Ker, John, fl. 1828 [Petition of Antonio Vela]

Legal document by attorney John Ker who served as petitioner for Antonio Vela, a citizen of Louisiana, in the County Court of Adams County, Mississippi. The petition was showing the court "That on or about the first day of April 1828 he [Vela] was possessed of a certain negro man called Peter. That the said negro ran away about the time above mentioned." Says Peter was captured and jailed under the assumed name Harrison in Adams County. Claims that the Sheriff Horace Gridley sold Peter to Gabriel Winter for $380 to cover the cost of jail fees and other expenses after the time allowed by law. Ker also claims that Vela did not know Peter was in jail at that time. Vela knows he has been divested of his ownership interest in Peter because he was not claimed in the time period allowed by law, but he is putting forth "a claim to the balance of said sale (after deducting the prison fees & expenses)." Clipped newspaper advertisement for a runaway enslaved person also in the file. Advertisement says "Ranaway from the plantation of Mrs. Lopez in this parish, an American negro man named BOB, speaks English and French, 6 feet high. A reward of 20 dollars will be paid to whoever will deliever said negro to the undersigined. Jan 3 Rosalie Lopez." The two items do not appear to be related. A small news clipping (appears unrelated) is included witht the letter.