Walter Thomas & Dennis Thomas v. Alexander Scott. Affidavit of Edward Edmonston
June 26th 1810
Some time in the course of January and February last Mr Alexander Scott came to me and informed me that two of his Negro men Walt & Dennis were run away from him and that he was desirous of having them taken and brought home, that said negros had brought suit for their freedom which suits he had got Mr Balch Attorney for said negroes to have it struck off and that he was affraid that said negros would get some other Attorney to renew the suit again before he could get them taken therefore repeatedly pressed upon me to spare no pains to have them taken that he intended to send them to Charles County for he would rather they would bring such there than in the District that some of the same family had sued them before and could not obtain their Freedom
I one day came to Mr Lindsays Tavern and asking a black man if he knew whether Mr Scotts Dennis was about the premises he said that he was and that he was in the stable recovering some fodder into the stable loft, I then went into the stable loft and took the said negro Dennis and took him to the barn of Mr Lindsays Tavern where Mr Lindsay was he asked me what I was going to do with the negro I told him that Mr Scott
had sent me for him he asked me if I had an order for him I told him that Mr Scott had given me an order some time before that and that I had tore it up or left it behind as I had come there before for the Negro and he had got alarmed and ranaway from Mr Lindsays therefore I neglected the order he then said that I should not take the negro away that the time he had hired the negro for had not expiered and that the fellow was as much his as he was Mr Scotts for the term he had hired him for but if I would bring an order from Mr Scott that he would at any time give up the negro
Edwd Edmonston
June 26th. 1810 appeared Edward Edmonston before the subscriber & made oath in due form that the facts stated above are true to best of his knowledge
Danl Rapine
