Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1818-11-10
From the Concord (N. H. ! Patriot.

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From the Concord (N. II. ! Patriot.
At the late term Of the Superior Court
at Amherst the grand jury found indict-
ments against Mr.. j. of New York, aud
Mr.. b. Of New-Ipswich, for forcibly ia
king and imprisoning a girl about twelve
years of age, for the purpose Of putting
her in the possession Of her mother.
The circumstances are understood to be
these.-Some time last spring a carriage
came TO N. with the widow of Major
Woolstoncraft, late ofthe Uaited States ar
| my, and resident at New Orleans, and
three children--one about twelve years of
age, his daughter by former wife, and
the other two reported to be his adopted
children. The daughter was left for her
education in The family Of The clergyman OF
New.Tpswjch. The adopted children
were carried to Rindge. From the con-
versation of Jane, the daughter, it soon be-
came known that the pretended adopted
children were the illegitimate children OF
Major Woolstoncrait, and one OF them
born in his own house.
10 the month of August, carriage came
with the own mother Of Jane, and several
Of her friends, two of whom were witnesses
of her marriage with Major W.-They
brought recommendations from. the Coy
ernor and other respectable people 10 the
state of Newly rk. 1t was by accident
that the mother got intelligence where her
daughter might be found. One of her
friends being in Boston, heard some con-
versation respecting a certain coachmaD
having been in the country TO carry a
family belonging to New Orleans. From
some circumstances which were mentioned,
she suspected it must be the widow of Ma
jor w. with the daughter of her friend.
She accordingly applied 70 the coachman
for further Information BIT be denied a
ny knowledge of the matter. However,
he was at length induced TO confess that be
had carried the family into the country
under injunctions Of secrecy, and gave in
formation where they were. This intelii
gence was communicated to the mother,
who in few days made her appearance at
New-Ipswich, and called at the house Of
Mr.. B. to whom she had letters. She now
found herself in the neighbourhood of her
only child, from whom she had been sep
arated when an infant, and never seen for
eleven years. She was doubtful whether
she could identify her own child, but men,
toned that if it was her child it would
be twelpe gears old nert Sunday. Mr.. b.
called at the house of the Rev. Mr.. H.
The child came to the door. Mr.. B. in
quired hei age. 81 shall be tsoclue ,acxt
Sunday" was the reply. Mr.. B. informed
Mr.. III. that the mother Of Jane was at his
house and wished to see her. Mr.. n.
said he could not allow her to go. That
she was placed under his care by the step
mother and guardian Of the child, and that
he had particular instructions not to let
her have any intercourse with her mother
or TO see her, except in his presence; as
she was represented to him to be an un.
worthy character, and to have been divorc-
ed for her misconduct. The child had
likewise great dread ofseeing her mother.
She had been taught to believe that if she
should consent TO see her own mother, her
fathers ghost would appear to her.-Mr.
p. now returned. The mother sufficient
ly agitated with the idea of seeing the
child, was now distressed with the expec-
tation that she might never be permitted to
see her. She represented that since the
death of Major W. she had sent TO New.
Orleans for the child, on which the step
mother had caused her to be removed, CIV
ing out word that she was gone to North
Carolina. That they could get no track
of her in North Carolina, and the next in
telligence they had Of her, that she had
been brought to N. privately, as has been
mentioned and she now apprehended, that
whenever it became known to the step
mother, that she had discovered the resi-
dence of her daughter, she would be again
removed perhaps where she would never
hear of her again.---Mr. B. assured her
she should see her child, aud now proceed
ed with her and her friends TO the house
of Mr.. I'll. where after many objections
and much delay, meeting took place.
This shall not attempt to describe.
After the interview, the mother and hel
friends fiuding that Mr.. III. would not give
up the child, returned to Boston for fur.