United States v. Gaskin

An indictment was returned against the appellee in the District Court for Northern Florida which charged that he arrested one Johnson “to a condition of peonage,” upon a claim that Johnson was indebted to him, and with intent to cause Johnson to perform labor in satisfaction of the debt, and that he forcibly arrested and. detained Johnson against his will and transported him from one place to another within Florida. There was no allegation *528that Johnson rendered any labor or service in consequence of the arrest. From a judgment sustaining a demurrer,1 the United States appealed.2

The charge is…