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nickgc
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GGF J. James McLellan 1864-1908
Amazing 1612 Shetland Court Case
« on: Monday 24 March 08 01:10 GMT (UK) »
I came across this several years ago and thought it would make a great movie.  "Dittay contra the egiptianis for schlauchter" meaning "Indictment against the gypsies for murder".

Several people named Faw were accused of murdering Murdo Brown, the husband of one of them.  They were John Faw, Sr. and John Faw, Jr., Katheren Faw, and Agnes Faw.

The defense essentially argued that gypsies should not be accused of murder when it was one of their own that they killed.  (Of course, during this same time in Scotland, Orkney, and Shetland, if a person with a dog was found wandering across a sheep owner's land without permission, he was fined and the dog was actually hanged!)

John Faw, Jr. was also charged with several other crimes:  Incest with Barbara Faw, his wife's sister; incest with Helene Faw, his wife's sister's daughter; and adultery with Katheren Faw who was the wife of Murdo Brown.  All of them were also indicted for fortune-telling, theft, sorcery, and threatening to keep farmer's cows from producing milk!

All were released except Katheren who actually did the stabbing, altho it seems as if she might have been goaded into doing it by the others.

Katheren was sentenced  "to be taken to the Bulwark and thrown over the same in the sea to be drowned to the death..."

Fascinating!  Hope you enjoy.

Nick
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McLellan - Inverness
Greer - Renfrewshire
Manson - Aberdeen & Orkney
Simpson - Hereford, Devon, etc.
Flett - Orkney
Chisholm - Scotland
Wishart - Orkney
Shand - Aberdeen
Pirie - Aberdeen
Ruskie
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Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Re: Amazing 1612 Shetland Court Case
« Reply #1 on: Monday 24 March 08 02:02 GMT (UK) »
That certainly would make a good movie! Fascinating stuff ...
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