State of Missouri County of St Louis
To the Hon Law Commissioner Court
Your petitioner Frank W Burk[?] respectfully shows to your Honor
that one John Bellamy a free man
of color is detained in custody
& illegally restrained of his liberty
by one Corbin Thompson R.F. Logan[?] Jailor of St Louis County
in & upon the premises of said Thompson
on sixth street between Market & Wal
Chessnut streets in the City of St Louis. That
said Thompson Jailor holds said John
Bellamy, alleging he is a runaway slave. That said restraint
is illegal in as much as said
John is and has always been
free. Your petitioner further states
he has made no other
application for a writ of Habeas
Corpus in this cause. He therefore
prays your Honor to issue your
writ of Habeas Corpus commanding said Thompson jailor to bring the
body of said John before your
Honor at such time and place
as your honor may direct to do and
receive what may then & there be
ordered, and as in duly bound
your petitioner &
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 30th day of June 1858,
FW[?] Burk
Samuel H Young
Recorder
In the matter of John Bellamy
Petition for writ of Habeas Corpus
