Tennessee Research Search

Defendant claims he is being held without cause due to a governor’s warrant issued in Georgia for the charge of burglary. Defendant denies the charge and is seeking release. Exhibit materials include the original governor's warrant.

Cause of Action: petition for habeas corpus, defendant is an alleged fugitive from justice found in TN who allegedly committed the crime of larceny in GA.

Add. Plaintiffs: Clarence Porter, Merch Walden. Add. Defendants: Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary, Thomas P. Gore.

Aliases for Zela E. Wills include Zela E. Rinehart and Zela E. Spellings.

Plaintiffs claim that they are being held illegally, that they have been charged with no crime. The names of the plaintiffs are different throughout the case record, where they are referred to as J. E. Faltsy (Faltys, Faultsy) and George M. Gilliam. They are managers of a traveling vaudeville show and insist they were arrested under false pretenses and should be released immediately.

Defendant was fined $50 on a charge of carrying a concealed weapon, from which judgment he sought an appeal. Defendant failed to pay the fine.

Plaintiff was convicted of carrying a pistol and fined $50 and court costs. Unable to pay the fine, the Plaintiff was sentenced to the County Workhouse to pay off the debt. The Plaintiff then received a pardon from Tennessee Governor Robert L. Taylor; however, the state contends that the pardon only remitted the $50 fine and not the court costs. Therefore the state continued to hold the Plaintiff in custody.

Writ of habeas corpus alleging that Holland is illegally restrained.

Martha Talbot, free woman of color, was bound in Jefferson County as indentured servant to Willison Talbot, after which he sent her to his widowed daughter Mary Lea in Grainger County, who treated her poorly. Before age 21, Martha married negro man, slave of Jeremiah Jarnagan, by whom she had children Nelson, John, Jane, Lititia, Ann, Martha & infant, also used by Lea as slaves. Jane & Lititia bound to Lea without Martha's consent. White helped Martha get the girls back, all of which led to this lawsuit.

Incomplete case file. Langston is charging that he was illegally restrained of his liberty at the police department of the City of Chattanooga. Police claim that he was a fugitive from justice from Georgia.

Case name appears in different ways. On the cover it is "State Ex Rel L. Karr v. Taxing District of Shelby County" the second page has "L. Karr v. Taxing District of Shelby County" but "State v. L. Karr" appears most often

Includes warrant.

Exhibits: writ of habeas corpus.

Exhibits: two small photos.

Plaintiff: alias Fred Ogle. Defendant: Warden, Petros Prison.

See subsequent habeas corpus case involving same prisoner in ET Box 1167 (Abe McClellan, Asst. Warden v. E. H. Johnson), which recounts facts of this case.

William Jackson was arrested by R.W. Rogers for reckless driving, was placed in jail and told to sign on a line-not knowing nor intending to plead guilty to the offense. Jackson charged that he was not guilty and sought habeas corpus-to be released from illegal imprisonment, prevented from being transported to a workhouse to serve out the fines and costs, and allowed to make bond.

Plaintiffs claim that Dean lee Lawrence and Clarence Ronald Lawrence (minors) are being held against their will by their uncle, the Defendant.

Additional Cause of Action: Fraud. Habeas petition only.

Defendant also fighting charge of vagrancy. McDonald a steam boat mate who had been without work for some time.