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NARA  31

Belvidere, Hinds Co. Miss.
Novr 16th 1867.

Bt Majr S.S. Sumner U.S.A.
Sub Ast Comr B.F. & A L. - Jackson Miss.

Sir.

Upon the receipt of the Instructions of Genl Gillem, through you, ordering a reference of the suit of Osborne Taylor (Freedman) against my wife to arbitration, I immediately notified Osborne; selected my arbitrator, informed Osborne whom I had selected; and requested him to choose one, that he might meet the Rev. George Whitfield (my arbitrator) that the two might select a third party to join them in acting upon the case in accordance with the instructions of the Bureau. I also informed him that I was ready to meet the arbitrators at any time. This was about three weeks since. After receiving your last communication, I sent for him, & read it to him, & asked him why he had not obeyed his instructions in choosing an arbitrator? He replied in substance that he had no friend in this neighborhood; & as he had began the matter with the Bureau, he preferred letting the Bureau settle it. I told him that the orders of the Bureau were very explicit, that it must by done by arbitration; & I requested him

Transcription Notes:
---------- Reopened for Editing 2024-02-12 21:19:14 ---------- Reopened for Editing 2024-02-13 10:17:32 ---------- Reopened for Editing 2024-02-13 11:10:49 S.S. Sumner