Abner Staples sues James Carpenter for beating enslaved woman Milly so severely that she was incapable of working “for a long space of time.” Carpenter avows that he struck Milly with a stick because she was arguing with his enslaved girl Moriah and was defending her from being injured. He also mentions he is a part of a “lawful” patrol in the town of Indpendence – this likely being a reference to a slave patrol, which were often set up to control the behavior and movement of enslaved people. Carpenter claims that Milly was “strolling about from place to place in [Independence] without any lawful permit.” Staples counterclaims that she was on the property of John A. Overfelt and was milking a cow on his permission. Staples had sued for $500 in damages, the jury finds in his favor but assesses his damages as one cent.