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Freedman named Sydney Carter [[strikethrough]] where [[/strikethrough]] was visiting his kitchen and trying to seduce the child to leave her home and go to live with him whereupon I gave him rebuke and ordered him to let the child alone and not to come about my house any more. The child has continued to live with us peacably and contentedly until last Saturday night when the said child was surreptitiously carried from her home and has since been at the house of said Sydney who refuses to let her be returned to her home.
It is right further to state that besides the fact that the said Sydney nor any of his family are any way related to the child nor have any right or claims to her whatever, that he is not a proper person to keep or raise the child he being a man of bad character together with his family; having several grown daughters around him who are common strumpets having constantly bastard children to. That while the child was with us she was properly treated and cared for and if returned to us will be much better raised and cared for than where she is now. The child is now about Ten years old. I have no idea that the child would have left her home unless some corrupt means had not been used to seduce her away.
The undersigned respectfully asks for an order that will enable him to regain [[?]] of the child 
C.V. Lanier


N Carolina Davie Cty} Personally appeared before me James M. Johnson a Justice of the Peace for the County of Davie and State of N Carolina. CV Lanier of the said county and made oath that the facts related in the within Petition are true this 25th day of July 1867 
Sworn to before me J M Johnson JP

July 25/67
C.V. Lanier
Aff