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4 4. Office Sub Comr Freedmen Brookhaven Miss March 28th 1866 Lieut S. Eldridge AAA General Lieut I have the honor to report that the rooms I now occupy for an office is not suitable, it is in the back part of a Vacant Store, which is to be filled with goods in a a short time. there is no place in the Town that I can get suitable for an office for less than twenty dollars $20 pe month I would most respectfully as for - instructions in regards to renting I am Very Respectfully Your Obedient Servant Z B Chatfield Sub Commissioner 5. Office Sub Comr Freedmen Brookhaven Miss March 31st 1866 [[left margin]]Quinn[[/left margin]] Lemuel J Citizen Summit Miss I have not the power to give an order for the release of Cinderella Ellzey until after the Judge of the Probate Court has action upon the matter, I will address him upon the subject and request that he annuls the indenture and orders her release I am Very Respectfully Your Obedient Servant Z B Chatfield Sub Comr Freedmen 5 6. Office Sub Comr Freedmen Brookhaven Miss March 31st 1866 [[left margin]]Quin[[/left margin]] Hon H M Probate Jude Pike Co Miss Judge I would most respectfully invite your attention to the following case, Mr Lemuel Quin who lives near Summit Miss writes to me that on the 5th day of Jan last he entered into a written contract with the following named Freedmen Henry Ellzey and his wife Tamar and a niece of Henrys named Cinderilla a girl 17 or 18 years of age who has made her home with them since the close of the War. Mr Quin contracted with them as a family, and was to give them one third of the Crop. They were getting along finely, when not long since Mr Ross Ellzay came to his place and took the girl Cinderilla away, saying that he had her apprenticed to him until she was 18 years of age - Col Samuel Thomas Asst. Comr. direct in case when the relations of minors or orphans are willing and able to provide for them that they be allowed to do so, and that such children shall not be apprenticed to other person. Col C E Hooker Atty Gen for the State of Miss reaches the following decision. The prime object of the Legislature was to give protection and direction to the large class black minors who have been recently freed, and secondly to prevent this class of persons from becoming a tax upon the treasury. In having Cinderilla apprenticed to [[?]] it is evident that Mr Ellzey has no charitable purpose in him but wished to obtain the services of a full grown person two or three years without pay, who had already contracted for the season under the care of her relations, and abundantly able to provide for herself. Such proceedings we consider illegal and would most respectfully ask that you revoke the indenture, and order that Cinderilla be relased from Ross A Ellzey's charge and returned to Lemuel J Quin's place and comply with the conditions of her contract, ZB Chatfield Capt Sub Comr Freemen [[left margin]](Sel Q. 1. Letters Received)[[/left margin]]
