LouisCounty of St Louis LouisChouteauChouteau complains
of Gabriel S. ChouteauGabriel S Chouteau , of a plea of trespass,
For that the said defendant on the first day of May A.D. 1843 with force & arms & C. an
assault did make &C. to wit at the County aforesaid
upon the said plaintiff & then & there
beat bruised & illtreated him the said plaintiff
& then & there imprisoned him the said plaintiff,
& detained him in prison there, without any
reason or probable cause whatsoever, for
a long time to wit, for the space of two
hours, there next following, contrary, to
the Laws of the State & against the will
of the said plaintiff,

And the said plaintiff avers that before
& at the time of the committing of the
above grievances to wit at the county aforesaid he the said plaintiff
was, and still is, a free person & that
the defendant held & still holds him in slavery,

And other wrongs to the said plaintiff then
& there did, to the great damage of the said
plaintiff, & against the peace & dignity of the State
Wherefore, the said plaintiff saiththat
he is injured and hath sustained damage
to the amount of eight hundred dollars
and therefore he his suit & C.