Frances Claiborne, an elderly infirm widow, charges that "a certain James A Porter by Fraud & lying pretences swindled yr oratrix by inducing her to hire to him ... her negro man John." She reveals that "Porter has agreed to restore her the sd slave upon receiving his obligation for the hire which she has accordingly surrendered." Claiborne further cites that "a certain Dr Ford confederating to oppress yr oratrix pretends to derive a title under the afsd fraudulent contract with Porter & retains Possession of sd slave." She contends that "Ford has thrown the sd slave in Jail ... where he now lies at imminent hazard of life & threatens unless yr oratrix will pay him a large sum of money ... to send him to the Coal Pits at which place yr oratrix has already lost one slave." Attesting that she "suffers sufficiently in losing the hire for the whole year," the petitioner prays that Porter and Ford be made to answer her charges; that John "be retained by the officer of this Court;" and that she "not be a further victim in the loss of a slave whose hire is her support."
Result: Partially granted.
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Repository: Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia
