Suit for freedom
under the statute

Be it remembered that at the trial of this
cause the plaintiff, in order to support the slave
on his part the following depositions .
The deposition of AugusteAuguste taken by consent of parties
at the office. April 6th 1827.

AugusteAuguste of lawful age, being swornon the
part of the defendants. He knows John MerryJohn Merry
a negro, the plaintiff in the above writ; knows him
from his birth about 35 or 36 years ago; he was born
at his house in CahokiaCahokia and was his slave He
got him by inheritance though his father & mother
said John from his, said deponent's father. The
father and mother of said John were negro slaves
belonging to his said deponent's father. When said
John was three years old or thereabouts, he sold
the father, mother and child, he believes, to Mr
Pinceneau, as said Pinceneau paid him for them.

Question by plaintiff's attorney.

When did your father bring them to IllinoisIllinois?
Ans. He does not known.

2. Did you know him, John, a slave in 1787, in the
state of IllinoisIllinois? A. He was not born; but his

his father & mother were slaves. The father
was a slave 60 years ago, and the mother 40, or
more. From his first knowledge he knew her as a
slave belonging to this father. Deponent is 56
years old, and John is about 35 years old.

Question by defendants attorney. Did you know
the mother of John to be a slave 50 years ago?
Ans: I did she was a negress."

Deposition of PierrePierre Bennet, taken as above.

"Says he knows that Mr. Pinceneau brought John
to this side to send him to New OrleansOrleans, and that
Louis Pinceneau said, in deponents presence that if the
negro would the money he had paid for him, he would
give him his freedom. Does not know that the negro
ever gave Pinceneau any part of the price."

Deposition of Louis Pinceneau, taken as above.

"Louis Pinceneauof lawful age being duly sworn
on the part of the plaintiff, says, his son in con-
cession with the negro, the negro observed that he
would not serve his master any longer; but if he
would give him time, he would set the money
he, Pinceneau had given for him. Pinceneau
gave him one month and then continued the
time for two weeks more. My son never received
the money, that I ever heard or any property form said
negro."