To the Hon. the Circuit Court of St Louis
County. April Term 1844.

The petition of Hannah a mulatto woman
aged about nineteen years respectfully represents
that she is now held in slavery in the County
aforesaid by John Pitcher that the verily believes
that she is entitled to freedom, and she prays
the said Court for leave to , the said Pitcher, as
a poor person, in order to establish her right to freedome.
Your petitioner states, as the ground on which her
claim to freedome is founded, that about eight years
ago, then being the slave of Danel D. Page, of St Louis
in the state of Missouri , she was taken by said Page
from St Louis aforesaid to the City of Boston in the state of
Massachusetts , in the spring of the year in the month of
May as petitioner believes, and there left by said
Page as a waiter and servant in attendance upon the
wife of said Page, who accompained her said
husband to Boston aforesaid, - that petitioner remained
in the said state of Massachusetts during service and labor
there in attendance upon the wife of said Page until
sometime in the fall of the same year, the month
of petitioner thinks, where your petitioner was
bought back again to St Louis by her said
who then returned home - The petitioner cannot remember
with distinctness, the year whom she was so taken
to Massachusetts & then kept as aforesaid, but for greater
certainty, she states, that it was in the year, that the
Catholic convent was burnt down at Charliston
in said Past named state, by a mob, and that petitioner
being there in Boston saw the Conflagration - After
petitioner was brought back to St Louis , the said
Page sold her to Mr. John Pitcher, who nowholds
her in slavery - Petitioner states that slavery is not
allowed to exist in the state of Massachusetts , and
was not permitted when she was so taken there &
kept as aforesaid and that such a holding her
in slavery there by the laws of said state entitled
petitioner to freedom.

Hannah her mark of Color

State of Missiouri
St. Louis County Ss

Hannah , a woman of color
being duly sworn before the undersigned justice of
the Peace for said County, says that the facts set
forth in the forgoing petitions are true.

Sworn to & subscribed
the 6th May 1844
Before one
Alphonso
Justice of the peace Hannah her mark of color

The Court being satisified that the petition of
Hannah (of Color) contains sufficent matter
to authorize the Commencement of a suit, makes
the following orders:

First, That Hannah (of color) be allowed to sue
as a poor person to establish her right to freedom
and the Court assigns as her counsel B. Murdcok Esq.
Second. That the said Hannah have reasonable liberty to attend her counsel and the court, as
occasion may require that she be not removed
out of the jurisdiction of the Court, and that
she be not subject to any severity on account
of her application for freedom

John M Krum Judge of the 8th Judicial
Circuit Court of Mo.

State of Missouri
St Louis County ss. St Louis Circuit Court
November Term 1844.

Hannah , a woman of Color by her next
friend Charles Edmon complains of John
Pitcher of a plea of trespass, for that the
said defendant on the third day of May
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and forty four with force and arms &
made an assault upon the said plaintiff
to wit at the County aforesaid and then and
there beat bruised and ill treated her, the
said plaintiff, and then and there imprisoned her
the said plaintiff, and kept and detained her
in prison there, without any reasonable
or probable cause whatsoever for a long
time, to wit, for the space of twelve hours
then next following: And the said plaintiff
avers, that before and at the time of the
committing of the grievances aforesaid, she
was and still is a free person and that the
defendant held, and still holds, her in slavery
contrary to the laws of said state and againt
the will of the said plaintiff - to the damage
of the said plaintiff one dollar and therefore she
brings suit &c -

. B. Murdock
Atty for Plff.

St. Louis Circuit Court
November Term 1844

Hannah (of color) by
hernext friend Charles
Edmon
vs
John Pitcher

Suit for freedom
Trespass.

Filed May 7th 1844 John Ruland , Clerk. Writ 50paid by F . B . Murdoch

County of St. Louis , ss.
The State Of Missouri ,To the Sheriff of St. Louis County—Greeting:

We command you to Summon John Pitcher, if he be
found in your County, that he be and ap-
pear before the Judge of our Circuit Court , on the first day of the next term thereof, to
be held at the City of St. Louis , within and for the county of St. Louis , on the
third Monday of November next, then and there to answer unto
Han-
nah (a person of color) who sues by her next friend
Charles Edmon , of a plea of Trespass
to the damage of said plaintiff
One Dollar:
dollars: And have you then there this writ.

Witness, John Ruland , Clerk of our said Court,
with the seal thereof hereto affixed, at office, in the
city of St. Louis , this Seventh day of
May in the year of our Lord eighteen
hundred and forty Four Jn. Ruland Clerk

I acknowledge myself bound for all costs that may accrue in the above cause.
Witness my hand and seal, at St. Louis , this day of 184

Dismissed May 27th 1844, Bk 15 p 80. at
nobody's costs plea filed 15p311

No. 16 In the St Louis Circuit County
November Term 1844.

Hannah (of Color) by the next
friend

Charles Edmon
vs
John Pitcher
Summons

Trespass Damages $1.00.
F. B. Murdoch .
Dismissed & another
suit instituted - sec ``No.28.
April Term 1844.''

Filed May 7th. 1844. John Ruland , Clerk Free
writ paid by Atty Murdoch

Executed this writ in the County of
St. Louis or the 17th day of May 1844 by offering
to read it and the declaration to John
Pitcher which he refused to hear- also by
reading to the said John Pitcher the orders
of the Judge

William Milburn Shff
by N. C. Osburn Depy

State of Missouri
St Louis County Ss

The State of Missouri to the
Sheriff of St Louis County Greeting. You are
hereby commanded that you seize the body
of Hannah , a petitioner for have to sue
John Pitcher in Trespass in false Imprisonment
in a suit for freedom, and bring her before our
St. Louis Circuit Court , at 10 o'clock A.M.
on Tuesday the fourth day of June in the year
eighteen hundred & forty four, at the Court
house in St. Louis , and also to summon the
said John Pitcher, the defendant, then and
there to appear, and abide such orders
as our said Court, may make in the premises

Witness, John Ruland , Clerk of our said
Court, with the seal thereof hereto affixed,
at office, in the City of St Louis , this fourth
day of June, Eighteen hundred and forty-four. John Ruland , Clerk

No. St Louis Circuit Court
April Term 1844

Warrant to Seize
Hannah (a person of Color
and
Summon John Pitcher

Retble at 10 06 the 11
June 1844

Executed this writ in the county of
St. Louis on the 4th day of June 1844 by seizing
the body of Hannah , the person within named & having, Court
and by summoning John Pitcher as
herein commanded

William Wilburn Shff
by N. C. Osburn Depy Fees $ 2.00

Circuit Court .
Nov. Term 1844

And now comes
she defendant by his attorneys, and
defends the force and injury, when, &c
and says, that he is not guilty of
the said suffered grievances, or either
of them, in manner and form as the
paid plaintiff hath thereof above
complained.

And of this he the said defendant
puts himself afore the County &c

Primm L Taylor
. d.

No. 28. Circuit Court .
Nov: Term 1844.

Hannah (a person of color)
vs.
John Pitcher.

plea
gen: issue

Primm L Taylor
p. d.Filed Novr 22nd 1844 John Ruland Clerk

Circuit Court .
Nov. Term 1844
and Now comes

the said defendant by his attorneys, and
defends she force and injury, when, &c,
and says, that he is not guilty of the
said suffered grievances, or either of
them, in manner and form as the said
plaintiff hath thereof above alleged.

And of this he the said defendant
puts himself afore she county &c.

Primm L Taylor
f. d.

No. 16. Circuit Court .
Nov: Term 1844.

Hannah (a person of color)
vs. John Pitcher

plea,
gen: issue.

Primm L Taylor
f. d.Filed Novr 22nd 1844 John Ruland Clerk