State of Missouri
St Louis County

Mary Robinson maketh oath and lays the
foregoing petition is true_ as
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 2nd day
of september 1844

Mary herXmark Robinson

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

This petition of Mary Robinson
Humbly showith that she your petitionerthat she
is a woman of Colour and intitled to her Freedom
from the following facts That in the Winter of
Eighteen hundred and forty and five 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 the will of her said
owner 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 for a long space
of time after which time a said for her freedom
was commanded in this Court and was by a
in of the said
any ownership your petitioner
last might the said Watson in company with
a person calling himself an officer called at your peitioner
the residence of your petitioner and
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
sue pray

her Mary x> Robinson mark

St Louis County

Mary Robinson the above named marketh
and that the above petition is true in
every particular
sworn and subscribed to before me - the In the St Louis Court plaintiff

In the St Louis Circuit Court April Term 1845

vs &

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 her right to freedom and it is further ordered
that Smith and Esquire be and they are hereby asigned
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 9. Judge Cir Mo

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

Mary Robinson a woman of
colour by her attorny Smith & Layton
Complains of RenyRose D. Watson and
L. Carson of a plea of Trespass for false
imprisonment For that heretofore towit 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
can made and provided and against the
and dignity of the state And the said
plaintiff owns 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
to

Smith & Layton
for plaintiff

vs

&

Trespass & false im=
prisonment
. Dam $ 500. 00
Smith & Lanyton p.q.
filed &

Dec 2nd 1866.

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 mease 15p 354. nearby deft Watson filed 16p165
add plea filed by leave of court 16p 282 March 20 18 36 12 pq of

No 11
St Louis Circuit Court
April Term 1845

vs summons
&

Trespass & false imprisonment
Damages $500
Smith Laugtin atty

Filed December 2nd 1844
John Ruland clk

It is ordered that the petitioner be
allowed to sue as a poor person to es=
=tablish her right to freedom and it
is further ordered that Smith Lang
=ton Esquire be and they are hereby as=
=signed as her Counsel and it is fur
=ther ordered that she the said petition
er have reasonalbe 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 sub-
=ject to any severity on account of her
application for freedom

free (155)

Exeucted 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 forwith in my County

William Milburn Shff
By N. C Osburn
Fees $2.50

No. 11
vs

with

In the St. Louis Circuit Court
April Term 1845

And the defendant Watson by her atton=
=neys, come and defend, the force and injury when
and for says that he is not guilty
The said supposed trespass herein said to her
charge by the plaintiff and further says that
it is not true as stated by plaintiff, that she
is nor ever has been a free person
and of this he puts himself upon the County

for Defn

No 11
In St. Louis Circuit Court

robertson
vs
unpleaded
&e auth .

Not guilty for W.

filed on 8 april 1845
Jno Ruland Clerk

No11
In St. Louis Circuit Court

of Color
vs

unpleaded with

Additional plea

Filed June 7th 1845
John Ruland Clerk

vs

umpleaded with Carsen

In the St Louis Circuit Court
April Term 1845

And for this & further plea in this behalf
by laws of Court the said defendant Watson
defending the force and injury when , and says
actes because he says that at the November Term
1841 of the Circuit Court of St Louis County aforesaid
the said plaintiff Mary Robertson unpleaded 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, mat-
-ters and things now here alledged by against
him the said defendant Watson :.

and at said Term of said to unit the said defen-
dant Watson pleaded that have not formerly of
of the suppored Trepass then by said in said suit
charged against defendant Watson_also 2 by that
at the of her said suit, “the plaintiff was
and still is a slave”_and 3 by that at the time
of the institution of her said suit, “the has and
still is a slave, the property of Amos L Carson ”

And afterward and temit at the same Term afore=
=said of and Circuit Court issues were taken and
upon said pleas.
And at the Term of said Court held November1844
in 27th day of November 1844, the said Cause
came on for trial (and the pleas and casues afore-
=said) and was then and there tried by a of the
Country , who then and there formed such and all of
said issues and causes for him the said de=
=fendant Watson_ Whereupon, in the day and term
last mentioned, and in conformity with said

-d-, in the day and term
last and in with said
considered by said St Louis Circuit Court
that said plaintiff should witness when
said suit but that defendant to thereof
without day

In the Record and proceeding thereof as they
remain in the said mnor fully appears: which
said indect and judst remain in full force & virture
not in any wise let , reversed, or vacuted or annu
led.

And these defendant Watson is to Therapy by
in said Record:

Wherefore he prays Judge of the said
might have or maintain her aforesaid action thereof
against her the said defendant

Attry for Watson

County Of St. Louis ,Ss.
The State Of Missouri ,
To Sarah Gayles Todd
John Green
Louis . DuBiul
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

vs
&

suit for Freedom

X Seral Douglass Todd
= X Louis 18th July 1846
X R P . Tood 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 Fegruary
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,
whereiin Mary Robinson is
plaintiff and R D Watson & Carson are
defendants on the part of Defnts 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.

vs

subp for

X George D Watson
at Walch's Union Mill
for 20th
Executed Wm Milburn Shrff
ree 50 .00

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

We command you to attach Sarah Douglass Todd & by this bodis and them safely keep, so that you havethis 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, and Carson & Watson are defendants, wherein
the said Todd & 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 2nd day of
March in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and forty-six
John Ruland Clerk, C. C.

Circuit Court

vs

attachment

for
Sarah Douglass Todd
X & Louis
Executed and had
L. Dubruit in County
Wm Milburn Shrff
fee $1.50.
Mrs Todd suit in in