Moses Bell v. James Rhodes. Special Verdict Jennifer Guiliano Trevor Muñoz William G. Thomas III transcription and encoding Steph N. Camerone Kaci L. Nash Laura K. Weakly University of Nebraska-Lincoln University of Maryland National Endowment for the Humanities 2014 O Say Can You See University of Nebraska-Lincoln Center for Digital Research in the Humanities
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 Special Verdict Our transcription is based on a digital image of the original. National Archives and Records Administration Record Group 21, Entry 6 Box 650, Folder 332 Case Papers Verdict Civil Petition for Freedom March 1842 Bender, Jacob Brooke, Edmund Campbell, Daniel Dashiell, George W. Keeting Goddard, John H. Harr, Henry Hoff, Lawrence King, Vincent Little Lusby, James MacGill, Thomas Middleton, Benjamin F. Nevitt, Robert K. Reily, Thomas B. Alexandria County (Va.) Washington County (D.C.) Washington (D.C.) Bell, Moses Rhodes, James United States. Circuit Court (District of Columbia) Washington (D.C.) added xml:id for Henry Harr added Henry Harr to header, corrected B. J. Middleton to Benjamin F. Middleton and Edward Brooke to Edmund Brooke added xml:ids reviewed; edited encoded

Negroe Moses Bell vs James Rhodes

Special Verdict

We of the Jury find that previous to the year 1837 the petitioner was the slave of a certain Lawrence Hoff a resident of Alexandria County in the District of Columbia. That in the year 1837, the said Hoff then owning & possessing the petitioner as his slave in the county of Alexandria aforesaid whereof he continued to be a resident, did sell & deliver the petitioner to one Little then being an inhabitant a resident of said Washington County in the District aforesaid & that the delivery was in of the petitioner was made to the said Little in Alexandria County aforesaid, & the petitioner was immediately removed by said Little to Washington County aforesaid to reside & also for sale whereof said Little was resident. That the said Little shortly towit about one year or a little more afterwards the petitioner to one Keeting in Washington County who sold & delivered him to the defendant. That since said sale to said Little, the petitioner has always been kept in slavery and held in slavery in the county of Washington aforesaid. That at the time of the sale & delivery of the petitioner as aforesaid by Hoff to Little the petitioner was more than forty five years of age towit, he was 54 or 55 years old and is now 59 or 60 years old.

And whether if upon the facts aforesaid the law is for the petitioner, then the Jury find we find for the petitioner on the issue joined, & if the upon the facts aforesaid the law is for the defendant then we find for the Defendant on the issue joined.

Vincent King

John H. Goddard Geo. W. Dashiell Daniel Campbell Th. B. Reily Jacob Bender Hy Harr Robt. K Nevitt B. F. Middleton Edmd Brooke James Lusby Thomas MacGill

Moses Bell vs Rhoades

Special Verdict

Record to be made immediately