Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-04-28
From the New Orleans Delta, April ".
A WHITE WOMAN SUING FOR nERFREDoM
SLAVERY

A suit was yesterday fled in the Sixth District
court on behalf Of Josephine Smith, alias Barrett
in which the allegations are as follows:
That she is wrongfully and illegally claimed asa
slave, by Lionel {. Levy, whose residence is IN the
CITY of New Orleans, and by Joseph Cohen, who
resides at Charleston, :. Z.
That petitioner (if ever she was a slave, which
abe does not admit, but calls for proof thereof has
become free, or entitled to claim her freedom, by
that express provision of the law OF Louisiana,
which declares that 'f a master suffer hs slave to
enjoy his liberty for ten years, he shall lose all rig,ht
of action to recover possession of such slave, who
thereby becomes free"
Now, petitioner alleges that she is claimed as a
slave under an alleged purchase of her made at the
succession sale of the late Judah Barret, of this
CITY. in which it is claimed that she WAS bid of by
and sold to said Levy as being the property OF said
succession.
She further alleges that when she lived in the
house of said Barrett. she lived there as q free white
member of his family, and that said Barrett then,
and at all other times, treated her and presented her
to the world as his own daughter, and as being both
free and white.
Petitioner further alleges that she has, always
associated with white persons, and has been con-
sidered a free white person that she was educated
as a free white person at both English and French
schools, where none but white children were
.knowingly admitted that the said Barrett recog-
.HlLGu e III "aNo bH0 ~ ''f@Nt $500
her childhood to his death, as free and white, and
used to take her to the public theatres, and seat
her with himself in the dress circle, where none
but white persons were knowingly admitted.
Petitioner further alleges that she so enjoyed
her liberty and passed for a free white person for
more than ten years next preceding the date OF
said Barrett's death, and in fact never was at any
time restrained of her liberty; that for several
years preceding said Barrstt's death, she ceased
to reside there, she has bought and sold property
in her own name, has sued and been sued in
the courts of this state, and done various other
acts inconsistent with a state of slavery-all
which was done with the knowledge of said Bar
rett.
Petitioner further alleges that he lis uncertain
who i t is that claims her as their slave: that as
far as her attorney can trace the pretended title
il seems to stand in the name of said Levy, but
she understands that said Jacob Cohen claims to
own or have an interest in her. She further rep
resents that the said Levy we'll knows. and knew
at the time that he bid her off at said pretended
sale, and the said Cohen also did then well know
al the facts aforesaid, and that petitioner was and
Ia a free person, or entitled to claim her freedom
yet,not outstanding such facts, the said Levy and
Cohen persisted in the said pretended purchase,
and still persist in claiming her as a slave; that
by their said legal and tortuous acts they have
compelled petitioner to flee from her residence
and absent herself from her family and friends,
and have injured her in the feelings and reputa-
ton, and have subjected her 10 troubles and OK
penses, and thereby damaged her to the amount
Of over ( 1000. Whereupon petitioner prays that
said Levy aud Cohen be cited to answer hereto,
and that after due proceedings had, judgement be
rendered in favor of petitioner, d%ecreeing her to
be a free person. or entitled to her freedom against
all persons, and that judgement be further render
ed in her favor against said Levy and said
Cohen ir the sum ofS2,o"o damages as aforesaid,