State vs Bullock and Ford Regarding Cruel Punishment of a Slave 10A Packet 13

Drawer 10 - A- packet 0013

State vs Leonard Bullock & A.K.Ford 1853

Cruel punishment to slave

Witnesse's Rea Hubbard Smith Jas. Bullock

[on the bottom] Bullock Rea Sterrett Ford Smith

The State of Alabama Shelby County

In Circuit Court At March Term 1852 The Grand Jurors for the State of Alabama empannelled sworn and charged to inquire for the County of Shelby on their oath present that Leonard Bullock and A R Ford both late of said County on the first day of March in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty two in the County aforesaid did have the care of a slave named Willis the property of Joseph Roper David N McClanahan and Alponso A Sterrett in right of his wife Elizabeth W Sterrett as executors and of Elizabeth W Roper as executrix of the last will and testament of John W Roper deceased, and having then and there the care of said slave did then and there treat said slave with inhumanity contrary to the statute in such case made and provided and against the peace and dignity of the State of Alabama.

And the Grand Jurors aforesaid on their oath aforesaid do further present that the said Leonard Bullock and A R Ford on the day and year aforesaid in the County aforesaid did have the care of a slave named Willis the property of Joseph Roper, David N McClanahan, and Alphonso A Sterrett in right of his wife Elizabeth W Sterrett as executors and of Elizabeth W Sterrett as executrix of the last will and testament of John W Roper deceased, and

having then and there the care of said slave on the said first day of March in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty two in the said County did inflict cruel punishment on said slave by then and there with whips, sticks, switches, and paddles violently and immoderately beating, scourging, bruising and wounding said slave in and upon the back, sides, buttocks and other parts of the body of said slave and by then and there attaching and fixing to the leg of said slave a rod of iron in such manner as to prevent the said slave from bending the knee, and by then and there whilst the said slave was so beaten, scourged, bruised and wounded, and whilst the said rod of iron was so attached to the leg of said slave, forcing and compelling the said slave to plow for a long space of time to wit for the space of two days then next ensuing - against the peace and dignity of the state of Alabama.

And the Grand Jurors aforesaid on their oath aforesaid do further present that the said Leonard Bullock and A R Ford on the said first day of March A.D.1852 in the County aforesaid did have the care of a slave named Willis the property of Joseph Roper, David N McClanahan and Alphonso A Sterrett in right of his wife Elizabeth W Sterrett as executors and of Elizabeth W Sterrett as executrix of

the last will and testament pf John W Roper deceased , and having then and there the case of said slave, on the day and year aforesaid in the County aforesaid did inflict cruel punishment upon said slave by then and there beating bruising whipping and wounding said slave with whips sticks, rods and paddles in and upon the back, sides, buttocks, and other parts of the body of said slave, and by then and there fixing and attaching to the leg of said slave an iron rod, in such manner as to prevent the said slave from bending the Knee, and by means of said beating bruising, wounding, and whipping, and the fixing and attaching the rod of iron to the leg of said slave as aforesaid, the said slave was greatly hurt, bruised, and wounded and was caused to suffer so much pain torture and anguish, that the said slave did then and there [illegible strikethrough] deprive himself of life by drowning - against the peace and Dignity of the State of Alabama Wm Mudd solicitor for 3rd Circuit of Alabama

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The State vs Leonard Bullock & A R Ford

Cruel punishment to slave

No Prosecutor

witnesses B Mc.Rea A A Sterrett Jas J Bullock

A true Bill James P Lacey foreman of the Grand Jury

Filed in office in open Court March 13th 1852 W H Pope Clerk