On April 6, 1815, the record book of the General Court indicates that the grand jury of the General Court at Arkansas Post returned a presentment against William and Dudley Glass for assault and battery, and false imprisonment. The alleged victim was Peter Jones. The record book contains no more information for that term of the court, but a capias writ would have been issued. Apparently the Glasses were not found, because at the next term, the case was called on October 3, and it was announced that the sheriff could not find them. The court ordered that another capias writ be issued. That "alias writ" is the only document surviving in this collection.It was issued by John Dodge, Clerk of Court, at the order of George Bullitt, Judge, and directed to Sheriff W.B.R. Hornor.

At the May 1816 Term, the case was called on May 6, the first day of term. The Glasses were present in court when their case was called, but the record book states that "it appearing to the Court that the writ of capias corresponding in this behalf issued has not been Served and upon the said Defendants being solemnly called have appeared whereupon the court have ordered them unto the custody of the sheriff to be further dealt with according to Law." The following day William H. Glass was sworn to give evidence to the grand jury, whether about his own or another case is not stated. If the Glasses could make bond, they would have been released until the October Term when their trial would be held.

United States v. Glass and Glass was called on Oct. 8, the second day of the October 1816 Term. The Glasses contended that a material witness could not be found, and thus the court continued the case over until the next term.

On the first day of the May 1817 Term, the case was called. A jury was summoned, consisting of Benjamin Murphy, John Jardela, Samuel Parks, Henry Lewis, Wigton King, Patrick Cassidy, Benjamin Kuykendall, David Walter, John Billingsley, John Dudley, Richmond Peeler, and Jacob Hudgeons. The court discovered that Peeler and Dudley had all been on the grand jury which originally indicted the Glasses. They were dismissed and were replaced by John McElmurry and Wright Daniel. The trial was held forthwith and the jury came back the same day with a verdict of not guilty, whereupon the Glasses were discharged.

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