The petitioner is a thirty-two-year old slave named Bazile. Bazile claims that, as a reward for his faithful services, his late master, P. Collette, had allowed him to "work for his own benefit" during his leisure time. Thus Bazile had accumulated a small nest egg ["peculum"] amounting to $1,100, which he had left in trust with Collette. Collette in return wrote him a receipt and made a provision in his will granting him freedom on the condition that he, Bazile, would write a note stating that the money being held in trust should be used to pay for his emancipation. Collette has now died and his testamentary executor, John Longpré, refuses to fulfill the emancipation formalities, even though Bazile has offered to write the required note. Bazile asks the court to cite Longpré to answer the petition, and to order him to fulfill the formalities and pay the costs of suit. Bazile also wants Longpré to pay him damages for depriving him of his freedom [Original mostly in English; portions in French].
Result: Partially granted.
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Repository: New Orleans Public Library, New Orleans, Louisiana
