[Indexed as: (Tuthell case), “300 Dollars Reward. The Public is earnestly requested to apprehend a finished villain,” Poulson’s American Daily Advertiser (Philadelphia, Pa.), Jul. 16, 1810] {Parental Kidnapping}

Some time since a person who calls himself John Creston, but from circumstances it is supposed his real name is Charles D. Walsingham, and it is more than probable he has a number of names, came to the (publick) house of Howard B. Tuthell, in the character of a gentleman; he appears to be about 35 years of age, about 5 feet 8 inches high, thick set, and clumsy appearance, dark complexion and dark hair, cut short behind but long on the top of the head, dark eyes; his hands tanned very black, with two scars, one across the back of his left hand, and a scar on one of his legs near the ancle; a good set of teeth which appears to be a little indented; from his conversation he appears to be a captain of a vessel or a British officer; he wears a dirk and pocket pistols; he drove a bay horse about 16 hands high, stout made, about 8 years old, with bushy main and tail; his legs and feet very large, has a small white spot on his back, occasioned by the saddle; he rode in a calash top chair, of a light jean color; the body a dark green, with a red lion on each side; the carriage and wheels a green, with small yellow spots; the left side of the box a little injured; the harness very plain; he had a yellow canvass case which he sometimes wore on his chair box, with a spread eagle behind, and a small new one on before; he has a two barrel gun which he generally carries with him; he has several thousand dollars in specie with him, most of it in doubloons –

The unprincipled wretch, on the third of July, inst. Absconded with the wife and child of Edward B. Tuthell. She is a slender, delicate made woman, about 20 years of age, about 5 feet 5 inches high, fair complexion, and a little freckled; light brown hair; dark grey eyes, short face and prominent cheek bones; her teeth fair and good and shows them much when she laughs; her name is Frances.

The child a female, about 7 months old; the hair brown and dark eyes; her name is Susan, but they changed it the second day to Mary. She may change their clothes as they took but very few with them. They started with an intention (as they said) of visiting Mrs. Tuthell’s friends, about 8 miles off, but took the direct road to Naston, in Pennsylvania, where they were seen on the 4th July, and from there they took a south west direction.

The disconsolate husband offers a reward of 200 dollars to have the villain detected, and will give 100 dollars and all reasonable charges to recover the lost infant. The distressed parents of the deluded woman would be glad to receive any information concerning her, and will at any time be happy to receive their humble and penitent child to their distressed dwelling. All humane people are desired to give all information they may get of either of them, to Edward B. Tuthell, post master, in the town of Monroe, Orange County, and state of New York.

The printers of newspapers in the southern states, are requested to give the above a few insertions in their papers, and they will much oblige the distressed connexions, and assist to detect a monster running at large.

July 14

NOTES

Original spelling retained. Paragraph breaks added.

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