¶1The court disallowed the claim, and remanded the negroes, holding that these casual and general declarations, unaccompanied with any particular act or formality, were insufficient to give them their freedom. See Kettletas v. Fleet, 7 Johns. 324. And as testator had devised away all his real and personal estate, they must go with the other property, and legally belonged to the defendant.
1 N.J.L. 299
State v. Frees
Decided November 15, 1794
Supreme Court of New Jersey · decided 1794-11-15
On habeas corpus to bring up the bodies of Henry, Dinah, and Susan, negroes, detained as slaves by the defendant, who claim their freedom. It appeared that the negroes had been the property of Robert Patterson, who appeared to have had an intention of setting them free, and in casual conversation with third persons, and sometimes in the presence of the negroes themselves, had declared this intention.
Relies on Ketletas v. Fleet
Decided 1794-11-15