State of Missouri
St Louis County

Mary Robinson maketh oath and says the
foregoing petition is true- as
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 2nd day
of December 1844

Mary herXmark Robinson

State of Missouri
St Louis Countyss
In the St Louis Circuit Court
April Term 1845

This petition of Mary Robinson
Humbly showeth that she your petitionerthat she
is a woman of Colour and entitled to her Freedom
from the following facts- Viz. That in the Winter of
Eighteen hundred and forty one She your petitioner
was taken from the city of St Louis in said County
to the City of Alton in the state of Illnois by her then Master and
owner and kept in slavery contrary to her your
petitioners will but by the will of her said
owner Viz Amos L. Carson- in the state of Illinois
in the said City of Alton for the space of time at
least six months contrary to law. After which period
of time the six months last aforesaid she your
petitioner was sent by the said Carson to
the City of Saint Louis and was kept in slavery
by one Ringrose D Watson for a long space
of time after which time a suit for her freedom
was commenced in this Court and was terminated by a nonsuit
in consequence of the said Ringrose D. Watson
Declaiming any ownership over your petitioner but
last night the said Watson in company with
a person calling himself an officer called at
the residence of your petitioner and demanded her your petitioner
and and took her to the Jail of said county where she is now as a slave and your petitioner has good reason to believe and
does believe she will be taken Beyond the jurisdiction
of this Court and kept in slavery the said
& Carson are restrained by this Court from
with her she therefore prays to be permitted to sue
as a free person - and that place under the protection
of this Court and as in duly because she will
ever pray

Mary Robinson xher mark

St Louis County

Mary Robinson the above named petitioner marketh
and saith that the above petition is true in
every particular
Sworn and subscribed to before me this - 30th Nov 1844 James Hurdy a justice of the St Louis Courts

In the St Louis Circuit Court April Term 1845

trespass & false impr

Smith & Langton
for plaintiff

In the St Louis Circuit Court
St Louis County
State of Missouri

This ordered by Judge of said
Court that the petition be allowed to
to establish her right to freedom and it is further ordered
that Smith and Langton Esquire be and they are hereby assigned
as her counsel and it is further ordered that she the
said petitioner have reasonable liberty to attend her
said counsel and the Court as may require
that she be not removed from the jurisdiction of said Court
and that she be not subject to any severity on account
of her application for Freedom
Dec. 2 1844

John M Krum Judge 8. Judge Cir Mo

State of Missouri ss
St Louis County
In the St Louis Circuit Court
April Term 1845

Mary Robinson a woman of
colour by her attorneys Smith & Langton
Complains of Ringrose D. Watson and Amos
L. Carson of a plea of Trespass for false
imprisonment For that heretofore to wit on
the twenty fourth day of July in the year of our
Lord One thousand Eight hundred and forty one
at the County aforesaid The said defendants
with forceand arms an assault made on the said
plaintiff and then and there beat bruised and ill-
treated her the said plaintiff and then and
there unlawfully imprisoned her the said plaintiff
and there hath kept and retained her in prison from
the day last aforesaid for the span of twelve hoursthereafter Contrary to the form of the statues in such
case made and provided and against the
peace and dignity of the state And the said
plaintiff avers that before and at the time of
the committing the said several grievances she the said
plaintiff was and still is a free person
and that the Defendants hold and still holds
the said plaintiff in slavery Therefore the said
plaintiff says she is injured and has
sustained damages to the amount of five
hundred dollars and therefore she sues
&c

Smith & Langton
for plaintiff

Trespass & false imprisonment
. Dam $ 500. 00
Smith & Langton p.q.

Petn filed & orderread

Dec 2nd 1844.

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

We command you to Summon Ringrose D Watson
and Amos L Carson if they be found in
your County that they be and appear 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 Mou-
day of April next, then and there to answer unto Mary Robinson of a plea of trepass and
false imprisonment to the damage of said plaintiff five hundred 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 Second day of
December in the year of our Lord eighteen
hundred and forty four. John 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

petition filed order made15p 354. plea by deft Watson filed16p165
add plea filed by leave of court 16p 282Dismissed March 20 1846 36 12 pqof

No 11
St Louis Circuit Court
April Term 1845

Trespass & false imprisonment
Damages $500
Smith Langton atty

Filed December 2nd 1844
John Ruland clk

It is ordered that the petitioner be
allowed to sue as a poor person to establish
her right to freedom and it
is further ordered that Smith Langton
Esquire be and they are hereby assigned
as her Counsel and it is further
ordered that she the said petitioner
have reasonable liberty to attend
her said Counsel and the Court as
occasion may require that she be
not removed from the jurisdiction of
said Court and that she be not subject
to any severity on account of her
application for freedom

free (155)

Executed this writ in the County
of St Louis on the 3rd day December 1844 by
offering to read it, the petition and the
declaration to Ringrose D Watson one
of the defendants which he refused to hear
Also by reading to the said Ringrose D Watson
the order of the Judge endorsed upon this
writ- Amos L Carson , the other defendant
not found in my County

William Milburn Shff
By N. C Osburn Depty
Fees $2.50

In the St. Louis Circuit Court
April Term 1845

And the defendant Watson by his attorneys,
comes and defends, the force and injury when
&c and for plea says that he is not guilty
The said supposed trespass herein laid to his
charge by the plaintiff and further says that
it is not true as stated by plaintiff, that she
is now or ever has been a free person
and of this he puts himself upon the County

Crockett & for Defn

No 11
In St. Louis Circuit Court

Not guilty for W.

filed 28 April 1845
Jno Ruland Clerk

No11
In St. Louis Circuit Court

Additional plea

Filed June 7th 1845
John Ruland Clerk

In the St Louis Circuit Court
April Term 1845

And for this & further plea in this behalf
by leave of Court the said defendant Watson
defending the force and injury when &c &c, and says
acts because he says that at the November Term
1841 of the Circuit Court of St Louis County aforesaid
the said plaintiff Mary Robertson impleaded the
said defendant Watson in and by her certain
action and plea of Trespass and false imprisonment
for the establishment of her freedom and for and on
account of the very same trespasses & grievances, matters
and things now here alledged by plff against
him the said defendant Watson :.

And at said Term of said to Court the said defendant
Watson pleaded that he was not guilty of
of the supposed Trepass then by said plff in said suit
charged against defendant Watson - also 2dly that
at the institution of her said suit, “the plaintiff was
and still is a slave”- and 3dly that at the time
of the institution of her said suit, “the plff has and
still is a slave, the property of Amos L Carson ” &

And afterwardto wit at the same Term aforesaid
of said Circuit Court issues were taken and
upon said pleas.
And at the Term of said Court held November1844
to wit on 27th day of November 1844, the said Cause
came on for trial (and the pleas and casues aforesaid)
and was then and there tried by a jury of the
Country, who then and there found each and all of
said issues and causes thereon for him the said defendant
Watson - Whereupon, in the day and term
last mentioned, and in conformity with said verdict

-, in the day and term
last and in with said
it was considered by said St Louis Circuit Court
that said plaintiff should take witness &c when
said suit but that defendant shewed so thereof
without dely &

As In the Record and proceedings thereof as they
remain in the said Court more fully appears: which
said verdict and judgt remain in full force & virture
not in any wise set aside, reversed, or vacuted or annulled

And these defendant Watson is to verify by
by said Record:

Wherefore he prays judgt of the said plff
ought have or maintain her aforesaid action thereof
against him the said defendant

Crockett &
Attys for Deft Watson

County Of St. Louis ,Ss.
The State Of Missouri ,
To Sarah Douglass Todd
John Green
Louis . DuBreuil
Greeting:

You are hereby commanded, that setting aside all manner of excuse and delay, you appear
before the Judge of our Circuit Court , on the Eighteenth day of February1846 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 Robinson is plaintiff and Watson & of is defendant- on the part of
and herein you are in no wise to fail.

Witness, John Ruland , Clerk of our said Court, with
the seal thereof hereto affixed, at office, in the City of St .
Louis , this 16th day of February
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and
forty-six.
John Ruland Clerk, C. C.

Circuit Court

suit for Freedom

X Sarah Douglass Todd
= GreenX Louis DuBreuil 18th July 1846
X R P. Todd Smith
Executed Wm Milburn Sheriff
fee 1.00
&

County Of St. Louis ,Ss.
The State Of Missouri ,
To George F. Watson
Greeting:

You are hereby commanded, that setting aside all manner of excuse and delay, you appear
before the Judge of our Circuit Court , on the 20th day of February
1846 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 Robinson is
plaintiff and R D Watson & Carson are
defendants on the part of Defdts and herein you are in no wise to fail.

Witness, John Ruland , Clerk of our said Court, with
the seal thereof hereto affixed, at office, in the City of St .
Louis , this 19 day of February
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and
forty-six.
John Ruland Clerk, C. C.

subp for

X George F. Watson
at Walch's Union Mill
for 20th

Executed Wm Milburn Shrff
fee 50 ct

County Of St. Louis ,Sct.
State of Missouri ,
To the Sheriff of St. Louis County-Greeting:

We command you to attachSarah Douglass Todd & Louis DuBreuil by their bodies and them safely keep, so that you havetheir bodis before
the Judge of our Circuit Court , now in session at the City of St. Louis , within and for the
County of St. Louis , on theforthwith184 then
and there to testify, and the truth to say in a certain matter of controversy, now pending in
our said Circuit Court , between Mary Robinson is
plaintiff, andCarson & Watson are defendants, wherein
the said Todd & DuBreuil have heretofore been summoned
on the part of the said plaintiff

Witness, John Ruland , Clerk of our said Circuit
Court , at the City of St. Louis , this 2nd day of
March in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and forty-six
John Ruland Clerk, C. C.

Circuit Court

attachment
for
Sarah Douglass Todd
X & Louis DuBreuil
for plff

Executed and had
L. Dubreuil in assin Court
Wm Milburn Shrff
fee $1.50.
Mrs Todd sick in in