I have managed to transcribe the whole little booklet published in Carlisle in
1789 with notes taken at the trial of the abductors of Jonathan SEWELL by
someone present at the trial, rather like a newspaper article. It is 13 pages
long in Word, so I have to send it in instalments!

"Mrs Ann SEWELL" was in fact Ann HESLOP, a single or widowed woman "of ill
repute" in her 40s or 50s, who in collusion with some friends tried to force
70-year-old Jonathan SEWELL into marriage with her. He had some real estate,
which appears to have been the motive. On one occasion she managed to get him to
Edinburgh and managed to get a marriage certificate there from a very dodgy
minister - Jonathan was so drunk at the time that he didn't even remember the
marriage, if it indeed took place. At the trial, the jury found that this
marriage had in fact not taken place, so I wonder why The Times insists on
calling Ann Mrs SEWELL, and why they seem to think she and her collaborators
were wrongly convicted!

Petra

The Times, Saturday, Nov 13, 1790; pg. 3; Issue 1726; col E

On Wednesday, died in Newgate, Mrs. Ann SEWELL, who has undergone a variety of
cruel persecution and imprisonment for her marriage with Mr. Jonathan SEWELL, of
Durdar in the county of Cumberland. It is a singular circumstance, that this
poor woman was among other things charged with forgery, at the time it was
proved she could not write, and honorably acquitted, we look upon the whole as a
very pitiable case, as well on her account, as on those persons who are under
confinement in Newgate for a supposition that they were concerned in the
transaction of her marriage.

I have typed this with all the spelling mistakes of the original included as I
found them (although I may have inadvertently added some of my own)! The person
who took those notes seems to have got a bit tired towards the end of the trial,
and the notes become progressively shorter and less cohesive, and with more
mistakes.

Enjoy nevertheless!

Petra

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                                                     THE

                                                    TRIAL

                                                      OF

                      Thomas WALLIS, Ann HESLOP, Thomas Leeke
                     WILSON, John BOUSTEAD, and John WILSON,

                                    For a CONSPIRACY, &c.

                               Against one JONATHAN SEWELL;

                                Before the CORUT of NISI PRIUS,

    Held at the City of CARLISLE, in and for the County of CUMBERLAND,

                    On SATURDAY the 15th Day of AUGUST, 1789;

                                                  BY THE

                   Honourable Sir ALEXANDER THOMSON, one of
                     the Barons of His Majesty's Court of Exchequer,

                           And a JURY of the said COUNTY.

                                        CONTAINING

The Information granted against the Defendants by the Court of King's Bench,
with the Evidence at large for and against the Defendants, as taken by a
Gentleman at the Bar upon the Trial.

              ----------------------------------------------------

                                         CARLISLE:

                            PRINTED BY F. JOLLIE.


=========================================================

                                     P R E F A C E.

The attention of the Public has been attracted in a very uncommon degree by the
following Trial; as well on account of the illegal and atrocious combination
against society imputed to the defendants, as what was meant and intended by
them to be practiced against the liberty and property of the said Jonathan
SEWELL, who is a weak infirm man, upwards of seventy years of age.

=========================================================

                ----------------------------------------

       The King against Thomas WALLIS and four Others.

At nine o'clock in the morning of the 15th of August, 1789, Sir Alexander
THOMSON being seated in the Court, this cause was called, and the following
gentlemean were then sworn in and upon the jury to try the same, viz. Edward
MOORE of Whitehaven, Henry JEFFERSON of the same place, John BATEMAN of the
same, John WILSON of the same, Robert STUBB of Cockermouth, John BARNES of
Raughtonhead, John WILSON of Burgh, Richard LAWSON of Kirkbampton, Joseph
HODGSON of the same, John DICKINSON of Street-Gate, Joseph COCKTON of Dockray,
and William FAULDER of Aikhead; when Mr. HOLROYD, as Junior Council on the
behalf of the prosecution, opened the information granted against the defendants
by the said Court of King's Bench, which stated.

That James TEMPLER, Esq. Coroner and Attorney of our present Sovereign Lord the
King, in the Court of our said Lord the King, before the King himself, who
prosecutes for our said present Sovereign Lord the King in this behalf, in his
proper person cometh here into the Court of our said Lord the King, before the
King himself at Westminster, on Friday next after eight days of St. Hilary, in
the same term; and for our said Lord the King giveth the Court here to
understand and be informed that Thomas WALLIS, late of Penrith, in the said
county of Cumberland, yeoman; Ann HESLOP, late of Stanwix, in the parish of
Stanwix, in the said county of Cumberland, widow; Thomas Leeke WILSON, late of
Penrith aforesaid, in the said county of Cumberland, butcher; John BOUSTEAD,
late of Stanwix, in the said parish of Stanwix, in the said county of
Cumberland, labourer; Robert GORDON, late of Hutton in the Forest, in the said
county, yeoman; John WILSON, late of Penrith, in the said county, yeoman;
together with one David WILSON, since deceased; on the 13th day of September, in
the 28th year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the third, now King of
Great Britain; at Durdar, in the said county of Cumberland, wickedly and
maliciously devising and intending to defraud, agrieve, and injure Jonathan
SEWELL, an honest and leige subject of this realm, wrongfully, wickedly, and
maliciously with force and arms, did amongst themselves conspire, consult, and
agree together wrongfully, injouriously, and unjustly to force the said Jonathan
SEWELL to marry (he the said Jonathan SEWELL being an unmarried person,) and to
take to wife the said Ann HESLOP, (she the said Ann HESLOP then and there being
an unmarried person, and a woman of ill fame;) and the said Coroner and Attorney
of our said Lord the King, for our said Lord the King, further gives the Court
here to understand and be informed that the said Thomas WALLIS, Ann HESLOP,
Thomas Leeke WILSON, John BOUSTEAD, Robert GORDON, and John WILSON, together
with the said David WILSON, since deceased, in execution of the premises, and in
pursuance of such conspiracy, consultation and agreement between them as
aforesaid before had and made afterwards, to wit. on the the said 13th day of
September, in the 28th year aforesaid, at Durdar aforesaid, in the county
aforesaid, with force and arms in and upon him the said Jonathan SEWELL in the
peace of our said Lord the King, then and there being, did make an assault; and
the said Jonathan SEWELL did unlawfully and unjustly, and by force and voilence
then and there seize, take, carry away, imprison, secrete, and conceal, and
cause to be seized, taken, carried away, imprisoned, secreeted, and concealed
against the will of the said Jonathan SEWELL; and him the said Jonathan SEWELL
did keep and detain so unlawfully imprisoned, secreeted, and concealed for a
long space of time, to wit. containing from thence hitherto, and still do keep
and detain him the said Jonathan SEWELL so imprisoned, secreeted, and concealed
against the laws and customs of this realm, against the will of the said
Jonathan SEWELL, and without any legal warrant or authority whatsoever, to wit.
at Durdar aforesaid, in the county of Cumberland: And in further pursuance of
the said conspiracy, consultation, and agreement, and in order to carry the same
more fully into effect the said Thomas WALLIS, Ann HESLOP, Thomas Leeke WILSON,
John BOUSTEAD, Robert GORDON, and John WILSON, together with the said David
WILSON, since deceased; during the time of the said imprisonment, secreeting,
and concealing of the said Jonathan SEWELL, to wit. on the same day and year
aforesaid, and on divers other days and times, between that day and the day of
exhibiting of this information, to wit. at Durdara foresaid, in the county
aforesaid, with force and arms did beat, bruise, and otherwise ill treat the
said Jonathan SEWELL; and forced and obliged him the said Jonathan SEWELL to
suffer and undergo great inclemency and severity of weather, and great labour,
hardships, and fatigue of body in travelling about in divers parts of this realm
by day and night, and during that time. Also in further pursuance of the said
unlawful and wicked conspiracy, consultation, and agreement, for the purposes
aforesaid; to wit. on the same day and year aforesaid, and on divers other days
between that day and the day of exhibiting this information, wickedly and
maliciously terrified the said Jonathan SEWELL with divers menacies, and threats
of further bodily injury to the said Jonathan SEWELL, and of loss of his life,
to wit. at Durdar aforesaid, in the county aforesaid, to the great damage,
oppression, terror, and grievance of him the said Jonathan SEWELL, in contempt
of our said Lord the King and his laws, to the evil example of all others in the
like case offending, and against the peace of our said Lord the King his crown
and dignity. Eight other counts are laid in the information, charging the
defendants with conspiring together to defraud and injure the said Jonathan
SEWELL in various ways.
Mr. LAW, one of the King's Council, stated in a very able and masterly manner to
the Court and jury, That Jonathan SEWELL, the person named in the imformation,
was a weak, infirm man, of seventy years of age, subject to get drunk, and
thereby rendered incapable of taking care of himself; and that he was possessed
of a real estate worth upwards of 100L. a year. - That so long ago as the month
of May 1788, he was forced into a chaise at Carlisle, when drunk, by the said
Ann HESLOP and David WILSON, deceased, and conveyed to Gratna Green in order to
get him married to the said Ann HESLOP; but from some scruple in the conscience
of the person applied to at Gratna, the parties returned single.

That on the 3d day of July following Jonathan SEWELL was again taken by force
out of his estate at Durdar, by the said Ann HESLOP, David WILSON, John IRVING,
and six more of their confederates, when he was again made drunk by them,
conveyed to Carlisle in the night, and was then forced into another chaise,
along with the said HESLOP and IRVING, who carried him to Edinburgh, in
Scotland.

That the friends of SEWELL pursued and brought him back to Durdar, where he
remained till the 13th day of September following, when at noon day he being
employed to cut corn at Durdar aforesaid, the said Ann HESLOP, Thomas WALLIS,
and Thomas Leeke WILSON, went into the field, leaving a post chaise upon the
road; and after forcing Jonathan SEWELL to drink large quantities of ale and
spirituous liquors, again forced him into the chaise, along with the said Ann
HESLOP and Leeke WILSON, and drove off to Penrith, where he was concealed in
WALLIS's house for some little time, and was in the middle of that night
conveyed, by the defendants, to Wolfa, near Penrith, where they had him
concealed till the next night, when they again conveyed him to Hood-Foot, where
they remained three days; but being afraid of a discovery they again, in the
night, conveyed SEWELL across the mountains to the house of one John WALTON at
Hawkwell-head, in the parish of Stanhope, in the county of Durham, where the
defendants again imprisoned and concealed SEWELL for a fortnight, and then he
was brought back, by them, in the night, to the house of the said Thomas WALLIS
at Penrith, where he was again imprisoned in the garret of WALLIS's house for
thirty-six weeks.

Mr. LAW stated that he never, in all his practice, heard of such an outrage
being committed by any set of men however base. That every means had been used
by SEWELL's friends to discover where he was confined, that WALLIS, as the
Ringleader, had been frequently applied to; and that a Habeas Corpus, the great
writ of English liberty, had been obtained, and served upon the said David
WILSON, Thomas WALLIS, and Thomas Leeke WILSON, on the 24th day of October,
1788, (more than three weeks after SEWELL was confined at WALLIS's) commanding
them to have the body of the said Jonathan SEWELL before Loyd Lord KENYON, Chief
Justice of the Court of King's Bench at Westminster, &c.; but the defendants
were hardy enough to disobey that writ, which is the greatest security of the
lives, libertys, and properties of all our fellow subjects.

Mr. LAW added that he should call evidence to prove the several parts of the
case, and he did not doubt but the gentlemen of the jury would, by their
verdict, find the defendants guilty of the charge, and put it into the power of
that court from whence the information came here to be tried, to punish them in
such a manner as would in future deter others from offending against the laws of
a freecounty, and imprison one of his Majesty's subjects without any cause
whatever.
                       P R O O F  on Part of the Prosecution.

Richard LOWTHIAN (SEWELL's Attorney) says I know Jonathan SEWELL and Ann HESLOP;
SEWELL had a real estate near Carlisle let for more than 100L. a year; Ann
HESLOP is not a woman of good fame, but has had the character of a common
prostitute for twenty years and upwards; Thomas WALLIS is a bailiff; Thomas
Leeke WILSON and John WILSON are brothers, they live in WALLIS's house, and are
his servants, or bailiffs followers; and John BOUSTEAD is brother to HESLOP, who
is a widow. On the 5th of July, 1788, Joseph GRAHAM, brother in law to SEWELL,
and Mr. John BOND, who is his cousin, applied to Mr. John MITCHINSON and me to
go to Scotland in search of SEWELL, who had been carried away by Ann HESLOP and
one John IRVING.

In consequence of such application we went to Scotland, and had some information
of them upon the road towards Edinburgh; and found SEWELL and HESLOP at the
Crook-Inn, between Moffat and Edinburgh, about four o'clock in the morning of
the 6th of July, we were shown into the room where SEWELL and Ann HESLOP were in
bed together; SEWELL appeared to be very much intoxicated with liquor, and drunk
at the time; we asked him to get out of bed, and he made several attempts, but
was prevented by HESLOP, who held him down in bed with her arm. We left them in
the room for half an hour, to give them an opportunity of dressing; when we
returned she was still holding him down in bed, but upon our holding her arm
from him he got out of bed and dressed himself. We asked him repeatedly, in her
presence, if he was there on his own will, when he told us he had been made
drunk and forced into a chaise at Carlisle by Ann HESLOP and John IRVING, and
David WILSON had been the cause of it. That they had spirituous liquors in the
chaise with them, and made him drink it, till he knew not where they had carried
him. That he broke several windows in the chaise to get away, HESLOP said she
had managed well to steal him out of the wood. We gave him some milk and water,
and afterwards had some tea together, and he drinking a good deal of tea became
more sober; we asked him again if he was there with his own consent or
otherwise, and if not with his consent we should take him home to his friends.
SEWELL said he never would have been with her unless he had been drunk, he laid
hold of us that we might not leave him. She said they had been married in
Edinburgh, and produced a paper certifying that they had resided six weeks in
Scotland, and had been three times published in the church there, the paper
writing she said was a certificate of their marriage in Scotland; she said
afterwards she applied to M'GREGOR to marry them the evening they arrived in
Edinburgh, but he refused that evening, and she sent for him again next morning,
when he gave them the certificate. She said they had been married by M'GREGOR;
SEWELL positively denyed any knowledge, either of being in Edinburgh, or being
married; and desired Mr. MITCHINSON and me to go to Edinburgh and enquire what
had been done there; she made a good deal to do against our going to Edinburgh,
and wanted to go forward to Carlisle with SEWELL; when she found we had ordered
a post chaise for Edinburgh, she desired that IRVING and her should go there
with us, we were very agreeable they should, and another chaise was had, and we
all went, MITCHINSON and IRVING in one chaise, SEWELL, HESLOP, and myself in the
other. We went to Edinburgh in that manner, on the road SEWELL became perfectly
sober. - (The Crook-Inn is two stages, from Edenburgh about thirty miles.) -
When sober SEWELL asked her how she came to take him away to be married, that he
had no acquaintance with her, and was an old man, and never had any inclination
to be married, even when younger. - She said she had managed well to steal him
at last; and that she had been in love with him many years. - She frequently
wanted to kiss him in the chaise, but he always opposed it. - After being in
Edinburgh we found M'GREGOR, who told us that SEWELL was much the worse of
liquor at the time that he had given them a certificate, having his fee, which
was three guineas and a half. M'GREGOR said he would have married them for his
fee, if he had been dead. - MITCHINSON and I left them at the inn, when we
returned HESLOP, IRVING, and SEWELL were gone; we sent to enquire at the
tollbars, and fonud the road they had taken, we pursued towards Middleton, and
found them at four o'clock next morning in a house about fourteen miles this
side of Edinburgh; we were admitted into the house, and found the three in bed
in one room, SEWELL and HESLOP in one bed, and IRVING in another. - SEWELL
exclaimed against us for leaving him. She repeated often, that if IRVING had
given her money to go on, neitheir we nor any of his friends should have seen
him more; we told them we should take SEWELL to Edinburgh and apply for a
warrant against them, and if they chose they might follow. We applied to the
Sheriff of Edinburgh and got a warrant against them, but they did not come there
again.

We returned to Carlisle, and arrived on the 10th of July at Mr. MITCHINSON's,
where we stopped a few minutes. - We meant to walk to the Bush-Inn and get a
chaise to take SEWELL home; before we got many yards we were met by Ann HESLOP,
John BOUSTEAD her brother, and many more; SEWELL was taken from us there by
force. Ann HESLOP laid hold of SEWELL, and BOUSTEAD assisted, when SEWELL
attempted to strike her with a stick.

In consequence of an information I received the 13th of September last, I went
along with Mr. John BOND to Penrith in pursuit of SEWELL, when we found the
chaise had stopped at the house of Thomas WALLIS; I sent for WALLIS next
morning, being the 14th of September, when Mr. WILSON, a Magistrate, attended
with me. I enquired of WALLIS what he had done with SEWELL, he said they had
been in bed together in his house the night before, and had gone away in the
morning; I told him he would be prosecuted if he did not discover, he said he
would not tell where they were; I told him if he would tell me there should be
no prosecution against him for what he had done, and I would give him ten pounds
to pay the expence; he then said they were at a little public house at Askham,
three or four miles from Penrith, at widow CARR's, I could hear nothing of them
there, and returned home. I have since made several applications to WALLIS, and
on the 24th of October I served WALLIS, David WILSON, and Thomas Leeke WILSON
with a writ of Habeas Corpus to produce SEWELL before the Chief Justice of the
Court of King's Bench. I left the original writ with WALLIS, and he told me he
would obey the writ. - It was never discovered where SEWELL was confined till we
had information from GORDON in June last.

X  I have been acquainted with SEWELL for thirty years, he is much adicted to
liquor, he made a conveyance of his estate to Mr. BOND and me, he applied to me
to make it after the first conveyance to Gretna, we were to be the trustees for
him to protect his estate, SEWELL saying he was not capable to take care of it
himself against such attempts. - BOND is SEWELL's cousin. Before the declaration
of trust was prepared, he was carried away on the 13th of September, the estate
part freehold and part customary, SEWELL has two sisters, he desired us to sell
a small detached estate, we were to hold the remainder, he to have disposal of
rents and profits during his life, his sisters after his death, if they
survived, after their decease his nephews and neice, children of his sister, and
Richard BELL to have them; if they died without issue we to convey to his right
heirs at the time. - SEWELL lived at Durdar with GRAHAM, HESLOP at Stanwix about
four miles from Durdar, she is between forty and fifty years of age, her sister
and she live together; she said they had been married, and he denied it; I do
not recollect whither M'GREGOR said he had married them or not, he said SEWELL
was the worse of liquor, I knew the certificate was false, as it recited that
they had resided six weeks in Scotland, and three times published in that
church. We went to Edinburgh to the Consult Council and got a warrant. WALLIS
said he had been informed they were married, he would not tell me where they
were gone.

X  seems to mean: answers under cross examination.

Joseph GRAHAM.  I am brother in law to SEWELL, he was at Durdar with me cutting
corn on the 13th of September, Thomas WILLIS, Ann HESLOP, and Thomas Leeke
WILSON came up, when WALLIS took the sickle from SEWELL, and offered me half a
crown to drink next day to say nothing; and pressed me to go with them to the
public house at Durdar; I went with them to see what they meant to do with
SEWELL. We went to get a tankard of ale and come back to our own work again. We
all went together to the horsing stone near my house, some ale was fetched from
the public house, HESLOP and WALLIS forced liquor on SEWELL. I saw the post
chaise coming up, and when SEWELL was like to get drunk I took him, and wanted
to get him to his work again, Ann HESLOP and Thomas Leeke WILSON took him from
me by force, one on each side they put him into the alehouse, and hurried him
into the parlour; I attempted to go into the parlour, but WALLIS shut the door,
and crushed my fingers. I saw the chaise at a distance before, and then saw it
come up to the ale house; Leeke WILSON went into the chaise first, pulling
SEWELL in after him, and Ann HESLOP thrust behind, she got in afterwards, and
the chaise hurried off, WALLIS followed on horse back with HESLOP's bonnet.
SEWELL was taken away wanting his wig, the wig was found in the field next day.

X  It was hot weather, there are no houses at Durdar but mine and the alehouse,
we had two or three tankards of ale at the horsing stone, we all drank fast,
they thought the ale was not strong enough, I found spirits in it, and they
forced the glass about quickly, they took SEWELL away one on one side and the
other on the other, I did not hear her say any thing about the marriage, I saw
no servants about the public house, I did not hear him cry out, because he was
drunk, I laid hold of his leg and held all I could, when they were hoisting him
into the chaise. WALLIS brought some of the ale from the public house.

Thomas SCOTT.  About six or seven o'clock in the evening of the 13th September
last, I was standing near WALLIS's house in Penrith, when Thomas Leeke WILSON,
Ann HESLOP, and Jonathan SEWELL, all got out of the chaise, WALLIS followed a
little after with Ann HESLOP's hat, and two horses, he came up a little after
they went into the house. SEWELL got out last, and was much in liquor, Thomas
Leeke WILSON and Ann HESLOP led him into the house, he had neither hat nor wig;
they first led him to the fire side, afterwards up stairs to bed. - On the 14th
early in the morning I saw John BOUSTEAD, he came to a house at Penrith about
eleven o'clock the night of the 13th, and asked for some hay; he afterwards went
to Mrs. ROPER's, a public house, and asked the ostler the way to WALLIS's, he
went there, they were all in bed, he called Thomas WALLIS up between eleven and
twelve. BOUSTEAD told me he was come about the business of Ann his sister, who
was going to be married to Laird SEWELL, (meaning a man of estate.) John
BOUSTEAD brought his horse when he came first to WALLIS's, and left him at the
door; SEWELL, HESLOP, BOUSTEAD, Leeke WILSON, and WALLIS came down together, he
called out when they were hawling him away, and asked if he was a prisoner, they
said they were going to take him home, but if he did not hold his tongue they
would pash his brains out, Thomas Leeke WILSON said it when WALLIS and others
were by; SEWELL called out murder, murder several times. Robert GORDON and John
BOUSTEAD met them with the grey mare, and they carried him to Wolfa, BOUSTEAD
kept a little behind, GORDON got off the horse and some others got on. - I was
at WALLIS's house on the 21st of September, and dined there with Leeke WILSON,
John WILSON, and David WILSON, who gave us a bottle of rum; Thomas Leeke WILSON
told David WILSON he had first carried SEWELL to Wolfa, from thence to Hoodfoot,
and afterwards to Wardale, in the county of Durham; that he kept him one day in
the house of one GRAHAM at Wolfa. - That going over the mountains between
Hoodfoot and Wardale, they met a man on a white horse, when SEWELL asked where
they were going, but he Leeke WILSON said he would knock him down, and they went
on. - That WALLIS was not present. - David WILSON promised Leeke WILSON 60L. if
he got them married.

X  I am a black-smith, and live at Ousby, I was in the street, and could not
sleep I was so bad of a pain in my breast, Thomas WALLIS and I were very
intimate at that time, I am acquainted with John BOUSTEAD, there were none by
when he told me his sister was going to be married to Laird SEWELL, I staid no
longer than till they went off about twelve o'clock, I followed them about three
miles, Thomas WALLIS turned back at the Fell-gate, about a quarter of a mile
from his own house; when I heard murder called I went on, I returned about three
o'clock and went to the Wheat-sheaf in Penrith. When they first set off I hid
myself in a field. - On the 21st of September, after giving me liquor, Thomas
Leeke WILSON asked me if I knew any thing about Jonathan SEWELL, I told him
every thing I knew; at the Fell-gate Thomas WALLIS told Leeke WILSON, when he
turned back, that they might carry him to Wolfa, I was very near in a field;
after they went upon the moor I followed about one hundred yards distance. -
Wolfa is about four miles and a half from Penrith.


Robert GORDON.  I was servant to WALLIS for three years, and left him at
Martinmas last; I was in the fields when SEWELL and the others arrived in
September, I came to the house about seven o'clock, and found SEWELL, Ann
HESLOP, and WALLIS's family, consisting of Leeke WILSON, John WILSON, Matty his
wife, and WALLIS's wife, they stayed till between twelve and one. John BOUSTEAD
came to WALLIS's, I was in bed, but they called me up, John WILSON and Matty
came up and told me; when I got up I saw John BOUSTEAD, he came to tell me to
get SEWELL off, for they were coming from Carlisle after him. He stayed to get
the Laird off, they all got up and got him out, they put the Laird to bed when
he was very drunk, and she followed after him, I stood laughing at the door,
Thomas WALLIS, Leeke WILSON, and Ann HESLOP took him down stairs, he wanted a
wig, and they got him one of WALLIS's; they took him up the lane on foot, I was
to stay in the house while WALLIS came back; WALLIS returned very soon, and told
BOUSTEAD to get his horse, and BOUSTEAD and me to go after them; WALLIS told me
they were gone to Wolfa, we followed in a few minutes together, I on BOUSTEAD's
horse, and he walked, we were to stay at Wolfa till further directions came. We
overtook them at Maiden-hill, we found Leeke WILSON, Ann HESLOP, and Jonathan
SEWELL on foot, they each had hold of his arms, they set him upon the horse I
rode, and carried him to Wolfa on horse back, which was a mile and a half
further than where we came to them; SEWELL was very drunk. GRAHAM of Wolfa is a
husbandman, we arrived there before they were up; I stayed there till Sunday
evening about ten, and then went to Penrith; Leeke WILSON went home in the
morning to a christening; BOUSTEAD and HESLOP stayed; SEWELL laid in bed all
day; Leeke WILSON and HESLOP told me to abide with them, and keep him there that
he might not get out. - I saw WALLIS when I returned to Penrith, I told him
GRAHAM would keep SEWELL no longer, he must get him shifted; Thomas Leeke WILSON
and WALLIS studied a little together, and WALLIS said you must carry him to
Hoodfoot boat-house, so I returned directly to Wolfa by WALLIS's directions, I
carried him to Hoodfoot boat, Ann HESLOP, John BOUSTEAD, and I carried him there
in the dead time of the night, about three miles from Wolfa, to one DALTON's, a
widow, who keeps a public house, which stands by itself, we carried him
sometimes on BOUSTEAD's horse, sometimes on foot. It was about five in the
morning when we got there, Ann HESLOP desired them to get up and let us in, they
were not willing but at last let us in, and got breakfast. SEWELL was kept
upstairs, WALLIS ordered HESLOP and me to stay with him; WALLIS told me he would
come to Hoodfoot. I left BOUSTEAD and HESLOP with SEWELL, and went to Penrith in
the dead time of the night; I asked WALLIS why he did not come, he sent me back
to stay till he sent some account. (It is three miles between Hoodfoot and
Penrith.) We continued at Hoodfoot three days and two nights; SEWELL had ale
given him, they did not sell spirits; Ann HESLOP had rum or brandy with her,
which she made him drink. SEWELL expressed a great uneasyness in his mind, and
wanted to be at home; Leeke WILSON came on Thursday night with two of WALLIS's
horses, and said he would carry him home, either to Durdar or the Mount, I am
not sure which. He came in the dead of night. - Leeke WILSON told me secretly we
were to go to Stanhope, in Wardale; but, he had before told SEWELL he would
carry him home. Leeke WILSON, Jonathan SEWELL, Ann HESLOP, and me went away with
three horses, we left BOUSTEAD at the door, we all rode, and SEWELL behind me,
they bid him to get on the horsing stone, pulled the horse to and set him on. -
It is about thirty-five miles from Hoodfoot to Hawkwellhead, we went through
Aldston, and breakfasted at Nenthall, a public house, about twenty-eight miles
from Penrith; we afterwards went to John WALTON's at Hawkwellhead, who is
brother in law to Leeke WILSON; I stayed two or three days, and SEWELL was
watched all the time; we mostly kept SEWELL upstairs. - Ann HESLOP sent me to
Penrith to tell WALLIS she was afraid that SEWELL would be found, and that he
must be shifted from there; I told WALLIS, who said they were safe enough there,
no body could find him; David WILSON told WALLIS some were gone from Carlisle to
get SEWELL, whereon David WILSON and I got two hack horses and rode over to
Hawkwellhead again, WALLIS ordered me to go with David WILSON; we found Jonathan
SEWELL and HESLOP together, David WILSON told Ann they were safe enough there,
they might stay a month, and then get married, and all would be well enough. I
stayed about a fortnight from the time of my first going; John WILSON then came
from Penrith to Hawkwellhead to take care of SEWELL, and I went home, in my way
I met Leeke WILSON going to WALTON's, I turned back with him again, and when we
got back Ann HESLOP and John WALTON were talking about John WILSON's being gone
off with SEWELL, and they were afraid he would be taken by the opposite part on
the road. We stayed all night and went off next morning. The fear of its being
known where SEWELL was concealed, was the reason for removing him. When I
returned to Penrith I found SEWELL there with John WILSON, it was Burgh-Hill
fair, which is the last day of September, and the first day of October. I
continued with WALLIS till Martinmas, and generally saw SEWELL there once a week
afterwards. SEWELL was kept upstairs, I never saw him down stairs, except once
when he was taken to the town head to John DIXON's in the dead time of the night
to sign some papers, John WILSON took him; Leeke WILSON, WALLIS, two DIXONs,
mother and daughter, Mr. NELSON and Mr. STRONG, two Attorneys, were there with
the Laird; SEWELL was not permitted to come down stairs, the windows were closed
up, with boards nailed thereon. I stayed there two days, about a week before he
was taken, SEWELL often said what a pity it was to be kept there confined; he
desired me to send letters to Carlisle to his friends; - I told him I would tell
his friends; I went and told Mr. LOWTHIAN, and afterwards went to release him
with John HENDERSON, Mr. LOWTHIAN's son, Mr. BOND, one Mr. BELL, SEWELL's
relation, and Mr. MITCHINSON's clerk; Matty WILSON bid me go up to John WILSON
and SEWELL; I went up and told SEWELL his friends were come for him, he would
not believe me, so many lies had been told him. John WILSON got out at a high
window, over a toofall, and took off; I told Jonathan SEWELL to go down, I went
out at another window for fear of injury. - WALLIS often told me when they were
shifting SEWELL about I was to have 100L. for my share, if they were got
married.

X  I know Thomas SCOTT, but did not see him on the 13th of September. - WALLIS
sent Leeke WILSON and me to get HESLOP out of the way to prevent her being taken
upon a charge of forgery, she was to be taken by virtue of a warrant; WALLIS
told me to make an affidavit, and send to London, and I should be cleared, it
was not read to me, I only signed it. - It is about two months since I told Mr.
LOWTHIAN where SEWELL was confined; I received a guinea for my trouble after
SEWELL was brought to Carlisle. - SEWELL was seen at WALLIS's house by Elizabeth
DIXON, Elizabeth GRISTLETHWAITE, Harry HODGSON, Philip BOWMAN, --- SIMPSON,
Elizabeth NIXON, and Nanny NICHOLSON. - Elizabeth DIXON lives with WALLIS,
HODGSON and GRISTLETHWAITE came as servants to WALLIS when I left him; Philip
BOWMAN and SIMPSON are his nephews, NIXON works in the house, Nanny NICHOLSON is
a neighbour, I do not know whether she saw him or not. - SEWELL had ale given
him every day. - HENDERSON and I went to Carlisle along with SEWELL on the 15th
of June, when we each received a guinea from Mr. LOWTHIAN for our trouble and
expences.

John HENDERSON.  I went to get SEWELL away with young LOWTHIAN, and GORDON and I
told WALLIS and his wife that SEWELL's friends were come for him, WALLIS asked
me if GORDON has informed where he was, I told him he had. GORDON had gone
upstairs, Mr. BOND and young LOWTHIAN came up; WALLIS asked Mr. BOND whether
they could not make an agreement, and have no more law; Mr. BOND said he could
give no answer until he saw his friend SEWELL and consult him. - SEWELL then
came down, and we took him away with us to Carlisle.

Jonathan SEWELL.  I was shearing with Joseph GRAHAM at Durdar in September,
Thomas Leeke WILSON, Ann HESLOP, and Thomas WALLIS came to the lane end, they
gave a wave to me, and I went to them; Thomas WALLIS took the sickle from me,
they insisted I should go and drink ale with them, it was a very warm day, I
went to the dyke to get my coat, she followed me, I was very dry, and very
guilty of taking liquor, Ann HESLOP had a bottle in her pocket, she gave me some
liquor out of it at the dyke; Joseph GRAHAM and us went to the horsing stone,
where we got two or three tankards, then they would have me to the public house,
they carried me there, and afterwards up and down the country; we went in a
chaise to Tom WALLIS's, and next morning they removed me to GRAHAM's of Wolfa,
and early on Monday morning to Hoodfoot, we stayed there Monday night and
Tuesday night; from Hoodfoot they pretended they would carry me to Durdar; I was
carried to Hawkwellhead, I bad them a crown to carry me to Durdar, afterwards
half a guinea. I was confined five or six and thirty weeks at WALLIS's, I would
have fain been at home, I made a stop on the common, going to Wardale, and would
go no further, I began to cry out murder; Leeke WILSON said they would send me
to BOTANY BAY. - I was put to bed at WALLIS's, up two pair of stairs, and could
not go about the street; the weather grew cold, and I did badly wanting a
fire. - I was once carried to a place to Mr. STRONG of Carlisle, David WILSON,
and NELSON, were there, they pulled some papers out, I said I am no scholar;
they told me I was to be tried before my Lord KENNEDY whether I was as wise as
other folks or not. - I was an old man, and winter approaching, I thought all my
friends had disowned me, as Leeke WILSON said he had sent them a letter from
Hawkwellhead by the post, and my friends were calling me about the streets for a
fool. - I slept the first night at WALLIS's by myself, afterwards with John
WILSON. I desired to go into a garden to walk, but they gave me no answer, my
health was much worse for want of air; I told Leeke WILSON and John WILSON if
they would go with me to Durdar, I would give them a note for 10L. and pay them
the money at Durdar. - At first they checked me for looking out at the window,
the front windows were barred up with broads on the inside of the glass, two of
them were barred up all the time. - John WILSON pretended he was under dread of
a warrant.

X  I was not married at Edinburgh that I know of, I was drunk, I did not give
M'GREGOR
any money, nor do I remember his being there; I made a conveyance of my estate,
because I was an old man, guilty of liquor, owing money, and unable to take care
of it myself. - May was a twelve months I first saw her, she asked me to sell a
small estate held under Lord LONSDALE, and said her husband was at David
WILSON's,
and would buy it; I did not go, and would have rather gone twelve miles about
than have gone into the town where she lived. I never, in all my life, had
carnal dealings with her, or any other woman.


To be continued with evidence for the defence.....
Here the evidence on the part of the prosecution closed, when Mr. WOOD, Council
for the defendants, stated, That the defendants were charged with one of the
highest misdemeanors the law allows of, the punishment, imprisonment, perhaps
the pillory. The reason of mentioning this, that you be fully satisfyed, before
you convict them of the charge of conspiring to get them married, they being
unmarried persons, it must be made out that they were unmarried at the time; no
doubt but he had a tiresome life between the two contending parties. I shall be
able to prove they were married in Scotland, if so you cannot set that aside, it
is equally binding as if here; IRVING saw the marriage performed, and put to
bed; when MITCHINSON and LOWTHIAN came, and she has uniformly insisted she was
married to him in Scotland; and with the assistance of her friends endeavoured
to keep him, there is nothing illegal in that; WALLIS acts merely on the
information of their being married, it is not illegal in him; several persons
had access to him, and spoke to him when they pleased; she is stated to be a
woman of ill fame, no evidence of it, she stands unimpeached; it is not
necessary to be married in a church or chapel, but an agreement in presence of
witnesses sufficient. I will call IRVING, who saw the marriage. (M'GREGOR is a
minister of the church of Scotland, a preacher at the Gallic chapel.) If SEWELL
is a weak man, the wife is entitled to the custody of him, if she is his wife,
nothing criminal in her conduct. - I shall call a number of witnesses, who will
swear they saw him down strairs several times, and spoke to him, he made no
complaint. - Mr. WOOD then called the following witnesses, viz.

John IRVING.  I know Jonathan SEWELL and Ann HESLOP, I went from Carlisle to
Edinburgh with them on the 5th of July, 1788, we got to Edinburgh the day after
about seven o'clock at night; we did not drink much on the way, we bought none
but what we had occasion for; we had two bottles of cyder in the chaise; none
was given to SEWELL on the way, but what he chose, he might drink a glass or so
at a time. - My landlord Edward ATKINSON sent for what they call the Sessions
Clerk, and for the Articled Clerk, the Sessions Clerk went for the minister, I
did not send for the minister till next morning, because Jonathan SEWELL was a
little drunk; he came next morning, and SEWELL had drunk nothing but beer; his
name is Joseph Robertson M'GREGOR; the ceremony was in ATKINSON's dining room,
which ceremony was read out of a book; I was married in Scotland myself, the
ceremony just the same that I was married with to the best of my knowledge; - I
do not recollect whether SEWELL consented or not. No force was used, they joined
hands, they were put to bed at the Crooke; we left Edinburgh in the afternoon;
LOWTHIAN and MITCHINSON came, and we returned to Edinburgh on the 6th of July,
the lady being impatient had ordered a chaise, SEWELL was agreeable to go, I was
not, because MITCHINSON and LOWTHIAN were not there; we came fourteen miles this
side of Edinburgh, they came there early in the morning; David WILSON gave me
25L. 5s. to pay expences. - SEWELL appeared very willing to go with MITCHINSON
and LOWTHIAN.

X  It was their own pleasure to be married in Scotland; SEWELL told me he liked
a jaunt to Scotland; we drank a little with the drivers at every stage, he was
not sober all the road, he wanted to be married that night, and was quite hot
upon it the next morning; the second night he claped his hand upon her thigh,
and said he liked her 1000L. better than the night before. - (Six weeks
residence in the certificate, a matter of form.) - David WILSON sent me with
them to Scotland.

Elizabeth GRISTLETHWAITE.  I lived as a servant with WALLIS; SEWELL was brought
there before I went, which was at Martinmas, I left him there at Whitsuntide; he
was treated in the very best manner, he was never shut up, or confined; I never
saw him down strairs, he had several rooms to walk in; I was in the room often,
and never heard him complain; he had any thing he asked for; he read most of his
time; I heard him say he wished to be kept private, on account of a woman, till
she could be got there, that they might get married; I heard him say they were
married at Edinburgh, but he wanted to be married again; he was always sober, I
never saw him drunk;

X  John WILSON kept him company upstairs, he never came down to the necessary; I
heard a report of a writ to produce him, but I did not tell where he was.

Elizabeth NIXON.  I live near WALLIS's, and work about his house still, I was
there when SEWELL came, he was treated very well, lodged up in a high room, he
had five rooms to walk in; he told us he only came there to wait till Ann
HESLOP, his wife, and him were married over again in England, he said so often;
I fetched him one shilling worth of ale every night; I heard him say they had
been married in Endinburgh; he said he would take a room in WALLIS's new house;
I remember four or five men coming to take him away, he did not go away
willingly, they might come for him, when they asked for him he was not denyed.

Henry HODGSON.  I saw Jonathan SEWELL, he was treated very well; I saw him
upstairs, but never down to my knowledge; I heard him say he had been in
Edinburgh, and had been married; I was a husbandman, and very little with him;
he always seemed chearful.

Jane DIXON.  I live in Penrith, with my father, at the town head, half a mile
from WALLIS's, I was there when SEWELL came on a Saturday, I stayed till Monday
morning; he got out of himself, came into the house, and went upstairs; I saw
him till about ten or eleven; he came in about three, had tea at four, and bread
and cheese, and ale carried up for supper; they seemed very friendly, he seemed
very fond of her; I got up when the noise was, and saw them get out; I slept
with John WILSON's wife, he walked down stairs himself; I remember Tom WALLIS
putting him his wig on, he said he would go any where with WALLIS. John BOUSTEAD
her brother came and said they were pursuing him from Carlisle; I saw SEWELL
frequently after his return; I was staying a month, and saw him every day; I saw
him out of the house, Mr. STRONG was with him, I never saw him out on any other
occasion. - There was only one window blocked up, on account of the window cess;
it was blocked up before he came; he did not appear to be under any restraint. -
I never made any affidavit.

Ann NICHOLSON.  I live next door to WALLIS's, I saw SEWELL when he came in
September the 13th; he got out without force; I never had any discourse with
him; there was nothing to hinder him from seeing out at the window; I was often
in the house while he was there, I did not go upstairs to him;

X  I would not inform against WALLIS, I am not covetous of money; I kept the
secret well, when I kept that; more of the family knew it besides myself.

Philip BOWMAN.  I am WALLIS's nephew, I was often there with SEWELL; the first
time I saw him he was cutting potatoes with John WILSON upstairs.

To be continued with the summing up.....

The Learned Judge then summed up all the evidence to the jury, and observed that
the defendants were charged with a conspiracy to force marriage. There are also
counts in the information for a conspiracy to imprison, that of itself is a high
misdemeanor. - The defence. That the whole was from SEWELL's freewill and
consent; and with a wish, and for an opportunity to marry her again in England,
without knowledge of his friends.

As to going to Scotland, it is most extroardinary; if he was willing they should
go to Scotland, since they being of age, might have been married in England. No
witness to the marriage but John IRVING, who seems to be a hardy man, and
deserving little credit.

The defence. No force, secreting only with his own consent to get a second
marriage.

But if you believe the prosecutors witnesses, it is a great outrage; and for
which the defendants ought to be severely punished.

If you believe there was a marriage solemnized, too much to say, they being both
single, there was a conspiracy to procure marriage.

No doubt there was a conspiracy, there being an agreement between the parties.

If no conspiracy to force or procure a marriage, there clearly is one to
imprison, which will support the counts so laid.

I see no difference between the defendants.

Mr. LAW's reply took up more than an hour and three quarters, after which the
jury, without hesitation, pronounced the verdict of GUILTY against the
defendants, upon the whole information; and that no marriage had taken place
between the parties in Scotland.

The defendants having been convicted of a conspiracy, ought to have personally
appeared before the justices of the Court of King's Bench at Westminster, within
the first four days of Michaelmas term, to receive the sentence of such court;
but instead of doing what the laws of their country required, they fled into
Scotland, where they remained for sometime. For want of their appearance
judgement has been signed against them, by the court, and attachments awarded
against all the defendants. - Thomas WALLIS and Thomas Leeke WILSON have been
arrested, and were both lodged in Carlisle gaol on the 24th day of December,
1789. - The other defendants still abscond.

Whenever the defendants dare venture to appear before the court of King's Bench,
the justices of that court will dispose of them in such a manner as the nature
of their crime deserves.


                     Council for the prosecution,
        Messrs. LAW, CHAMBRE, and HOLROYD.

                          For the defendants,
              Messrs. WOOD and LOUNDES.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The End!

It looks as if they caught at least Ann HESLOP at some stage, if she died in
Newgate in 1790. I must have another look through The Times...

Petra

The Times, Saturday, Nov 22, 1788; pg. 3; Issue 1178; col B

                     LAW INTELLIGENCE.

                 COURT OF KING's BENCH.

              WESTMINSTER-HALL, Nov. 21.

Mr. ERSKINE moved for a rule to shew cause why a criminal information should not
be filed against Thomas WALLACE and several other persons, for a conspiracy. Mr.
ERSKINE said this was a transaction of a most extraordinary nature, and he
believed without a parallel. An old man of the name SEWELL fell into the hands
of these men, who availing themselves of this old man's weakness, carried him
down with a woman of the town, to marry them in Scotland. This man was upwards
of seventy, and a marriage was actually solemnized in North Britain, but was not
valid by the law of Scotland. It was stated that when this man was in a field,
they laid hold of him, and threw him into a post-chaise without his hat or wig.
They did not know where they had carried him, but they knew where the
conspirators themselves lived, and therefore he moved for an information against
them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This must have been the occasion when the Court of King's Bench granted the
information that was read out by Mr. HOLROYD at the beginning of the trial in
August 1789.

Petra

The Times, Thursday, May 06, 1790; pg. 3; Issue 1674; col E

                   LAW INTELLIGENCE.

                                --------

               COURT OF KING's BENCH.

                   WEDNESDAY, MAY 6.

                         CONSPIRACY.

THOMAS WALLACE, ANN HESLOP, THOMAS LEAKE WILSON, and JOHN WILSON, received
judgment for a conspiracy in carrying off Jonathan SEWELL against his will to
Edinburgh, keeping him in a state of intoxication and marrying him to Ann
HESLOP, who had been a prostitute for 20 years.

Mr. JUSTICE ASHURST, who passed sentence, said, that except Mr. BOWES's business
in carrying off Lady STRATHMORE, this was the most aggravated offence that had
occurred since the time he had been a Judge.

The sentence of the Court was, that Thomas WALLACE be imprisoned in his
Majesty's Jail of Newgate for two years, and that on some day during that
imprisonment, he stand once, for the space of one hour, in and upon the pillory
at Charing-cross, between the hours of twelve and two; that HESLOP be imprisoned
in his Majesty's Jail of Newgate for the space of three years; that T. Leake
WILSON, and John WILSON, be imprisoned in Newgate for one year.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Times, Tuesday, Sep 04, 1787; pg. 3; Issue 840; col B

On the night of the 16th ult. about eleven o'clock, two men entered the house of
Mrs. CARRUTHERS, at Highland, near Abbeylander Coast, Cumberland, which stands
at about two hundred yards distance from any other house; and in which were only
Mrs. CARRUTHERS and one child. One of the villains held a drawn knife close to
her face, swearing to dispatch her the moment she made the least noise, while
the other robbed the house of every thing of value they could possibly take
away. They took a gold ring from her finger, and even slit her ears with an
intention of cutting away the ear-rings she wore. They then tied her hands and
feet, and after regaling themselves with such as the house afforded, left her in
that situation. Mrs. CARRUTHERS used every effort to disengage herself, which
after some struggling she accomplished, and immediately alarmed the neighbours,
who, assisted by that vigilant officer of justice, Mr. Thomas WALLIS, of
Penrith, went in pusuit of the villains, and apprehended them at Carlton, near
that place, on Monday following, in company with two women, their accomplices.
The articles stolen being chiefly wearing apparel, were found upon them, and
sworn to by Mrs. CARRUTHERS; they were consequently all four committed to
Carlisle gaol.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now, Mr. Thomas WALLIS, that "vigilant officer of justice" of Penrith - he
wouldn't by any chance be the ringleader in the abduction of Jonathan SEWELL in
1788? At the SEWELL trial, he was described as a bailiff...