Second Witness - Catherine Barney
The next witness may have been a cousin of Betty. “Catherine Barny, daughter of James Barny residing at Achintoft of Latheronwheel and about twenty years of age - was asked if she knew Betty Dallas or Sutherland wife of Robert Sutherland. Replied that she knew her well as she resided very near to her father’s. That she frequently pressed witness to come over to her house at night in order to meet gentlemen, assuring her that she would get a note for her trouble. She always refused to go near her upon that business. The last time she spoke with her was about two years ago just before witnesses Uncle’s marriage who she insisted upon her coming and that she would get money for a gown for the wedding.
Catherine could get a
gown for her uncle’s wedding
Others were getting gowns in this way and she might get one too. Witness replied that she could not have a gown or anything else without her parents knowing how she got it. Betty Dallas answered that there was no fear of that for she might easily tell them that she got it in some other way. She believed Betty Dallas to have been the means of ruining many young women by enticing them to her house and that she always tried to destroy the character of everyone who refused her, by raising bad reports about them, and that she had done this regarding herself and many others. She has been publickly [sic] spoken of for several years back as a woman of the worst character”.
“Betty Dallas who was present and heard the examination of these two witnesses most pertinaciously denied the truth of their statements, in consequence of which the Session finding it necessary to call more witnesses, and therefore ordered Johanna Murray, Catherine Sutherland, Margaret Finlayson, and Isabella McIvor all in Smerral of Latheronwheel to be summoned to attend next meeting of Session”.
“In the Latheron Church 3rd November 1834 the Session met and again Compeared Betty Dallas in Latheronwheel who persisted in denying the charges laid against her”.
Third Witness – Johanna Murray
“Compeared (as a witness) Johanna Murray in Smerral of Latheronwheel, about eighteen years of age, and was asked if she knew Betty Dallas or Sutherland, wife of Robert Sutherland, in Latheronwheel. Replied that she did, and made the following declaration. About three years ago on a Wednesday night in harvest, she came to her house and called her out, that she insisted on witness to come to her house on the Friday night, following, in order to meet a gentleman whom she named, and that she would make sure of her getting a pound note for her trouble. She refused to go to meet any person for such a purpose, adding that she could not have any money in her person without telling how she got it. To which Betty Dallas replied that witness could easily conceal the note for a short time, and then say that she found it on the road. Betty Dallas came for her about a month after this for the same purpose, but that she refused to go. Ever since this she has been injuring her character before the public by spreading bad reports of her. Betty Dallas is considered a worthless woman of very bad character and always trying to ensnare young women”.
Fourth, Fifth & Sixth Witnesses - Margaret Finlayson, Catherine Sutherland, and Isabella McIvor
“Compeared also Margaret Finlayson, Catherine Sutherland, and Isabella McIvor, all young women in Smerral of Latheronwheel and gave similar testimony in respect to Betty Dallas or Sutherland declaring that she had come for them and had tried to incline them to come to her house for the purpose stated by the other witnesses; and bearing the same testimony as to her respected bad character”.
“The Session considering the extraordinary nature and circumstances of this lamentable case, agreed to refer it ‘simpliciter’ (meaning unconditionally) to the Presbytery for advice, and accordingly directed the Clerk to prepare an extract of this and of the minutes of last Session (referring to the same case) for that purpose”.
Closed with Prayer. Signed George Davidson Minister
One of these men is
said to be Rev George Davidson who was present when Betty was Compeared and who
signed the minutes.
The witnesses were quite young girls who were not destitute and had family support. Betty used the well-known trick of trying to make her offers seem respectable, and also suggested excuses as to how they could have got the offered money. But considering that paupers in the Latheron parish had to live on between 4 shillings and 5 shillings & 6d a year, the amounts that Betty was offering were huge. It is also probable that Betty knew exactly what she was doing by attempting to procure young girls. Having sex with a virgin was highly prized in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. People were afraid of venereal diseases and also favoured youth. In the session records there are several cases where girls are brought before the session having had a baby ‘in fornication’ with the father being stated as a local landowner, or doctor or man who had taken advantage of his position of power.
The Ordination of
Elders in a Scottish Kirk. John Henry Lorimer 1891
The Kirk Session elders seem to have been out of their depth and did not know what to do about this case. It is interesting that there is no record of Robert Sutherland, Betty’s husband, nor any male witnesses, one of whom was apparently named, being called. Nor were any other young women summons who may have actually been ‘ruined’ by going to Betty’s house, as claimed.
Unfortunately I have not been able to locate what the Presbytery said and what happened next.
Betty Dallas stayed in the Latheron district for many years with Robert and her children and died in 1887 at the age of eighty-five
Source: Scotlandspeople.gov.uk/virtual volumes. Minutes 1819-1834. Pages 99-102
.
