O Say Can You See

Matilda, a woman of colour, called and known as Matilda Sewall, complains of Eleanor Thompson in custody &c. of a plea.

for that the said Eleanor Thompson on the first day of January in the year Eighteen hundred & thirty three with force and arms, to wit: with swords, staves, sticks and fists, made an assault on the said Plaintiff, to wit, at the county aforesaid, and then & there beat, bruised, wounded and ill-treated her, and then & there imprisoned her, & kept & detained her iin prison for a long time, to wit, for the space of Four months then next following, until she was forced & obliged to lay out & expend, & did lay out & expend a large sum of money, to wit: the sum of Fifty Dollars in the obtaining of her discharge from such her imprisonment, without any reasonable or probable cause whatsoever, contrary to the laws & customs of the United States, and against the will the said Matilda Sewall; and then & there did other wrongs to the said Matilda against the peace & dignity of the United States, and to the Damage of the said Matilda One Thousand Dollars, and therefore she brings her suit &c.

B. Hooe P. Q.