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Pleas had before the Honorable the Circuit Court of the Coun[ty]
Dallas at the Court begun and held for said County in the Town of [Caha---] [rest of page bent over]
on the first Monday of April to the 5th day of April in the year
of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty and of the
Independence of the United States of America the 54th year.
Present the Honourable Reuben Saffold Judge de
The State of Alabama Dallas County to the Honourable Reuben
Saffold Judge of the second Judicial Circuit of said State
exercising Chancery powers.
Your Orator John Simpson in his own right -and as Administrator of-
the Estate of William Read deceased shewith unto your Honor that in only
1823. William Read, Matthew McLaughlin & Your Orator, formed a
mercantile copartnership under the firm and style of McLaughlin
Read Simpson. They were to carry on business in the town of [Sela---][line ends, page torn/folded]
Dallas County. The copartnership was to continue for nine yea[rs] [line ends, page torn/folded]
Articles of Copartnership were drawn up embracing its princip[les][line ends, page torn/folded]
& signed by the parties as well as orator recollected & they are be[lieved][line ends, page torn/folded]
to be in the hands of McLaughlin & So Orator charged. The [line ends, page torn/folded]
-tinued to deal in a general assortment of goods until [line ends, page torn/folded]
no stipulation having been made for such a contingency which
would authorise its continuence. Orator obtained letters of [a---][line ends, page torn/folded]
-inistration on the effects of Read at the time of his death. The firm
had a large amount of debt out standing & due to it by bond [line ends, page torn/folded]
accounts, also a considerable stock of goods as well as some
real property. In April 18?6 [ink blot], a sale of the goods and effects [line ends, page torn/folded]
the concern was made as also afterwards of the real property. [No---] [line ends, page torn/folded]
were taken for purchases which went to increase the joint [sto---][line ends, page torn/folded]
The firm was at that time indebted in New York & perhaps elsewhere
for goods purchased. McLaughlin had acted as the agent of [line ends, page torn/folded]
made. In June 1826 being as he said about to go to New [York] [line ends, page torn/folded]
where he would be called on & would have to pay the debts of [line ends, page torn/folded]
he urged yours to make an arrangement which would [se---][line ends, page torn/folded]
in the Court. This proposition was to take upon himself the [d---][line ends, page torn/folded]
of all debts due by the firm in consideration of which & [line ends, page torn/folded]