This case is about slaves or slavery.
| Year: | 1836 |
| Citation: | 8 G. & J. 79 |
| Jurisdiction: | Maryland |
| People: | Clement Oakes |
| Short Summary: | Defendant formerly filiing a petition charging that Oakes, a seaman, was seized by Spanish authorities in the Pacific and the crew was made prisoners before Oakes was killed. Dealing with testamentary laws declaring that when a seaman dies intestate and without heirs, letters of administration shall be granted preference upon his estate to the Charitable Marine Society of Baltimore. The plaintiff claims that Oakes was a slave in therefore his owner in law was entitled to reimbursement as opposed to the Marine Society. The court held that Oakes' skin color is presumptive of him being a slave and holding that even though evidence in the form of engaging in voyage, absence of a claim, and recovery of wages indicated that Oakes had an administration to his effects, it could not defeat the rights to his master to enforce their rights against his administration. |
| Law type: | |
| Full name: | David Hoffman vs. Peter Gold |
| Court: | Court of Appeals of Maryland |