Case Name: WATSON v. HALL
Court: United States Circuit Court of the District of Columbia
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 1818-11
Citations: 29 F. Cas. 431
Docket Number: 
Parties: WATSON v. HALL.
Judges: (CRANCH, Chief Judge, doubting)
Reporter: Federal Cases
Volume: 29
Pages: 431–431

Head Matter:
Case No. 17,288.
WATSON v. HALL.
[2 Cranch, C. C. 154.]
Circuit Court, District of Columbia,
Nov. Term, 1818.
Deed to Insolvent Trustee.
The common printed form of the deed from an insolvent debtor to his trustee under the insolvent act is sufficiently certain to convey to the trustee a title to slaves.
Case, for enticing away slaves Harry and Pris. The plaintiff was trustee of Thomas G. Slye’s effects under the insolvent act of the District of Columbia.
Mr. Taylor, for defendant,
objected that the deed was too general, and contained no description of the property sufficiently certain to a common intent. The words are: “All my property, real, personal, and mixed, and all my rights, claims, and credits., of what kind or nature soever they may be,” “to have and to hold the same to him the said J. W., as trustee as aforesaid, according to the true intent and meaning of the law in such case made and provided, and for no other.”

Opinion:
THE COURT
(CRANCH, Chief Judge, doubting)
decided, that the deed was sufficiently certain to pass the title of the slaves to the plaintiff.