restrained him the said plaintiff of his liberty and held him
in servitude from the said day and year last aforesaid
untill the twenty fifth day of February in the year afore
said 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 land of the land and against the will of the said
plaintiff; and other wrongs to the said plantiff within
that time did, against the peace etc and to the plaintiffs
damage one dollar and therefore he brings suit &c
Risque Murdoch & King attys for plff. And atterwards
at the same term to wit on the 1st day of March 1841
the following further proceedings were had in said
Petition.
filed
cause to wit. CharlesCharles a man of Color vs Belina ChristyBelina Christy
Now at this day cames the said plaintiff by his attorney
and files his petition verified according to law, setting
fourth that he is damages danger and fears he will be removed
out of the jurisdiction of this court. Unless by the interposition
of this court, which being seen and heard and
by the court-here fully understood it is ordered that a
warrant issue to bring said plaintiff before this court
then and there to be dealt with as the court shall see
fit and direct which petition above mentioned is in the
Petition
words and figures following to wit. To the Hon. the circuit
Court of the county of St LouisSt Louis. CharlesCharles a man of color
respectfully represents that at the present term Novr Term 1841 of the St Louis Circuit CourtCircuit Court your petitioner
by leave of this honable Court brought a suit in false
imprisonment against Belina ChristyBelina Christy for the purpose of
establishing his right to freedom, that the writ issued in
in said cause, was duly served on the said defendant
by the Sheriff of said county some time during the

last weekâThat after the said service of the said writ with
the orders thereon endorsed as provided by the second sec
tion 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 public
streets of the city of St LouisSt Louis on Sunday the 28th day of March 1841 by one John HJohn H Duke, and one PeterPeter Guian a
watchman of St LouisSt Louis, who pretending to act under the
authority of the defendant Belina ChristyBelina Christy , and carried
the said petitioner accross the river MississippiMississippi into
the state of IllinoisIllinois and out of the jurisdiction of this
Court, and was taken to the sail of St Claire CountySt Claire County IllinoisIllinois
for imprisonment but the jailor of said county refused
to take charge of your petitioner on the ground
that there was no offence alleged against your petitioner:
your petitioner states that during last night he escaped
from the custody of those who confined him at Bellville
and has returned to the city of St LouisSt Louis in MissouriMissouri and
now claims the protection of this honorable court and
that he may be brought up under a warrant before
this honorable Court and that defendant be compelled to
enter into recognizance as the said law provides etc
your petitioner states that he believes that he will be
again taken out of the jurisdiction of this court unless
Affidavit
to
petition
the said warrant issues CharlesCharles , a man of color by
Rsque Murdoch & King his attys. State of MissouriMissouri
St Louis County ss CharlesCharles a man of color being sworn
says that the facts set forth in the foregaing petition
are just & true CharlesCharles his x mark a man of color sworn to &
subscribed the 1 March 1841 before In RulandRuland clerk
And afterwards at the same term to wit on the 2nd day of March 1841 the following further proceedings were
Order for
had in said cause to wit. CharlesCharles a man of color vs