John Jones v. Robert F. Logan

To the Hon Henry Dusenbury Law Comr of St Louis County

Exparte John Jones otherwise called John Cook

State of Missouri, Saint Louis County, and City of Saint Louis, Law Commissioners Court. Now in session. The petitioner States, that he is a free colored man, that he was born in the State of Pennsylvania, and he has always resided in said State, until on or about the Seventh day of June 1857, when he came to said City of Saint Louis, and was, on said day arrested and committed to the County Jail of said County, and from thence hitherto has been, and still is, imprisoned and detained in said Jail, by Robert F. Logan the keeper of said Jail, on a charge of being a run away slave, by virtue of a warrant of commitment issued by Benj. Herkenrath Esqr. a Justice of the Peace for said City and County of Saint Louis, a copy of which warrant of Commitment, is not herewith filed, because a copy of the same has been demanded of the said Logan, the person by whom said petitioner is imprisoned as aforesaid, and a copy of said warrant refused.

And the petitioner further states that he is unlawfully and wrongfully imprisoned as aforesaid, because he says that he is, and always has been, by law a free man, and is not, and never has been, by law, a Slave; which he is ready to verify. Wherefore the said John Jones otherwise called John Cook, prays said Court to issue a Writ of Habeas Corpus, and cause him to be brought before said Court, and discharged from his said imprisonment, by due course of law.

And by way of Amendment to the foregoing petition, the petitioner states the Hon. Henry A. Clover, the Judge of the Saint Louis County Circuit Court, is absent from said County.

Dated at Louis the 24th day of Dec 1857.

John Jones otherwise called John Cook.

per J. R. Merriam
his attorney.

Subscribed & sworn to before 
me this 24th Dec 1857.

W. Montfort

State of Missouri
County of St Louis SS 

"By the Habeas Corpus Act"

The State of Missouri to the Jailor of the County of St Louis Greeting

You are hereby commanded that the body of John Jones alias John Cook in the Jail of said County of St Louis under your custody detained as it is said, under safe & secure conduct, together with the day and cause of his being imprisoned and detained, by whatsoever name the said John Jones alias John Cook may be known, you have before me Henry Dusenbury The Law Commissioner of St Louis County at my court room in the Court House in the City of St Louis in the said County on the 26" day of Decr. 1857 at 9 OC A.M. to do and receive what shall then and there be considered concerning the said John Jones alias John Cook so imprisoned and detained aforesaid; and hereof fail not at your peril.

Witness my signature, this 24" day of Decr 1857.

Henry Dusenbury
Law Comr. 
St Louis County

In obedience to the command of the foregoing writ I have the body of the defendant John Jones hear at open Court, and for my return say that he was committed to my custody on the 7 day of June 1857 by Justice Herkenrath on charge of being a Runaway Slave which warrant of commitment is hereto annexed made a part of this return this Dec 26th 1857

Robt F Logan 
Jailor of St Louis County 
by Joel L Musick
Dept

185
Decr 1857

"By the Habeas Corpus Act"

In the matter of John Johns als John Cook

Habeas Corpus Writ

to Jailor St L. Co

Retble Dec 26" 
1857 9 OC A.M.

Dec 24 Pet fild writ is @ 4p 630
Dec 26" 57 Case heard
Pris dischd 4p 631.

The State of Missouri

To James Adams and H. R. Jackson, both of St Louis and to the Keeper of the County Jail of St. Louis County, Greeting:

You the said James Adams and H. R. Jackson, are hereby required and commanded to take and convey the body of John Jones, a colored man, to the County Jail of St Louis County and there deliver him to the keeper of said Jail, who is hereby required and commanded to receive the said John Jones at said Jail and there safely keep him, until thence discharged by due course of Law.

This warrant of commitment is issued by the undersigned Justice, because the said John Jones was this day brought before the undersigned Justice by the said James Adams and H. R. Jackson, and proven upon their oath, to be a runaway slave.

Given under my hand this 7" day of June 1857.

Rud. Herckenrath
Justice of the peace

No. 27 May /57

The State
v
John Jones
Runaway slave

Warrant of Commitment

Rud. Herckenrath
Justice

Returned to Sheriff

In the matter of the Petition of John Jones, alias John Cook, for a writ of Habeas Corpus.

Granted

Make the writ returnable on Saturday 26th Decr inst at 9 O Clock A.M.

filed Dec 24" 1857
W. Montfort