O Say Can You See

Bazil Thomas complains of James Kennedy Junior, in custody of the marshall &c. for that the said James, on the       day of         in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and      , with force and arms, to wit, with swords, clubs and staves, upon him the said Bazil, at Alexandria, in the County aforesaid, did make an assault, and did then and there beat, wound and imprison and evil intreat him so that his life was despaired of and him the said Bazil so imprisoned against the will of the said Bazil without any reasonable cause, and against the lawas and customs of the United States for a long time, to wit, for       days kept and detained, and other injuries to him then and there did, against the peace of the United States [striked-through], and to the Damage of the said Bazil

And therefore he brings suit &c