Case Name: Contee v. Garner
Court: United States Circuit Court of the District of Columbia
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 1818-12
Citations: 2 Cranch 162
Docket Number: 
Parties: Contee v. Garner.
Judges: (Thruston, J., absent,)
Reporter: Reports of cases argued and determined in the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia (District of Columbia - reported by Mackey)
Volume: 2
Pages: 162–162

Head Matter:
Contee v. Garner.
A special plea of non est factum must conclude with a verification.
A slave cannot hind himself, at law, to pay money to his master, even for his freedom.
The defendant pleaded, that at the time of signing the bond he was a slave, and so non est factum, and concluded to the country. Special demurrer, because he did not conclude with a verification.
Mr. Law, in support of the demurrer,
cited Wlmlpdalé s case, 5 Co. 119; 1 Chitty on Pleading, 537; Bushell v. Pasmore, 6 Mod. 218 ; and Story, 189.
Mr. Jones, for the defendant,
submitted the question without argument.

Opinion:
The Court
(Thruston, J., absent,)
was inclined to think that it ought to have concluded with a verification.
The Court also decided that a slave cannot bind himself, at law, to pay money to his master, even for his freedom.
By consent, the plea was amended, the demurrer withdrawn, and issue joined upon the replication to the plea. Upón the trial, the plaintiff was non-prossed.