In the Matter of Samuel Slaughter
Item
In the Matter of Samuel Slaughter. 1854, St. Louis Circuit Court Historical Records Project, accessed October 8, 2026, https://digitalexhibits.library.washu.edu/s/ccr/item/60808
- Case Title
- In the Matter of Samuel Slaughter
- Series
- Freedom Suits
- Plaintiff
- Slaughter, Samuel
- Date Filed
- 1854-11-23
- Filing Date
- 1854-11-23
- Plaintiff’s Attorney
- James, A. S.
- Court Name
- St. Louis Circuit Court
- Court Term
- 1854-11
- Judge
- Hamilton, Alexander
- Clerk
- Hammond, William J.
- Justice of the Peace
- Waite, Liberty
- Sheriff
- Maddox, Turner
- Wilkins, J.
- [unk], John B.
- Sworn Declarant
- King, James
- Cause of Action
- Habeas Corpus
- Case Notes
- Plaintiff suspected runaway; imprisoned by James Hempstead on command by Liberty Waite, justice of the peace; Samuel about 24 years old; claimed born free.
- Disposition
- Plaintiff Released
- Identifier
- ccr1834.06900.008
- Source
- Missouri State Archives - St. Louis
- Rights
- Public Domain
- PDF Download
- Download PDF of all images
- Transcription
-
**Samuel Slaughter**
---
**Page 1** (6900_001.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Writ of Habeas Corpus*
County of St Louis Pet.
The State of Missouri To John Hempstead[?] Jailor of
the County of St Louis .....Greeting.
Whereas it has been represented to the
Honorable Alexander Hamilton Judge of the St Louis Circuit
Court on behalf of Samuel Slaughter Negro in and by
a Petition Verified by affidavit and filed in said Court
that he is illegally restrained of his liberty by you, under a
Commitment of Liberty Waite Justice of the Peace in said city
and Whereas it has been ordered by said Court upon the said
petition that a Writ of Habeas Corpus should issue here
in Now therefore we Command you to [illegible] the
body of the said Samuel Slaughter together with
the time and cause of his detention before the Circuit
Court on to Morrow the Twenty third day of November
[illegible] then and there to do and [illegible]
what shall then and there be considered concerning
him and herein you are in no wise to fail
*[illegible] William J. Hammond
Clerk of said Court with the Seal
there of here to affixed at office
in the City of St Louis this Twenty
Second day of November 1834 Wm J . Hammond Clk*
---
**Page 2** (6900_002.jpg)
Nov. T. 1854, Habeas Corpus [illegible] 24 p. 329. Discharged 24p 340
> *Legal Function: Caption*
No 253. Saint Louis Circuit Court
November Term 1854
In the matter of
Samuel Slaughter Negro
V
Issued 22nd Nov 1854
Wm J . Hammond Clk
"By the Habeas Corpus Act"
> *Legal Function: Certificate of Execution*
Executed this writ in the County of St Louis on the 23rd day Nov 1854
the reading the within to the Jailor of St Louis County
*John Maddox, shff By J Wilkins depty $ 1.00*
> *Legal Function: Answer*
John [illegible] Hempstead jailor[?] claims he has said Slaughter
mentioned in this writ in custody imprisonment & has him now before
the court. He has him in imprisonment as a runaway slave under
a Commitment issued on the 4th of Nov 1854
by Liberty Waite Justice of the Peace in & for
the County of St Louis a copy of which commit
ment is hereto annexed
*John Hempstead[?] By
Stephen Hempstead[?] Dept*
---
**Page 3** (6900_003.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Affidavit*
(Copy of Commitment) State of Missouri
County of St Louis
SS
Personally offered before me
Liberty Waite a Justice of the Peace in and for
said County being duly sworn says he has [illegible]
as a runaway slave in the County of
St Louis and State of Missouri a Negro man
about 24 years old who goes by the name of
S. Slaughter, as this affiant believes the said
Sam is a runaway slave & prays a com
mitment may be had for his safekeeping
*James King Sworn to & subscribed before
me this 4th day of Nov 1854 Liberty Waite Justice of the Peace*
> *Legal Function: Order*
State of Missouri
County of St Louis
SS To the keeper of the common
Jail of St Louis County Greeting
You are hereby commanded to [illegible]
the body of Sam Slaughter a runaway Sl
ave, [illegible] him safely [illegible] until his owners
take him home and pays all reasonable charges or until he shall
be otherwise discharged in due course of law
*Given under my hand this 4th day
of November 1854 Liberty Waite
Justice of Peace*
---
**Page 4** (6900_004.jpg)
---
**Page 5** (6900_005.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Certificate of Execution*
Executed the within writ by serving a copy on
the Jailor & bringing before the Hon. Alexr[?] Hamilton
Judge of St St. Louis Circuit Court Nov 23/54
*Jn B [illegible] Dpty Shff Fee $ 150*
> *Legal Function: Caption*
No 253 Saint Louis Circuit Court
November Term 1854
In the Matter of
Samuel Slaughter Negro
Pet. for Habeas Corpus
*Filed Nov 22nd 1854 Wm J Hammond Clk*
---
**Page 6** (6900_006.jpg)
---
**Page 7** (6900_007.jpg)
> *Legal Function: Petition*
To the Hon Alexander Hamilton Judge of the St .
St. Louis Circuit Court
The petition of Samuel Slaghter shows
that he is unlawfully imprisoned and restrained of
his liberty in the Jail of St Louis County in the
City of St Louis by John Hempstead[?] of the
City of St Louis , keeper of said Jail, that he
was imprisoned on the 4th day of November
1854 under a committment of Liberty Waite
Esq. Justice of the Peace in the said City of
St. Louis , on the suspicion that he was a
runaway slave, & further your petitioner
states that he is free born and entitled to his
freedom. That he was imprisoned without
just cause or reason [illegible] that he is prepared to
show that he is entitled to his freedom, &
prays the Court that he may be discharged.
A copy of suit Commitment is hereto an
nexed.
*Samuel Slaghter
for A.S.James*
> *Legal Function: Affidavit*
A. S. James attorney for Samuel Slaughter, being duly sworn
on his oath says that he believes the above petition and the mat
ters[?] therein as stated are true
*A S James Sworn to and subscribed before me this 22nd day of Nov
1854 Eleaszar[?] Sherman Notary Public*
> *Legal Function: Affidavit*
Copy of Commitment
State of Missouri
County of St Louis
Personally appeared before me
Liberty Waite a Justice of the Peace, in [illegible] for
---
**Page 8** (6900_008.jpg)
the said County, and being duly sworn says he has
taken up as a runaway Slave in the County
of St Louis and State of Missouri a negro man
about 24 years old who goes by the name of
S. Slaughter and this affiant believes the said
Sam is a runaway slave, and prays a commit
ment may be had for hs safe keeping
*James King Sworn to and subscribed
before me this 4th day of
Nov 1854 Liberty Waite Justice of Peace*
> *Legal Function: Order*
State of Missouri
County of St. Louis
SS. To the keeper of the
common Jail of St Louis County Greeting.
You are hereby commanded to receive the
Body of Sam Slaughter, a runaway slave and
him safely keep until his owner take him
home,, and pay all reasonable charges or until
he shall be otherwise dischared in due course of
law.
*Given under my hand this 4th
day of November 1854 Liberty Waite
Justice of the Peace*
In the Matter of Samuel Slaughter. 1854, St. Louis Circuit Court Historical Records Project, accessed October 8, 2026, https://digitalexhibits.library.washu.edu/s/ccr/item/60808