St. LouisSt Louis county to wit AnsonAnson a boy of color an
infantwhosues by permission of the court
by his nextfriendWilliamWilliam Clark ClarkWilliam Clark complains
of Henry GHenry G Mitchel MitchelHenry G Mitchel and HenryHenry C. RusselRussel
of a trespass: For that the said HenryHenry G Mitchel GHenry G Mitchel MitchelHenry G Mitchel and HenryHenry C RusselRussel on the 22 day of May in the year 1832 with force
and armsmade an assault upon the said
AnsonAnson to wit at the county of St. LouisSt Louis aforesaid
and then and therebeatbruised and ill
treated the said AnsonAnson and then and there
imprisoned the said Auson and kept and
detained the said Auson in prison with
outanyprobableprobablecausewhatsoever for a
longspace of time to wit for the space of 25
hours then next following contrary to law
and against the will of the said AnsonAnson
and the said AnsonAnson avers that before and at
the time of the committing of the above grievances
he was andstill is a free person and
that the defendants then held and debtained
him in slavery and stillholds and detainshim
in slavery and other wrongs to himthesaid
AnsonAnson then and there did against the

of the State and to the damage of the said
AnsonAnson $500 and therefore hebringssuit

We command you to summon Henry GHenry G Mitchell MitchellHenry G Mitchell and HenryHenry C RussellRussell
that they be and appear before the judge of our Circuit CourtCircuit Court at the next
July term thereof to be held at the city of St. LouisSt Louis within and for the
County of Saint LouisCounty of Saint Louis on the fourth Monday of July next then and
there to answer unto AnsonAnson an infant of color who sues by permission
of the Court by his next friend William ClarkWilliam Clark of a plea of trespass to
the damage of the plaintiff five hundred dollars and have you then
there this writ

Copy of the order of the Judge permitting petitioner to sue

The above petitioners are allowed to institute a suit on the foregoing
petition to establish their right to freedom & the clerk of the Circuit CourtCircuit Court for St. Louis
County is hereby directed to issue a writ according to the statute in such case
made & provided - It is also ordered that the said petitioners be not subject
to any severity on account of their application for freedom - that they
have reasonable liberty of attending their counsel & the court whenever
occasion may require and that they be not removed out of the jurisdiction
of the Court - Given under my hand as judge of the third Judicial Circuit
state of MissouriMissouri at ChambersChambers this 23d May 1832WillWill C CarrCarr

Served this writ on H.C.
Rusell on the 28th day of May 1832
in the City of St LouisCity of St Louis by offering
to read to him the writ and declaration
and order of the Judge permetting the
plaintiff to sue which he refused to
hear read HenryHenry G Mitchell GHenry G Mitchell .MitchellHenry G Mitchell not found
in my County

AnsonAnson a boy of color
vs
HenryHenry G Mitchel GHenry G Mitchel .MitchelHenry G Mitchel and
HenryHenry C.RusselRussel

This is an action of assault
and battery and false improsonment
damage & 500
the clerk will issueprocess

You are hereby commanded that the body of
AnsonAnson a person of color who has been permitted to sue as a poor
person for his freedom, on your custody, (as is
said) detained, under safe and secure conduct
together with the day & cause of his captor
and detainer, by whatsoever name he may
be called, you have before the Circuit CourtCircuit Court
for the County of St LouisCounty of St Louis on the 30th day of May 1832 at the Court house â
on the county of St LouisSt Louis, then & there to do submit
to & receive whatsoever shall be considered
in that behalf

AnsonAnson

"By the HabeasCorpus act"

In obedience to the within writ I have now the Body
of the within named AnsonAnson before the Court which
said AnsonAnson was by me taken out at the possession
of W H.C. RussellRussell and Henry G. Mitchell which
said RussellRussell and MitchellMitchell were arrested in the
County ofCounty of Jefferson JeffersonCounty of Jefferson on the 26th on a warrant
for kidnapping the said MitchellMitchell being arrested
by the name of Martin MitchellMartin Mitchell , and the said
AnsonAnson was by me committed to the gaol of JeffersonJefferson County
CountyJefferson County for no other purpose but his personal
safety. May 30th 1832

The petitionerAnsonAnson having been this day
bought before me, Judge of the CircuitCircuit Court CourtCircuit Court for the 3rd Judicial Circuit state of MissouriMissouri in obedience to a writ of

Habeas corpus in that behalf issued and
the persons in whose possession said petitioner
was found having refused to enter into a
recognizance as required by law on that behalf
. I do hereby order and direct that that the sheriff
of StSt Louis. LouisSt Louis county do take possession of the
said and hire him out from time to time
during the pendency of the suit of the petitioner
in the behalf, and that he the said sheriff
take bond from the hiring the petitioner
in the penalty of six hundred dollars
with such security as the said sheriff shall
appearance conditioned that the petitioner whall
at the times during the pendency of his suit
have reasonable liberty of attending his counsel
and the count and that the petitioner shall not be removed
out of the jurisdiction of the CircuitCircuit Court CourtCircuit Court of
St LouisSt Louis county, and that he shall not be subjected
to any severity because of his application
for freedom
â that the hiring the petitioner
will pay the hire to said sheriff at the time
stipulated and return the petitioner at the
end of the time for which he is hired or sooner

if the said action shall be sooner determined

Given under my hand this 30th May 1832

AnsonAnson a person of color
vs
Henry G. Mitchel
& HenryHenry RusselRussel
suit for
freedom
order for hiring out

& orders

And the said defendants
by there attorney and defend the force and
where & and say they are not gulty of
the above in said declaration said
to there charge in manner and form as the said
plaintiff hath above alledged and of this they
put upon the country &c

Submission&JudgmentDamagesBook 6 page 492

AnsonAnson
vs
Henry GHenry G Mitchell .MitchellHenry G Mitchell & HenryHenry CRussellRussell

Plea not guilty
guilty
Foreman

170

85

42

297