Solomon Bowie, a longtime Baltimore resident, states that Benjamin Elliot sold James Sescott, the grandson of the petitioner's wife, "to the firm of Wilson and Hindes, slave dealers of this City" in September 1860. Bowie, a free person of color, wished to buy Sescott, but "being unable to read or write and necessarily incapable of conducting the negotiation properly," he contracted with Philip Marsh for assistance. In October 1860, Bowie, "possessing confidence in the integrity and good intentions" of Marsh, gave him $225, "the amount of purchase money demanded by Wilson and Hindes." Marsh paid the money to the firm and delivered Sescott to Bowie; he retained, however, a slip of paper that Bowie was unable to read. Bowie later discovered that the paper was an absolute bill of sale transferring ownership Sescott from Wilson and Hindes to Philip Marsh. When Bowie discovered what Marsh had done, he demanded that Marsh give over the title or destroy it. Marsh declined. Bowie asks the court to compel Marsh to turn over the bill of sale so that it may be cancelled.
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Repository: Maryland State Archives, Annapolis, Maryland
