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The State of Alabama
Tuscaloosa County 

Office of Sub Asst. B. for R. F. and AL.
City of Tuscaloosa, April 24th 1867.

Personally appeared before me R Blair. Sub Asst. Supt of B. for R. F and A.L Prince Murrell (a Col Man) who after being duly sworn makes oath and says that on Sunday the 14th Inst, Thomas Conner a white man committed a violent assault upon him with a large knife, he further states the circumstances to be as follows - that he was attending Public Worship in this city on the day above mentioned, (in the morning) and when service was about half over, Jim Caldwell (cold) came and called him out, and informed him that the hat that he[[strikethrough] illegable[[/strikethrough]] Jim C. had traded with Prince Murrell's son for had been taken by Ths Conner (from a man he had loaned it to) and claimed by him as his property alledging that it had been stolen from him some time previous, Caldwell, wishing Murrell to go with him and see if it is not the hat bought by Murrell for his son- some months previous - from Mr. Robbett, that they both proceeded to the corner of the street where the Printing office is up stairs (the one in which Conner works) and Caldwell went up the stairs and found Conner there, then came to the head of the stairs and called Murrell to come up, he did go up and walk in, and after telling Conner good morning, informed him that he had come by Jim Caldwell request to see if the hat he had taken and claimed was the hat that he had bought from Mr. Robbett, for his son, and asked Conner to let him see it, Conner hesitated but finally handed him the hat from a draw, he looked at the hat, and told Conner that the hat looked very much like the one, altho it was so much soiled that it was difficult to be certain about it, and asked Conner if he had any mark on it by which he could know it to be his.  He said no, except the grease on it from the Head, he then stated to Conner that the Black mans head be more likely to soil it than a white mans would.  He then examined the hat more carefully scratching the dirt off of the No. and saw that the No. was 7 1/8 same as he bought from Mr. Rabbett, and told him that he believed it was the very same hat, some words then passed between Conner and Jim, Jim asserting that it was his hat and Conner saying it was not.  [[strikethrough]] Conner then got in [[/strikethrough]]
Murrell then insisted on their going to Mr. Rabbett, and that if Mr R. said it was not the hat that he had bought for his son, he would say no more about it,-and that he (Conner) and Jim for it, Conner at this got in a great pashion, and cursed and swore that the hat should not leave there, and that he would let them know that he was a white man, and would burst his (Murrells) head open and caught up a stock of wood and made at him, Murrell having a walking stick in his hand, held it up to fend off the blow and telling him not to strike him, he then turned on Caldwell and struck him several times, when Caldwell pulled the stick out of his hand and run out of the door, he then turned on Murrell and told him to get out of there, when Murrell started out Connor commenced kicking him when he turned around and saw that he (Conner) had a [[copy blacked out]] [[on left side of black out these words]] 
to cut- the door - cut by several - out of [[on right side of black out these words]]trying - of - being - off - ting - the

Transcription Notes:
Large black blot at the bottom, but the lower portion of the paper is on the next scanned page so nothing is missing [Stamp] The National Archives of The United States