O Say Can You See

Joseph Hurler, being sworn in due form of law deposeth & saith, That some time about the beginning of February, after the deep snow of last winter, Mr. Alexander Scott came to this deponent's house in the evening & offered him 60 or 70 dollars to seize two negroes named Walter & Dennis, belonging to him the said Alexander, & take them to the Jail of Charles county & procure a receipt of them from the Jailor, when they were delivered. That the said Alexander called them abusive names & said he did not want to see their faces any more, & that this deponent must carry them to Charles county, without bringing them to the said Alexander. That this deponent went the same night with his hack to Geo W. Lindsay's tavern, & took Dennis whom he met in the passage, & carried him to the bar of the tavern, where he remained until Mr. Lindsay came to the bar, That while this deponent was in the bar Dennis said he was contending for his freedom, & many other persons who were also in the bar said the same That the said Geo W. Lindsay refused to let Dennis go unless his master the said Alexander gave an order to this deponent to seize & take him, & the said George W. Lindsay said he would be responsible that the said Dennis should be forthcoming next morning. That this Deponent saw the said Scott next morning & the   said Scott said nothing & never gave this deponent the order in writing required by the said Geo W. Lindsay That this deponent hearing they were the said slaves were contending for their freedom, would not have anything more to do with it.

Sworn before me this 23rd 1810 day of June 1810

Danl Rapine