From the Elizabeth Moore Collection No. 322 East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, N. C. For research and study only, not for deposit in other respositories. Most manuscripts are protected by copyright laws; permission to publish must be presented. RICHARD SMITH VS JOHN NELSON Personally appeared before us, John Northern who in the Presence of both Plaintiff and defendant in this cause, being first sworn on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God, deposeth and saith that sometime in the fall of the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty, he was hired by the defendant John Nelson to gather pease &c, and that early in the morning before any of the rest of the white people were up, he came down stairs into the hall where said Nelson lodged, and saw said Nelson in bed and also saw Deborah Smith, wife of the plaintiff Richard Smith in the same bed with him the said John Nelson, the defendant and a child of said Nelson about five years of age lying between them, who all appeared to be asleep at that time, and this deponent further saith he never saw any indecent freedoms between said Nelson and said Deborah Smith before or after he saw them in bed together and further this deponent saith not. His John x. Northern Mark Sworn to before us this fifth day of July 1782. William Tisdale, J. P. (seal) Thos. Sitgreaves, J. P. (seal)
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