Petition
Description
La Mancelière stated that he had arrived at Cap-Français on the Vénus on 22 May 1721 and had presented a letter of credit for 30,000 livres drawn upon the Company of the Indies in favor of the Marquis de Mézières, for the needs of his concession in Louisiana. Both M. Gaultier, Director of the Company of the Indies in Cap-Français, and [Michel Léon] Duvergier, Managing Director of the Company of the Indies in Louisiana, had refused payment, claiming that there had been no authorization, when in fact the Directors in France had received value for the letter of credit in notes and shares. Officers of the Mézières concession had subsequently been forced to abandon their settlement for lack of supplies. La Mancelière therefore requested that Gaultier be called before Judge Lemaitre and that he be required to pay the 30,000 livres and all additional expenses, damages, and court costs.