IsrealIsrael a free man of color held in slavery
who is permitted by the court to sue by AugustusAugustus H. EvansH Evans
his next friend as a poor person by his Attorney Shothen
assigned as counsel by the court, complains of WilliamWilliam
Rector of a plea of trespas. For that the said WilliamWilliam
heretofore towit, on the first day of october in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and twenty five with force and arm at the county of St LouisSt Louis aforesaid
am assault did make upon the body of the said
IsrealIsrael and then and there break, burned and illtreated
him the said IsrealIsrael , and then and there imprisoned
him the said plaintiff, and kept and detained
him in prison against his will, and without any
reasonable as probable cause whatever, and has
even since kept and detained him in prison con
trary to the laws of this state. And the said IsrealIsrael
overs that before and at the time of the com meetting
the grievance aforesaid he was and still is a free
person, and that the said Rector held and detained
him and still holds and detains in slavery. And
the said Rector other then and there did
to the said plaintiff against the peace of the
state. Wherefore the said plaintiff says he
is injured and has sustained damages to the
am amount of eight hundred dollers, and therefore
he sues &c.