Commissioners of Legal Enquiry in the West Indies, unnumbered volume. Appendix to...

Commissioners of Legal Enquiry in the West Indies, unnumbered volume. Appendix to Berbice report. Papers [manuscript] relating to 39 cases of complaint about the administration of justice, as follows:

• Mrs S M Fraser: case of claim for maintenance from her husband;
• James Innes, colonial secretary: seeks clarification of his duties and advise on recovering debts;
• Robert Douglas: charges against lieutenant governor;
• Arabella Robinson: oppressive sentence of the court in 1821 on a 'negro named Thomas';
• Robert Semple: his involvement in a particular case and wish to retire;
• four memorials from Mr Walker: 1) debt due by a Mr Keene; 2) unjust decision of the Court of Civil Justice; 3) case of sentence on a 'negro belonging to the Winkel Department'; 4) his inability to execute a judgment against a debtor;
• L Cohen: neglect of duty by fiscal;
• Simon Fraser: complaint against 11th article of the regulations of the Court of Justice;
• Nieuwerkerk & Cameron: complains that governor has refused to accept their security to prosecute an appeal;
• W Katz: complains of a case being delayed by the governor;
• Sally 'a slave' and her six children: complains that they have derived no benefit under the will of P S McGregor, who had bequeathed to them their freedom;
• Sarah Stewart: complains of an undue administration of the effects of the late James Fraser;
• Elizabeth Wishrop Gaymer: complains that a slave owned by her child, a minor, has been sold by the man she cohabited with without her consent;
• Arabella Robinson: claiming her freedom;
• second case of Mr Cohen: complains of heavy fine for selling rum;
• 'the negro Aligan': claims his freedom under the will of Mr Jones;
• 'the Colored Inhabitants of Berbice': complain of various grievances and disabilities under which they labour;
• Nelly Adair and her children: claims their freedom and certain bequests under the will of Hugh Adair;
• 'the Indian woman Kaatje Timmerman': claim against the executor of the will of Johannes Timmerman;
• Peggy Hagbourn: states that she purchased from Thomas Jones, who was considerably indebted to her, a slave who was her own child; The child was subsequently claimed by one of Jones's creditors, and sold; Peggy Hagbourn's claim was dismissed on the grounds that as a slave herself she could not hold property;
• two memorials from K Francken, first marshal: 1) claiming right to attend and perform execution sales of property; 2) rights of making official copies;
• J T Matthews: seeking re-admission to practice at the bar;
• Roderick McKenzie: complaint against bill of costs against him;
• Kitty Rawlings: has been declared by the Court of Justice to be entitled to her freedom, but complains that she is too poor to pay for letters of manumission;
• E H Schneider: claim against the Criminal Court;
• H D Obermuller: judgment against his female ward in Holland;
• Mary Dromgoole: relating to Mr Walker's second memorial;
• Hughe Inglis: maladministration by officers of the Orphan Chamber;
• William Scott Griffier, Orphan Chamber: irregularities in the practice of the department as to wills, the time of service of members, and the making up of accounts;
• K Francken, first marshal: seeking revision of tariff of fees;
• Inhabitants of Berbice: complaint against the lieutenant governor.

For further records relating to Berbice see CO 111

Topics

International

Taxation

Trade and commerce

Caribbean

Europe and Russia

Slavery

Children

Debt

Food and drink

Wills and probate