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Dick was able to maintain his family. A respectable witness informed me that he either did testify to his inability, or that he was prepared at the time to do so & present. As to whether he actually testified he did not recollect. - On the other hand there was a ruling on the part of some of Dicks acquaintances among the white population that he had  rather hardly dealt with by the Chadwicks family. The immediate cause of Dick's grief was that he was indicted - or rather charged - with the offense of enticing away his children or some of them, & in danger from that source.
He was tried & found guilty in the County Court, appealed to the Circuit Court & there succeeded on the ground that the binding was invalid. In the same Court on Habeas Corpus Dick recovered his children on the same ground.
The Circuit Court decision was based entirely on technical grounds, & the question of Dick's inability therefore never came up. Dicks old master speaks favorably & emphatically of him. He says "Dick will do" While I hope he will.
I am, sir,
Very Respectfully
Yr obt st
G D Hooper