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This collection consists of 24 manuscript items related to State of Indiana v. Luther A. Donnell, tried in the Decatur County Circuit Court in 1849. Luther A. Donnell, an Indiana farmer, was prosecuted for providing assistance to the Beach family during their escape from enslavement in Trimble County, Kentucky. The documents consist of 20 witness summons, the witness testimony of Robert Hamilton and Woodson Clark in the context of the court's proceedings, a summation of the trial proceedings (including the witness testimony of Robert Hamilton), an 1848 grand jury indictment, and one verdict slip.

The collection consists of 24 manuscript items related to the case of State of Indiana v. Luther A. Donnell, tried in the Decatur County Circuit Court in 1849. Luther A. Donnell, an Indiana farmer, was prosecuted for providing assistance to the Beach family during their escape from enslavement in Trimble County, Kentucky. The documents consist of 20 witness summons, the witness testimony of Robert Hamilton and Woodson Clark in the context of the court's proceedings, a summation of the trial proceedings including the witness testimony of Robert Hamilton, an 1848 grand jury indictment, and one verdict slip.

The 20 witness summonses are partially printed documents used to summon witnesses on behalf of the state, plaintiff, and defendant. They span the period of June 28, 1848-March 29, 1849.

One of the written documents is a summary of the trial proceedings. The proceedings include the indictment against Donnell on the basis of Indiana law and the legality of slavery in Kentucky; evidence introduced on behalf of the state; witness testimony for the state and defendant, including that of Robert Hamilton, associate of Donnell; the rendering of a guilty verdict; and attempts by the defense counsel to have the verdict set aside on the basis that the law Donnell was tried under was unconstitutional. Hamilton, who assisted Donnell with the hiding and escape of the Beach family, recounted the events of November 1, 1847, in his testimony, including Donnell's efforts to secure a writ of habeas corpus to search the property of Woodson Clark (who he believed was imprisoning the Beach family). Additional witnesses described seeing the Beach family or persons matching their description on their journey through the county following their rescue by Donnell and others. Woodson Clark's testimony also recounts the events of November 1, including his discovery of the Beach family and his subsequent deceit and imprisonment of them in a fodder house on property owned by his son, Robert Clark. Clark also notes his acquaintance with George Ray including a visit to his home where he had first seen members of the Beach family.