William W. Jones informs the legislature that his slave Tom Minor, a "valuable" cooper, was assaulted "in a public street within the corporation of Fredericksburg" in 1847 and died of his wound the next day. According to Jones, Tom Minor was a slave of "unexceptionable" character, "obedient & submissive in his deportment, unoffending in his manner." Jones further explains that he was able to get $100 per year in hiring fees and was offered $1,200 to sell him. Jones seeks compensation for the loss of his slave. He realizes that "public policy may be urged against the appropriation of the amount of his loss from the public treasury," but he believes that the compensation should come from the perpetrator of the crime. The man who assaulted Tom was a shoemaker by the name of Lindsay Owens, who was tried, convicted and sent to the penitentiary for a period of eighteen years. Jones asks that, "after applying the fruits of Lindsay Owens labour in defraying the expenses of his conviction & support," the residue "or so much as is necessary be applied to" indemnify him. Jones pleads that he is poor and has a large family to feed. The loss of his slave has been devastating to him.
Result: Referred to claims committee.
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Repository: Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia
