Benjamin Poydras de la Lande presents to the court that his uncle, the late Julien Poydras, directed in his last will and testament that all the slaves left "at the time of his death" be considered attached to "one or the other of his several plantations" and sold with that plantation. He further stipulated that any purchaser should bind himself, as well as his heirs and assignees, to liberate all the slaves twenty-five years after the sale and to allow those over the age of sixty when freed to remain on the plantation and be cared for, and to provide them with an annual stipend without requiring any work. Benjamim Poydras explains that, since his uncle's death in 1824, one of the plantations has changed hands several times and the various owners have until now met their obligations. However, the current owner, William Taylor, has recently sold eight slaves separately from the plantation, thus violating the terms of the testament and disregarding the rights of the "status libers" who are entitled to a "permanent abode" on the plantation. Benjamin Poydras therefore prays that William Taylor and the six individual new owners of the slaves be made parties to his suit, and the sale prevented from being consummated [Text in English and French; French version incomplete].
Result: Granted; appealed.
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Repository: University of New Orleans
