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make a delivery of some negroes to hire. After a
short pause we stepped into the yard and saw the
negroes ranged alongside the yard fence. Mr. Tur-
nipseed said, "Now, Mr. Cunningham, put your
hand on one of those negroes, and make a delivery
of them to me in the presence of these men." Mr. Cun-
ningham stepped up to one of the negroes, put his
hand on him, and said to Mr. Turnipseed, "I de-
liver you these negroes in presence of these men."
The complainant then stepped off a few steps
from the negroes, and asked the defendant if he
was done with the negroes. The defendant replied
that he was. The complainant then told the negroes
to go on home and go to work: and the negroes went off.-
I have frequently seen said negroes on the plantation
of the complainant since that time. Immediately
after the negroes went away, we all returned into the
house. There were present Addison Ellis, Hilliard
Ellis, James Cunningham, Alex. M. Hanks, and
others, besides the complainant and defendant, and
myself. The defendant said, in the presence and
hearing of the company, "Gentlemen, it is distinctly
understood that Mr. Cunningham has the liberty
of redeeming one, two, three, or all of the negroes, at any
time when he sees proper, for the benefit of his family;
but no other man shall put his clutches upon them
as I have got them." This is all that took place in
my presence in reference to the negroes. Imme-
diately afterwards I left the house of Mr. Ellis, and
went on to Church. In March 1845, I was in the land
near the dwelling house of the complainant; John
Holder, Richard Cowsent and several others were
present. The defendant rode up to us, and inquired