Case Name: UNITED STATES v. WEST
Court: United States Circuit Court of the District of Columbia
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 1836-11
Citations: 28 F. Cas. 529
Docket Number: 
Parties: UNITED STATES v. WEST.
Judges: 
Reporter: Federal Cases
Volume: 28
Pages: 529–529

Head Matter:
Case No. 16,067.
UNITED STATES v. WEST.
[5 Cranch, C. C. 35.]
Circuit Court, District of Columbia.
Nov. Term, 1836.
Slavery—Presumption from Color—Evidence to Rebut.
Evidence that a colored person has resided in the county and city of Washington for a year and more, going at large as a free person, and claiming to be free, in the absence of all contradictory evidence, except color, is sufficient to rebut the presumption of slavery, arising from color.
A colored woman was offered as a witness for the United States.
W. L. Blent, for defendant
[the negress Priscilla West] objected that prima facie she was a slave.
Mr. Eekloff testified that she had lived in his family as a free woman; that he had known her about twelve months; and that she was generally reputed to be, and passed as a. free woman.
D. Waters, a constable, testified that he had known her about a year, and that she was generally reputed to be a free woman. That she had acted openly as • such, and everybody believed her to be free.

Opinion:
THE COURT
(nem. con.) said this evidence was sufficient to rebut the. presumption arising from color, and to throw the burden of proof on the defendant.