O Say Can You See

The Petition of Lotty, respectfully sheweth that to the Honorable the Circuit Court of the District of Columbia for the County of Alexandria respectfully sheweth that, on the 10th of March 1814, Thomas Ewell of the County of Washington did liberate her & her husband Charles who has since departed this life, as will appear from [strikethrough] a paper signed by the said Thomas Ewell, which she prays may be received as a part of this petition.

That she remained with the said Thomas Ewell the twelve months mentioned in the said paper. And from the end of the said twelve months, the your petitioner has lived as a free person & supported her self untill about about two weeks ago when the said Thomas Ewell sold her to a man by the name of Allow[?], who took her away in the night & brought her to the town of Alexandria & sold her to William F. Luckie who now detains her as a slave & will remove her without the Jurisdiction of this Court. Your petitioner [strikethrough] states, that she is illegally detained as a slave by the said Ewell She therefore prays leave to be [illegible] permitted to bring Her suit in [strikethrough] forma pauperis against the said   William F Luckee [strikethrough] for her freedom. Your petitioner further states that after she was liberated by the said Thomas Ewell named Henney and Anne, in whose behalf she also prays leave to bring suit in forma pauperis for their freedom &c

I have examined into the claim of the petitioner for her freedom and from the written acknowledgment of William F. Lucket it appears those who brought & who detains her as a slave it appears she is intitled to her freedom and that her children are entitled to their freedom. when The written acknowledgement of Mr. Lucket is hereto annexed.

Edm: J Lee