William Rucker represents that Gilbert G. Washington sold him a diseased slave. In 1811, Rucker purchased a slave named Hagar for $500 from Washington, a resident of Tennessee. He claims that Washington warranted Hagar "to be 'sound, sensible and healthy.'" However, after one month, Rucker discovered that Hagar was "incurably diseased." He further claims that he asked Washington to annul the sale and Washington agreed to "take back the said Negro Girl, and return him the amount paid for her," but now refuses to do either of these things. In consideration of these facts, Rucker prays that Washington be ordered to take Hagar back and repay his purchase price. A related deposition reveals that Hagar was generally very healthy while traveling on a boat from Tennessee to Louisiana, although "she was troubled with a wheezing, which deponent was told by a negro wench, was occasioned by a stoppage of the menstrual evacuation, in consequence of her taking cold." According to the deponent, the wheeze was quickly cured with "a dose of Castor oil."
Result: Granted.
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Repository: East Feliciana Parish Courthouse, Clinton, Louisiana
