before the Judge of our Circuit Court , on the first day of April next
at the city of St. Louis , then and there to Testify
and the truth to say in a certain matter of controversy now pending in our said Court,
Wherein Mary Ann Steel is
plaintiff and Curtis Skinner
is defendant on the part of the
Plaintiff and have you then and there this writ.

Witness, John Ruland , Clerk of our said Circuit Court , at the
City of St. Louis , this 21st. day of March
in the year of our Lord one thousand eighty hundred and thirty six. Jn. Ruland Clerk, C.C.

July Term 1836.

Mary Ann Steel
vs
Curtis S kinner

pltf

Wm. C. Skinner 12
Jas S . Thomas 7
Wm . Walker 20 July

Served this writ on Jas S Thomas
on the 7th &Wm C Skinner on the
12th days of July 1836 by Reading it
to them in the county of St Louis
Wm Walker not found in my county

James Brotherton Shff
By M Brotherton D Shff Service $1.00
12 1/2
$1.12 1/2

County of St. Louis , sct.
State of Missouri ,To the Sheriff of St. Louis County-Greeting.

Your hereby commanded to summon
WmC. Skinner , James S. Thomas & Wm .
Walker .
that setting aside all manner of excuse and delay, they be and appear in proper person
before the Judge of our Circuit Court , on the 20 July next
at the city of St. Louis , then and there to Testify
and the truth to say in a certain matter of controversy now pending in our said Court,
wherein Mary Ann Steel
plaintiff and Curtis S kinner is
defedant on the part of the
Pltf and have you then and there this writ.

Witness, John Ruland , Clerk of our aid Circuit Court , at the
City of St. Louis , this 29th day of June
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty six. Jno. Ruland Clerk, C.C.

William Walker not found
in my county

James Brotherton
shff
By M Brotherton Dshffnonest 50 cts

E. 28th July

July 7.1836.

M. A. Steel
vs C. S Skinner

Pltf

Wm Walker 3 augs

County of St. Louis , sct.
State of Missouri To The Sheriff of St. Louis County-Greeting.

You are hereby commanded to summon
Wm Walker
that setting aside all manner of excuse and elay, he be and appear in proper person
before the Judge of our Circuit Court , on the 3rd. augt. next
at the city of St. Louis , then and there to Testify
and the truth to say in a certain matter of controversy now pending in our said Coiurt, wherein Mary Ann Steel is
plaintiff and Curtis S kinner
is defendant on the part of the plff
and have you then and there this writ.

Witness, John Ruland , Clerk of our said Circuit Court , at the
City of St. Louis , this 28 day of July
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty Six. Jno. Ruland , Clerk, C.C.

E. 1 augt. July Term 1836

Mary Ann Steel
vs
Curtis S kinner

Plff

Saml. S.
Wm C. Skinner
John
Chs Lorinz
The Sheriff need not
SummonsCharles
Liring E ABird
Peplsatty3rd augt.

County of St. Louis , sct.
State of Missouri To the Sheriff of St. Louis County-Greeting.

You are hereby commanded to summon Samuel S.. Stramkie.
Wm. C. Skinner , John Mullhall & Charles
Lorinz.
that setting aside all manner of excuse and delay, they be and appear in proper person
before the Judge of our Circuit Court , on the 3rd day of augt:next:
at the city of St. Louis , then and there to Testify
and the truth to say in a certain matter of controversy now pending in our said Court,
wherein Mary Ann Steel is
plaintiff and Curtis S kinner is
defedant ont he part of the
Plaintiffand have you then and there this writ.

Witness, John Ruland , Clerk of our said Circuit Court , at the
City of St. Louis , this 1st day of August
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty six. Jno. Ruland Clerk, C.C.

Executed By reading this subpoena to the
within manner John Mulhall and
William C Skinner in the county of
St Louis augst 8th 1836 Samuel
Stamke not found in this County

J Botherton Shff
By J Gordon Depty Shff Service $ 1.00

E.8 AugJuly Term 1836.

Mary Ann Steel
vs
Curtis Skinner

plff

Jno Mulhall 8
SamlStramkie&
Wm. C. Skinner 813th augt

County of St. Louis , sct.
State of Missouri ,To the Sheriff of St. Louis County-Greeting.

You are hereby commanded to summon John Mulhall Samuel
Stamkie & William C Skinner
that setting aside all manner of excuse and delay, they be and appear in proper
person before the Judge of our Circuit Court , on the thirteenth day
of August instant at the city of St. Louis , then and there to
testify and the truth to say in a certain matter of controversy now pending in
our said Court, wherein Mary Ann Steel a woman of color is
plaintiff and Curtis Skinner is
defendant on the part of
plaintiff and have you then and there this writ.

Witness, John Ruland Clerk of our said Circuit Court , at the
City of St. Louis , this Eighth day of August
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty six Jno. Ruland Clerk, C.C.