Case No. 16,284.

UNITED STATES v. SHORTER.

[1 Cranch, C. C. 371.]¹

Circuit Court, District of Columbia.

Dec Term, 1806.

SLAVE AS WITNESS.

A slave is a competent witness for a free-black man on a criminal prosecution.

[Cited in U. S. v. Mullany, Case No. 15,832.]

Indictment against [William Shorter] a free black man.

The traverser offered a slave as a witness. Admitted, upon the authority of U. S. v. Terry [Case No. 16,454], at the last term.

DUCKETT, Circuit Judge, absent.

See Acts Assem. Md. 1717, c. 13, §§ 2, 3.

Verdict, not guilty.

¹ [Reported by Hon. John McLean, Circuit Justice.]

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