Case Name: UNITED STATES v. FISHER
Court: United States Circuit Court of the District of Columbia
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 1805-07
Citations: 25 F. Cas. 1086
Docket Number: 
Parties: UNITED STATES v. FISHER.
Judges: 
Reporter: Federal Cases
Volume: 25
Pages: 1086–1086

Head Matter:
Case No. 16,101.
UNITED STATES v. FISHER.
[1 Cranch, C. C. 244.]
Circuit Court, District of Columbia.
July Term, 1805.
Witness—Free Negro—Slavery—Presumption.
1. A free negro is a competent witness against a free white man Quaere.
[Cited in U. S. v. Muliany, Case No. 15,832.1
2. General reputation of freedom is sufficient to rebut the presumption of slavery arising from-color.
[Reported by Hon. William Cranch, Chief Judge.]

Opinion:
[This was an indictment against Henry Fisher, a free white man.]
Indictment for beating prisoner's wife. The assault having been proved by Mr. Threlkield. Lucy Butler, a black woman,, was offered as a witness on the part of United States. Mr. Threlkield having sworn that' she had always passed for a free woman for many years, the court permitted her to be-sworn to the jury.
Quaere. See the act of assembly of Maryland (1717, c. 13, § 2).