François, a forty-six-year-old mulatto man, alleges that, although entitled to his freedom, he is being held as a slave by Jacinto Lobrano. François asserts that he was sold in 1835 by his then owner, Louis Pilié, to Joseph Sauvinet, under the condition that he would be entitled to freedom once he had fully reimbursed Sauvinet for the $300 purchase price. In 1837 Sauvinet sold him to Joseph Saliba, and in 1838 Saliba sold him to Jacinto Lobrano. François claims that prior to 1835 he had already paid $740 to his original owner and has since paid his subsequent owners more than $200 per annum for his freedom, both in "current money" and by his labor. For the past two years, he has asked for and been denied his freedom by Lobrano. He prays the court to decree him free and to order Lobrano to pay $600 in damages and $600 as reimbursement of money "unduly payed" to him.
Result: Partially granted; denied; appealed; upheld.
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Repository: University of New Orleans
