St LouisSt Louis county to wit LouisLouis Stubs StubsLouis Stubs com
plains of William BurdWilliam Burd of a pla of
for that the said William BurdWilliam Burd or the
first day of January in the year one Three thousand eight hundred and thirty seven
with force and arms mode an assault
the said LouisLouis Stubs StubsLouis Stubs to wit it the
county of St LouisSt Louis and than and there in
the said LouisLouis Stubs StubsLouis Stubs and
and obtained him a person there without
any or put
for a long space of time to for the
space of three months the west follow

ing controvy to the laws of this state and
the well of the LouisLouis Stubs StubsLouis Stubs and the said
LouisLouis Stubs StubsLouis Stubs that for and at the term
of the the said he was a
is a and that the said
BurdBurd held and still helds him a slavery
and after to the said LouisLouis Stubs StubsLouis Stubs

and did against the of
state and to the damage of the said LouisLouis Stubs
StubsLouis Stubs all thous and dollars and
his suit

The within named petitioner is allowed to sue as a poor person for the purpose of establishing his right to freedom, and I do hereby asign George FGeorge F Sther as his counsel, and that the petitioner have reasonable liberty
to attend his counsel and the court that he be not removed out of the Jurisdiction of this court and that he
be not subject to any severity on account of his application for freedom. S.E. Lawless. JudgeCCourt6th June 1837.

A true copy of the order upon the petition

We command you to summon William BurdWilliam Burd if he be found in your county that he be and appear before
our Honorable Circuit CourtCircuit Court on the first day of the next term thereof to be begun and held at the city of St LouisSt Louis
within and for the county aforesaid on the second Monday of July next, then and there to answer unto LouisLouis Stubs StubsLouis Stubs
of a plea of trespass on the case to the damage of said plaintiff of one thousand dollars, and have you then there
this writ.

Executed this writ on the 7th day of June 1837
in the County of St LouisCounty of St Louis by reading it & the order
& by offering to read the petition affidavit & dec

laration to William BurdWilliam Burd the defendant who
refused to hear them read & acknowledged the
service thereof

Service $ 1.00

The within named petitioner is allowed to
as a poor person for the purpose of establish

ing his right to freedom and I do hereby assign
GeorgeGeorge F FGeorge F as his Counsel and that the
have reasonable liberty to attend his
Counsel and the Court that he be not removed
out of the Jurisidiction of this Court and that
he be not subject to any severity on account
of his application for freedom

Louis StubsLouis Stubs
vs
William BurdWilliam Burd

Petition for to
bring suit to establish
right to freedom

To the Honorable
of the circuit court of the conty of St Louis
LouisStubs a man of
that he was of per a
county state of and that
by the laws of VirginiaVirginia his mother being
here at the time of his birth he was born
free is now entitled to his freedom
and & futher states that being born free
and entitled to his freedom all WilliamWilliam Burd
BurdWilliam Burd than other said county
of and who was about
to the state of
her the said WilliamWilliam Burd
BurdWilliam Burd to the city of St LouisSt Louis, that four
years he or and in the its of StSt Louis
LouisSt Louis with the said WilliamWilliam Burd BurdWilliam Burd
and that the said William BurdWilliam Burd
and that the said William BurdWilliam Burd that
to this his in the city of St LouisSt Louis

and and held petitioner a slavery
petitioner therefour prays, that you here
will grant him been to sue as a poor person
is order to establish his right to freedom
and that your well not
as the statute provides which to
the of said

St LouisSt LouisContyCourt

This day the petitioner personally
approved your we and being first duly
sworn and such with the
of said petitioner by it
to oath that the facts stated
in sad petitioner or him
to the of his and belief

And the said defendant by gamble his attorney
comes and defends the force, and injury when and says
he is not guilty ofthe said wrongs and injuries above said
This charge in manner and form as the said plaintiff hath
above thereof against him and ofthis he puts
himselfupon the County

And for further plea in this behalf the said defendant
says that the said plaintiff ought not to have or maintain
his aforesaid action against him because he says that at the
time of the committing ofthe said supposed grievances
in the declaration mentioned the said plaintiff was a
slave without that that at the said time the said plaintiff
was a free person in manner and form as he has in his said
declaration alledged and this the said defendant is ready
to verify wherefore heprays judgment on.

LouisPlubs
vs
WilliamWilliam Burd BurdWilliam Burd

This is an of
for false imprisonment
brought by of the
to establishright
to freedom the

Pleas with drawn & Judgment by book 8 page 416

25 opp so plea 627 50 =

50 50 =
4.20

You are hereby commanded to summon GeoWRuckerRucker L F M ,LRucker L F M FRucker L F M Rucker,
MRucker L F M C JohnsonJohnson
that setting aside all manner of excuse and delay, they be and appear in proper person
before the Judge of our Circuit CourtCircuit Court , on the 4th Dec next
at the city of St. LouisSt Louis, then and there to Testify,
and the truth to say, in a certain matter of controversy now pending in our said Court,
wherein Louis Stubbs is
plaintiff and William BurdWilliam Burd is
defedant on the part of plff
and have you then and there this writ.

The within named not
found

3 nonests $ = 371/2

Louis Stubbes
vs
WM BurdBurd