To the Honorable Luke E. LawlessLuke E Lawless Judge of
the Circuit court of the Louis County: The petition
of LewisLewis a boy of color by CelesteCeleste his mother and
next friend respectfully represents: That abourt
the month of March eighteen hundred JudyJudy
the grandmother of your petitioner was transferred
by a certain Robert BuntonRobert Bunton then a
resident of Vincerroy in the northwestern
Territory as an indented servant to a
certain LouisDuboisDubois who conveyed her to
the town of whence she was brought
to the town of St LouisSt Louis by a certain Pierre MenardPierre Menard
and sold as a slave for life to a
certain WilliamWilliam H. Lecompte. That the said
Robert BuntonRobert Bunton held the grand mother of
your peitioner the said JudyJudy for the space of
six months at least in the town of Vincerroy and
territory aforesaid during which time of she was performing
the various duties of a servant at the
house and for the family of the said BuntonBunton .

Your petitioner further represents that his mother
the said CelesteCeleste , his grand mother the said JudyJudy
and his auntAspisaAspasia daughter of said JudyJudy have
all been pronounced free by the verdict of

and distinctjuries bond upon the facts above
set forth an are each of then now enjoying
their freedom, while your petitioner is held in
slavery by a certain John StackerJohn Stacker contrary to
law. Your petitioner therefore prays that he
may have leave by CelesteCeleste his mother and next
friend to sue as a poor person in order to establish
his right to freedom and that counsel
may be assigned for that purpose and as
in duty bound ever pray &C

This day CelesteCeleste a woman of color personally
appeared before the undersigned a Justice
of the in and for the county aforesaid and
made oath that the matters and things in the foregoing
petition contained so far as the same come within her
knowledge are true and those derived from
the information of others she believes to be true.

It is hereby ordered: First: That LewisLewis by CelesteCeleste
his mother and next friend be allowed to due, JohnJohn Stacker
StackerJohn Stacker , to establish his right to freedom asid
that be assigned as counsel
for that purpose.

Second. That LewisLewis the plaintiff have resonable
liberty to attend his counsel and the
court as occasion may require; that he be
not removed out of the jurisdiction of the court
and that he be
not subject to any severity on account of
his application for freedom. Done at
my chambers this 29th day of May 1839.

LewisLewis by CelesteCeleste his
mother & next friend
vs
John StackerJohn Stacker
Petition

St Louis County to wit:

LewisLewis a minor by CelesteCeleste his mother and
next friend complains of John StackerJohn Stacker of a plea of
trespass for false imprisonment, For that the said
defendant on the twenty seventh day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty nine with force and arms asaulted
the said plaintiff to wit at the county aforesaid
and then and there beat, bruised and ill treated
him and there and then imprisoned him
and kept and detained him in prison there without
any reasonable or probable cause whatsoever,
for a long time to wit for the space of
hours then next following contrary to the
laws of the state of MissouriMissouri in such case made
and provided and against the will of the
said plaintiff. And the said plaintiff avers
that before and at the time of the
committing of the said grievance he was and
still is a free person and that the defendant
held and still hold him in slavery
and other wrongs to the said plaintiff
then and there did against the peace of

the state of MissouriMissouri and to the damage of the
said plaintiff one hundred dollars and
therefore he brings his suit &C.

LewisLewis by next friend
vs
John StackerJohn Stacker
Declaration

This is an action of trespass
for false imprisonment
in forma pauperis.
Damage $ 100. The
clerk will issue summons
in accordance
with the orders of the
Judge.

We command you to summon John StackerJohn Stacker if he
be found in your county
that he be and appear
before the judge of Our Circuit CourtCircuit Court , on the first day of the next term therof, to be held
at the City of St. LouisCity of St Louis, within and for the County of St. LouisCounty of St Louis, on the third Monday
of July next, then and there to answer unto LewisLewis who sues
by CelesteCeleste his mother and next friend of a plea
of trespass for false imprisonment
to the damage of said plaintiff of One hundred
dollars: And have you then there this writ.

I acknowledge myself bound for all costs that may accrue in the above cause.

Witness my hand and seal, at St. LouisSt Louis, this day of 18

sent Bk 12 p 69

LewisLewis by his next friend CelesteCeleste
vs
John StackerJohn Stacker

for false imprisonment
Damage - $ 100.00

Summons. Risque p.q.

Executed this writ in the county of St LouisSt Louis
on the 29th day of May 1839 by reading
it the declaration & accompanying paper to
John StackerJohn Stacker the within named defendant

And the said defendant
by DarbyDarby his attorney comes & defends the &
injury when&c & says that he is not guitly of the
said supposed trespass above laid to his charge in
manner & form or he the said plaintiff hath
above things complained against him & of this he
puts him self upon the County &C.

JohnJohn Stacker StackerJohn Stacker
ads.
LewisLewis (by CelesteCeleste his next
friend

plea not guilty

You are herby commanded to summon FrancisFrancis Crosby
that setting aside all manner of excuse and delay, he be and appear in proper person
before the Judge of our Circuit CourtCircuit Court , on the 28th day of January1841 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 LewisLewis by next friend is
plaintiff and JohnJohn Stacker StackerJohn Stacker is
defendant, on the part of plaintiff and have you then there this writ.

Louis by next friend
v
John StackerJohn Stacker
Subp

Served this writ on F Crosby
27 Jany 1841

You are herby commanded to summon Saml S.Regburn
that setting aside all manner of excuse and delay, he be and appear in proper person
before the Judge of our Circuit CourtCircuit Court , on the 29th day of January
current at the City of St. LouisCity of St Louis, then and there to testify
and the truth to say in a certain matter of controversy now pending in our said Court,
wherein LewisLewis by next friend is
plaintiff and JohnJohn Stacker StackerJohn Stacker is
defendant, on the part of the defendant and have you then there this writ.

Served this writ on
S.S.Regburn29 Jan 1841

LewisLewis by next friend
vs
JohnJohn Stacker StackerJohn Stacker

Sub for Plff Wit