[list-cumbria] Cumberland Pacquet - 50

[Nev Ramsden]

Whitehaven  - September 28,  - 1775.



Last Thursday morning, several loud peals of Thunder were heard in this neighbourhood, which were succeeded by excessive heavy rain that lasted a considerable time: at night the Aura Borealis, or Northern lights, according to accounts of several people who observed them particularly, were the most varied, beautiful, and astonishing ever seen. For some seconds, the whole concave had the appearance of a rainbow; then separating into innumerable parts, lights, shades, and colours were intermingled through such a succession of changes as exceeds description. The phenomenon the following night, was no less amazing; and on Sunday last we had almost as great a degree of heat as in the warmest days of June and July.



Last week a plain marble monument was erected in the old church, to the memory of the late William Gale Esq., father of John Gale Esq. and of Mrs Isabella Curwen and the lady of Henry Curwen Esq. of Workington.

Henry Curwen, of Workington Hall, married Isabell Gale at St. Nicholas’s church, Whitehaven on the 6th December 1747. This Isabell was the daughter of the above mentioned William, a very rich Whitehaven merchant, and was born at the family home in Whitehaven in October 1728.



One night last week, the Parish Church of Kendal was broke into, and plate etc. stolen, to a considerable amount.



We hear from Workington, that the New Peal of Bells will be opened next Monday, (being the birth day of Miss Curwen) when it is said the Ringers from Kendal or Penrith will attend.



Friday last, an express arrived here from London, for the apprehension of a notorious villain, who, under the name of Kelly was formerly mentioned in this paper to whose character the public in this and neighbouring towns are no strangers. His arrival from Dublin about five weeks ago, having occasioned great speculations, and this recent (tho’ by some not un expected) affair, exciting a general curiosity, we have collected the following particulars, from the best authority. In February last, he left this place in the greatest indigency; in August he returned with Bank notes, Papers etc to an amount not known then but supposed to be upwards of £2000, [which today = £265,800] with a variety of rich apparel, jewels, and other effects of great value, all of which he reported to have received by the death of an Uncle, a Mr. Ferguson of Corke, who formerly resided at Derby Haven in the Isle of Mann. This report gained credit; the circumstances of Mr. Ferguson living in that identical part of the Isle of Mann was well known to many people here; the profusion of valuable effects he now possessed, and the necessary etiquette of a servant, contributed to establish an opinion of his being a gentleman; - at least in the eyes of many people. The pen of some Newgate Biographer may probably be hereafter employed in transcribing the more minute particulars relative to the artifices of this accomplished rascal; the limits of our paper prevent us dwelling upon these, and confine us to a plain recital of their discovery:- which was effected by the following accident. Kelly, about a fortnight after his arrival here, one evening, requested Mr. Day, a surgeon in this town, (under whose treatment he was, after he received a dangerous wound by the bursting of his pistol on the night of the 24th of December last) to assist him in examining a number of papers.



Mr. Day complied, and after passing over a number of bills, bank accountable receipts etc. to a very considerable amount (all of which were drawn in the favour of, or subscribed by, Arswidsson & Sons) he [went?] with several letters in the Swedish tongue. These not at all corresponding with Kelly’s account, (the name of Ferguson, his pretended Uncle was not found amongst them) gave Mr. Day great suspicion of some foul practice in obtaining these valuables; of whose nature and consequence the then possessor seemed to be totally ignorant. He, however, pretended to take no take no further notice till a few days after, getting an opportunity of seeing some English letters, he discovered a correspondence between Mr. Arswidsson and a Charles Lindegren Esq. of Fenchurch Street, London, the weightiest bills of exchange being also drawn in favour of that gentleman. To him therefore Mr. Day was determined to apply, to satisfy his suspicions relative to Mr. Arswidsson, whom he now concluded must have been murdered: the circumstances of his being traced, by the dates of Mr. Lindegrens letters, from London to Bristol, Liverpool and Dublin, but no further, seemed to confirm this; and so many particulars, such as sleeve buttons, buckles, watch etc. being in Kelly’s possession, suggested, that the owner of them, having unfortunately fallen by the hands of ruffians, had stripped of everything that might lead to a discovery of his importance:- had been privately buried, and consequently the affair had lain dormant.



Mr. Day therefore on the 13th inst., wrote to the aforementioned Mr. Lindegren, acquainting him with his suspicions, and requesting an answer; in the mean time, he ordered Mrs. Baxter, with whom Kelly Lodged, by no means to deliver his effects, if demanded by Kelly, but to call upon him; urging the necessity of securing these. In order to obtain what Kelly was indebted to her. At the same time Mr. Day wrote to Messrs French & Evatt druggists in Dublin, and inclosed a Bank accountable receipt, on Finlay’s & Co. Bank, for £54 17s 10d which he had received from Kelly in payment; and desired Messrs French and Co. on receipt of it to present it for payment; and in case any objection should be made to the discharging it, immediately to return an answer by the first vessel for any of the northern ports.



An answer to this Mr. Day received the 19th inst., informing him, that on presenting it, it was stopped, being one of many papers taken some time ago from the house of Mr. Jones of Peter Street, by a gang of villains, yet undiscovered; and recommending him to secure the person of the said Kelly. Mr. Day, not being clear whether the bare information from Messrs French & Evatt’s letter could authorise him to secure Kelly’s person, as the proof might be attended with great difficulty, waited for an answer from Mr. Lindegren, which he hourly expected, and which arrived by express, inclosed to Samuel Martin Esq. last Friday.



Mr. Lindegren, after thanking Mr.Day for his favour, informed him that his friend Mr. Arswidsson was safe returned from Ireland, and was then in Scotland; that the trunk which had been left with Messrs Arthur & William Bryan in Dublin, to be shipped for Glasgow, had been artfully obtained by a false note from the lodgings of Mr. Arswidsson. Along with this, Mr. day received a letter from Mr. Benjamin



Heywood of Liverpool, to whom Mr. Lindegren (having no correspondent in Whitehaven) had wrote, requesting him to employ some friend in Whitehaven, to assist in getting the villain brought to justice.



The express arrived here on Friday afternoon; warrants were immediately issued, and the ill-success subsequent the reform is expressed in the advertisement. In the mean time, Mr. Hewood of Liverpool had written letters by express to Glasgow, Edinburgh and Newcastle, at which last place Mr.Arswidsson met one of them on Sunday, and immediately posted to Whitehaven where he arrived on Monday about twelve o’clock; the trunk which had been examined on Sunday was again opened, and Mr Arswidsson was surprized at finding bout one third of his cloths and all his papers, blank bills of exchange etc. Several of Mr.Jones’s effects were also found in the trunk.



The manner of Kelly’s obtaining the trunk was now discovered (Mr. Arswidsson, who in conjunction with his father forms the first house in Gottenburgh) has been travelling through these kingdoms in a mercantile capacity; about the 15th of August, being at Drogheda; his servant, who is an Irish man, and had been acquainted with Kelly while a waiter at Daley’s Coffee House, met him at an Inn, very poorly dressed, and lame of hand; he enquired the cause of his reduced condition, and was informed that he had enlisted in a regiment which was embarked for America, and in an engagement with the Provincials he had received a wound, on account of which he was discharged; the servant implicitly credited this, and gave him dinner; in return for which, Kelly kindly enquired what kind of place he had, and his master’s name; which the servant immediately acquainted him with, giving large accounts of his rich cloaths, and adding that one of his trunks was left at Mrs Ball’s in No.16 Abbey Street, Dublin, to be shipped to Glasgow, Kelly took the hint; on the 18th of August, the trunk was delivered to some porters, in consequence of a card signed Hans Arswidsson, and the latter end of the month Kelly landed it here. Many particulars connected with the foregoing account we must defer till another opportunity; we shall only observe, that Mr. Arswiddson, after returning Mr. Day thanks for his active and honest conduct, commissioned Samuel Martin Esq. to pay the amount of Kelly’s dept, which Mr. Day when he had an opportunity of securing it, voluntarily sacrificed to the cause of justice; into whose hands, it is hoped, the culprit will be delivered, every necessary provision being made for the purpose.



            MARRIED

A few days ago, at Lancaster, Mr. Crossfield to Mrs. Middleton, both of that place



Last week in the Isle of Mann, John Christian of Unerigg, Esq. in this county, to Miss Taubman, daughter of John Taubman of Castle-Town Esq. in the Isle of Mann.



Monday se’nnight at Carlisle, Mr. John Barton, Linen manufacturer and Callicoe printer, to Miss Mary Done; both of that place.



A few days ago in this town, Mr.Clementson, Cabinetmaker, to Miss [Ellenor] Kendall [at St.James’s Church Whitehaven.]



Sunday last Capt. Jonathon Bowman to Mrs. Benn, in the Market place. [This was Mary Benn, a widow. at St. James’ Church, Whitehaven]



Saturday se’nnight at Crosthwaite Church, Mr. Longdale officer of Excise at Keswick, to Miss [Abigail] Peel  of Lorton nigh Cockermouth



Monday se’nnight at Lorton, the Rev. Atkinson, Curate of Sancton & Newbold in Yorkshire, to Miss [Jane] Fisher, daughter of Rev. Mr. Fisher of Lorton.



A few days ago, [25.09.1775] - Mr. John Wilkinson of Lorton to Mrs Mary Tiffin of the same place.



            DIED

On Thursday last, in Roper Street, Mrs [Elizabeth] Steele, the wife Capt. Henry Steele



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Nev.Ramsden
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