Writ of Habeas Corpus for Cato, March 28, 1786

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court used writs of habeas corpus like this to order jail keepers to bring detained persons before the court. Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice George Bryan issued a writ for Cato to appear before the court in Philadelphia on April 1, 1786. Click on the image to go to the document online and use the slider to go to page 50.

Courtesy of Pennsylvania State Archives, Power Library.

Title: Writ of Habeas Corpus for Cato [unidentified last name], March 28, 1786
Date: 1786
Object Information: Paper document
Repository: Pennsylvania State Archives, Writs of Habeas Corpus for Black Slaves and Indentured Servants, 1784-1787, Roll 3403.

Description:
In 1786, a formerly enslaved man identified as Cato [unidentified last name], took his enslaved family from their enslaver, Samuel Moore, of Goshen, Chester County, Pennsylvania. This included his daughter, identified as Betsey or Bet. Samuel Moore paid to have Cato prosecuted for theft. Cato’s act, forever preserved on this paper, was the opening shot in a groundbreaking Pennsylvania Supreme Court case held inside Independence Hall: Respublica v. Negro Betsey (1789). This was the first test of the 1780 Act for the Gradual Abolition of Slavery's registration requirements. It also set a legal precedent for freedom seekers in the new nation’s earliest freedom suits.

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TRANSCRIPT
Chester Ss
Receive into your Custody the body of Cato charged by Samuel Moore Junr. with stealing and taking away Marry the slave of Samuel Moore the Elder and her 3 children to wit Bets, Cato, and Isaac, and him safely keep untill he be thence delivered by due course of Law, given under my hand and Seal March 28th 1786.
[J?] Pearson

To the Sheriff of keeper of the Goal at Chester

The Commonwealth
vs
Cato
1786
March 28th

For Stealing Mary the property of Samuel Moore and her three Children to wit Betse Cato & Isaac.
Cato committed
Samuel Moore Junr £50 to prosecute
Copy of my Record
[J?] Pearson