Hannah et al. v. Arthur P. West. Order

 

In the case of
Negroe Hannah and her child Rebecca and Negroes Milly, Arnold, Sophy, Hannah a child, Peggy and William
vs
Arthur P. West

This day the parties before named appeared in Court and filed this Petition stating that they were entitled to their freedom and setting forth the facts on which their title rested and [stikethrough] that they were illegally detained in slavery by Stephen Arthur P. West. And praying that they may be permitted to sue for the recovery of their freedom in forma pauperum

Whereupon R. I. T. is assigned their counsel to state and report their case to the Court. And the said[?] counsel thereupon reported the case of the said Petitioners and that in his opinion entitled to their freedom.

Whereupon it is by the court ordered that the Clerk do issue process against the said Arthur P West to appear and answer the complt of the   [strikethrough] of the said Petitioners. And that in the mean time the Complts Petitioners shall be and remain in the custody of the marshal until the said Arthur P West shall give bond with security in penalty of $1600 either in court or with the clerk thereof to have the said Petitioner forthcoming to [illegible] the Judgment of the court. Whereupon the said Arthur P West and Jas D. Kerr & Norman R. Fitzhugh his sureties acknowledged themselves &c

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