This section contains the nature of the case and procedural background.

Ps sued Ds in which they claim freedom. The court rejected hearsay testimony on the following issues. The first was for the rejection of part of the deposition of Caleb Clarke, who deposed to a fact respecting the ancestor of the petitioners which he had heard his mother say she had frequently heard from her father. The second was for overruling part of the deposition of Freeders Ryland, which stated what he had heard Mary, the ancestor of the petitioners, say respecting her own place of birth and residence. The fifth exception was similar to the second. The sixth exception was that Ps had read the deposition of Richard Disney, who deposed that he had heard a great deal of talk about Mary Queen, the ancestor of Ps, and had heard divers persons say that Captain Larkin brought her into this country and that she had a great many fine clothes, and that old William Chapman took her on shore once and that nobody would buy her for some time until at last James Caroll bought her. Ps also read the deposition of Thomas Warfield, who deposed that John Jiams, an inspector of tobacco, told him that Mary the ancestor of Ps was free and was brought into this country by Captain Larkin, and was sold for seven years. The jury was instructed on hearsay and that it was incompetent evidence. Ps excepted and the verdict went to Ds. Ps appealed.

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