To the Hon, the Circuit Court of the County of S Louis

Charles , a man of color, respectfully
represents, that he was born at the village
of Cahokia , St Clair County in the state
of Illinois in the family of Joseph
Esq, whose servant the mother of your
petitioner was, that your petitioner is
now about the age of twenty three
years old, that when about the age of eleven
years, your petitioner was levied on by the
Sheriff of St Clair County in said State of Illinois
on an execution against said , and
sold winter thereof to one Alfred Cowles
with whom your petitioner continued to
reside until about four years ago, when the
said Cowles sold your petitioner to Ebenezer
Pickering, who about three years ago
sold him to Samuel Christy , who has since
deceased, that the evidence of said
Christy , now pretends to claim you petitioner
as her property, and restrains him of his just
rights, liberty & freedom, which he is informed
and believes under thesefacts he has a legal
right to - & he therefore prays this honorable
Court to grant him leave to sue as a poor
person, in order to establish his right to
freedom in an action of false imprisonment
against the said Belina Christy , & he will pray
be.

Charles his mark

State of Missouri
St Louis County ss.

Charles , a man of color, being
duly sworn says that the facts set forth in
the annexed petition are just & true, to the
best of his knowledge & belief

Charles his mark Sworn to & subscribed
the 24 July 1841
Before: Geo A Hyde J.P

The Court being of opinion that the forgoing
peition of Charles , a man of color, contains
sufficient matter to authorize the commencement
of a suit, makes the following orders.

First, That Charles a man of color, be allowed to
sue as a poor person to establish his right
to freedom, and assigns him Risque Murdoch
& King as his counsel

Second. That the said Charles have reasonable liberty
to attend his counsel and the Court as
occasion may require; that he be not removed
out of the jurisdiction of the Court and that
he be not subject to any severity on account
of his application for freedom.

Bryan Mullanphy Judge
of the 8th Judicial Circuit
of Missouri

In Circuit Court of St Louis County
March Term 1841State of Missouri
St Louis County ss.

Charles a man of color
complains of Belina Christy of a plea of
trespass, for that the said defendant
on the first day of February in the year of
our Lord one thousand eight hundred and
forty one, at St Louis to wit at the County
aforesaid made an assault upon the said
plaintiff, and then and there imprisoned
him the said plaintiff and kept and detained
him in prison there, without any reasonable
or probable cause whatsoever for a long
time to wit for the space of twenty three
days there next following, contrary to
the laws of this state and against the
will of the said plaintiff. To the damage
of the said plaintiff one dollar and
therefore he brings suit &C.

Risque Murdoch & King
Attys for Plff

In St Louis Cir. Court
March Term 1841

Charles , a man of color
vs
Belina Christy .

Suit for freedom
Now in false imprisonment

Risque Murdoch & King
Plffs Attys

>County of St. Louis , ss.
The State Of Missouri ,To the Sheriff of St. Louis CountyGreeting:

We command you to summon Belina Christy if
she be found in your county, that she
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 Mon-
day of March next, then and there to answer unto
the petition
of Charles a man of color, of a plea
of trespass
to the damage of said plaintiff of one
dollar: 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 25th day of
February in the year of our Lord eighteen
hundred and forty one. Jn Ruland Clerk.

The Court being of opinion, that the foregoing petition of
Charles , a man of color, contains sufficient matter to
authorize the commencement of a suit makes the
following orders.

First That Charles a man of color be allowed to sue
as a poor person to establish his right to freedom and as
-signs Messrs . Risque, Murdoch & King as his counsel.
Second that the said Charles have reasonable
liberty
to attend his counsel and the court as
occasion
may require: that he be not removed out of the juris-
diction of the Court, and that he be not subject to
any severity on account of his application for freedom.

Bryan Mullanphy , Judge of the 8th
Judicial Circuit of Missouri

a true copy of the order attest Jn Ruland Clk

plea stricken out by of BK 12 p 410 - venue charge to St Louis
amt of com Pleas BK 13 p 204

No. 343 St Louis Circuit Court
March Term 1841

Charles (of color)
vs
Belina Christy
Summons

Suit for freedom

Risque, Murdoch & King Filed 25th Feb 1841 Jn Ruland Clk Free 1

Executed this writ in the county of St Louis on the
25th day of February 1841 by
offering to reading
it and the Petition Declaration and order of the Court
to Belina Christy the defendant

Marshall Brotherton Sheriff
By Henry B Belt Depty Service $ 100

In the Circuit Court of St Louis County
March Term 1841State of Missouri
St Louis County ss

And now at this day
comes the said plaintiff and by Care of the Court
first had andobtained files an amended
declaration as follows.

Charles a man of color complains of
Belina Christy of a plea of trespass for that
the said defendant at St Louis to wit at the County
aforesaid, on the first day of February in the year
eighteen hundred & forty one with force and arms
assaulted the said plaintiff and him then and there
took and imprisoned and restrained him the said plaintiff
of his liberty and held him in servitudefrom the
said day and year last aforesaid until the twenty
fifth day of February in the year aforesaid . And
the said plaintiff avers that at the time of the
committing of the said grievances, the said plaintiff
was and still is a free person and that the
defendant held, and still holds him the
said plaintiff in slavery, against the law of
the land, and against the will of the said
plaintiff, and other wrongs to the said plaintiff
within that time did, against the peace
and to the plaintiffs damage one dollar
and therefore he brings suit

Risque Murdoch & King
attys for Plff

In Cir. Court St Louis Co
March T. 1841

Charles , a man of color
vs
Belina Christy

Filed by leave of Court February
26 1841 Jno Ruland Clerk

To the Hon. the Circuit Court of the County
of St. Louis .

Charles a man of color respectfully
represents that at the present
term Novr Term 1841 of the St Louis Circuit
Court , your petitioner by leave of this honorable
Court brought a suit in False imprisonment against
Belina Christy for the purpose of establishing his
right to freedom_ that the writ issued in said
Cause, was duly served on the said defendant
by the Sheriffsof said County some time during the
lastweek - that after the said service of
the said writ with the ordersthereonendorsed
as provided by the secondsection of the act
entitled ``An act to enable persons held in
slavery to sue for their freedom'' upon the said
defendant, the said petitioner was forcibly
seized in the publicstreets of the City of
St Louis on Sunday the 28th day of March
1841 by one John H . Deck and one Peter
a watchman of St Louis , who pretending to act
under the authority of the defendant Belina
Christy , and carried the said petitioner
across the river Mississippi into the state
of Illinois and out of the jurisdiction
of this Court, and was taken to the jail
of St Clair County , Illinois for imprisonment
but the jailorof said County refused to take
Charge of your petitioner on the ground that there
was no offensealledged against your :
Your petitioner states that during last night he
escaped from the custody of those who confined
him at Belleville and has returned to the
City of St Louis in Missouri , and now claims the
protection of this honorable Court, and
that he may be brought up under a warrant
before this honble Court, and that defendant
be compelled to enter into recognizance
as the said law provides. your petitioner
states that he believes that he will be again taken
out of the jurisdiction of
this Court unless the said
warrant issues

Charles a man of Color

by Risque Murdoch & King
hisAttys

State of Missouri
St Louis County Ss

Charles a man of Color
being sworn says that the facts set forth
in the forgoing petition arejust & true

Sworn to & subscribed
the 1 March 1841
Before Jn Ruland Clerk Charles his mark a man of color

Charles a man of color
vs
Belina Christy

Filed March 1st 1841 Jn. Ruland Clerk

warrant ordered to being plff before the court Bk 12 121

Stricken out by order of court

N. S . Doughty Dpty Clk

St. Louis Circuit Court March Term 1841

And the said defendant
in her own proper person comes and says that
this Court ought not to have or take further
cognizance of the actions aforesaid because she
says that the said ()
trespasses and false imprisonment in the
declaration mentioned and the said holding in
slavery therein mentioned, were done in the
State of Illinois & not elsewhere & by reason
of a claim to the services of said plaintiff
under the laws of that State: and the said
plaintiff so being held by defendant to service
in Illinois , under color of the laws thereof,
escaped & ran away from defendant
to the State of Missouri , against the will
of defendant & brought this suit: he the said
plaintiff never having resided in the State of
Missouri at any time and this the defendant
is ready to verify, wherefore she
prays judgment.

Spalding &
attys for deft

St. Louis Circuit Court

Charles
vs.
Belina Christy

plea

Spalding & Tiffany
attysFiled March 20. 1841 Jn. Ruland Clk

St. Louis Circuit Court March Term 1841

And the defendant by
her attorney comes and defends the force and
injury when &C. and says that she is not
guilty of the said supposed trespass and false
imprisonment in manner and form as
the said plaintiff hath above thereof complained against her, & of this she puts herself upon the country &.C.

Spalding & Tiffany
attys for Deft

343 St. Louis Circuit Court

Charles
vs
Belina Christy

plea

Spalding & Tiffany
attys for deftFiled March 20. 1841 Jn. Ruland Clk

And the said plaintiff as to the
plea of the said defendant, and
whereof she puts herself upon the
Country doth the like

F.B . Murdoch
atty for Plff

Charles , (of color)
vs
Belina Christy

to

Filed July 19 1841 Jn Ruland clerk

To the Hon St. Louis Circuit
Court your petitioner Melanie Christy respec-
fully a change of venue may be awarded
in above named case, pending in the St. Louis
Circuit Court , for the following cause,= because
the Judge of the said Court has prejudicesagainst
the petitioner's defined to the said suit.

Melanie Christy

County of St Louis
ss.

Melanie Christy this day personally appears
before the undersigned, & makes oath to the fact
in the foregoing petition & states that she has just cause
to beleive that she cannot receive a fair trial in
the case above mentioned, & on account of the
cause alleged in said petition.

Given under my hand, this Eighteenth day of October,
A.D. Eighteen hundred and forty one.

Justice of the peace.

Charles (a man of color)
vs
Melanie Christy

Affidavit for change of
venue

Filed October 23d 1841 Jn Ruland Clerk

County of St. Louis , ss.
The State Of Missouri ,To Dr. C. Tiffin , Joseph Basel
Pamlin
Jno Para

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 fifth day of January
1842
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 Charles a man of Color is
plaintiff B. Christy is
defendant on the part of the plaintiff
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 31st day of December in
the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and
forty- one Jn. Ruland Clerk, C.C.

Charles
vs
Christy

Subpoena for
Witnesses

Dr. Tiffin
Jno Paron
Jos: Paulin
Executed
M. Brotherton
Shff Fee 150

Served this subpa on all
the witnesses this day
3 Jany 1842

J. B. Murdoch

County of St. Louis , ss.
The State Of Missouri ,To Wiggins of the house of Christy & Wiggins
and Dr C. Tiffin
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 fifth day of January
1842
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 Charles , a man of Color) is
plaintiff and B. Christy is
defendant on the part of the plaintiff
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 3d day of January in
the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and
forty- two Jno. Ruland Clerk, C.C.

Executed

M. Brotherton
Shff Fee $ 1.00

Charles
vs
B. Christy
Subpa

For Dr C. Tiffin
W S Wiggins of the firm of Christy &
Wiggins .
— To appear 5 Jany 1842

County of St. Louis , sct.
State Of Missouri ,To the Sheriff of St. Louis CountyGreeting:

We command you to attach Dr C. Tiffin
by his body and him safely keep, so that you have his body
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 the 6th day of January 1842 then
and there to testify, and the truth to say in a certain matter of controversy, now pending in
our said Circuit Court , between Charles of Color is
plaintiff, and Belina Christy is defendant wherein
the said Dr. C. Tiffin has 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 6th day of
January in the year of our Lord, one thousand
eight hundred and forty two Jn Ruland Clerk, C.C.

Charles
vs
Christy

Attachment
for Dr C. Tiffin

Not found

M. Brotherton
Shff Fee .50 C

Charles , a man of color
vs
Melanie Christy To the Hon. the Saint Louis Circuit
Court

Your petitioner Melanie Christy the
defendant in the above named case respect
fully asks that a change of venue may
be awarded therein for the following
reason- Because the Judge of said
court is prejudiced in said case.

Melanie Christy

State of Missouri
County of St. Louis
sct

Melanie Christy the above
named petitioner this day personally
appears before the under signed and
makes oath to the truth of the foregoing
petition, and that she has just
cause to beleive that she cannot receive
a fair trial in the above case, on account
of the causesalledged in the
said petition.

Melanie Christy Sworn to and subscribed before me,
this sixth day of January, A.D.
Eighteen hundred and forty two. Kretschmar Justice of the peace St Louis County, Mo.

Charles , a man of color
vs
Melanie Christy

Petition for change
of venue

Filed January 6 1842 Jn Ruland Clerk