Ellis Isbell states that on or about 5 November 1827 the defendant, Benjamin Hudson, paid off a $530.90 judgment held against him. Isbell claims that, in order to "secure & indemnify said Hudson for paying the sum of money," he placed four slaves valued at $1,325 in Hudson's possession. Isbell estimates the value of the slaves' service and labor at $180 per year. Their verbal agreement provided, according to Isbell, that Hudson would hold ownership of the slaves until the debt was paid and if the debt remained unpaid, then he would retain ownership of the slaves. Isbell gave Hudson a bill of sale for the slaves, based on the verbal agreement of ownership rights. Isbell states that on 6 November 1830 he attempted to pay the debt, but Hudson "positively and entirely refused to receive the same and refused to deliver said Slaves." Isbell charges Hudson with fraud and seeks ownership of the four slaves, either upon payment of the debt or upon payment of the difference between the interest on the debt and the slaves' hire.
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Repository: Alabama Department of Archives and History, Montgomery, Alabama
