John Wynne seeks $5,000 in damages for the "false and malicious words" printed and published by Moses Wright concerning the petitioner. The case involves Wynne's slave, Henry, who secretly visited Wright's plantation, after warnings that he was not welcome. On the occasion in question, Henry was seized by Wright's overseer and beaten. Wynne threatened legal action, and Wright retaliated by publishing a lengthy account of the situation, which, according to Wynne, is false and damaging to his reputation. Wynne quotes Wright's statement in the petition: Wright averred that in 1849 he had noticed that Wynne's slave Henry was frequently coming to his house. When he asked his cook about it, she replied that "he wanted her for his wife." Wright asked Henry's young master, William Wynne, about the slave's character and "he said he believed he was as good as any of their negroes." Wright stated that Henry "brought no leave from his master nor asked leave of me, but I tolerated his coming for some months until we detected the Cook (his pretended wife) concealing out doors flour and lard. We asked her where She got it. She Said Mr. Wynnes Henry brought it to her." Wright confronted Henry who "denied all. Said if She was that kind of a woman he would have nothing more to do with her." Wright told the slave not to return unless he was on his master's business. Wright then learned that Henry was secretly coming to the plantation. He told his overseer, Willis Jones, not to allow Henry on the plantation. When Henry was finally caught, Jones "told him to rise and Cross his hands Henry refused and Jones clenched him-Henry being much the largest clenched Jones by the arms and Shoved him back to the wall. Jones told my negro man in the room to lay hold of him. Henry told him if he touched him he would be damned if he did not kill him. Jones then cried out for me.... I found them clenched. Jones asked me to help him tie him. he had a String in his pocket. I got it out. and we tied his hands and bucked him. Jones Sent into the house for a Small Cowskin about 30 inches long. and I thought gave him about Seventy-five lashes and told him he gave him that for trying to run over him. Jones then gave him I thought between thirty and forty lashes for intruding on the premises contrary to orders. He then asked me if I did not want to whip him Some. I told him no. I reckoned he would now Stay away. Jones then untied him and told him to button up and cut out home which he did and I went to bed." The next day, Wynne came to Wright's store and Wright informed him of the incident. Wright asserted, "Wynne went home and examined the boy and I suppose found the Skins considerably fretted, got mad with me, threatened the law. Selected men to examine the place on the negroes butt." Wynne told Wright that they would each choose two men to mediate the dispute. The arbitrators awarded Wright $65. Wright averred that "If Mr Wynne and his two men will come in presence of any twelve respectable men and Say that they believe on their Oaths that the demand is just. I will pay it in one half of a minute. I never told Jones to Strike Wynnes negro one lick nor did I ever Strike him. I have given Jones the discretionary Control over 18 of my negroes for ten months and I have never known him to injure one of them. I did not See the Negroes butt or Know that the Skin was fretted."
Result: Settled.
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Repository: Oglethorpe County Courthouse, Lexington, Georgia
