On 6 January 1824, Thomas Jones purchased a slave named Peter from John Harriatt for $500. Jones paid $280 in U.S. notes and silver coin and credited him $60 for the hire of male slave; he gave his bond for the remaining $160, due 1 November 1824. Although Harriatt "represented the said negro to be a sound healthy and valuable negro, and free from all defects" in August, Jones later discovered that Peter was diseased. After a few weeks Jones became uneasy and questioned Harriatt, who assured him he knew nothing about it and believed Peter to be healthy at time of sale. Jones has now learned "that some years ago, the negro ran away from his then master, in very cold weather, and that by sleeping out got both his feet frost bitten, so badly that he has never recovered," and Jones believes this was known to Harriatt. Harriatt has refused to rescind the contract for Peter or to return Jones's bond for $160; rather, he has threatened to sue for collection of the money. Jones asks the court to restrain Harriatt from collecting the $160 and to decree the purchase contract void.
Result: Dismissed.
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Repository: Bourbon County Courthouse, Paris, Kentucky
