Case Summary

On December 24, 1902, Mrs. L Gemmell went to the couple Nelson and Marion Farleigh to ask for the return of her 8-year-old child, Wallace Gemmell. Mrs. Gemmell had not been living with her husband and Wallace’s father, George Gemmell. However, she had retained full control and custody over Wallace. When the Farleighs refused to give up Wallace, Mrs. Gemmell filed for a writ of habeas corpus on December 26, 1902. Her writ was delivered to Judge Bell by Sheriff Cudihee, and accepted the same day.

Case Information

Petition type(s)

• Interpersonal

Petition subtype(s)

• Kidnapping

Outcome

Writ allowed

Fate of bound party

Unknown

Case Citation

King County Government, Judicial Records, Superior Court, Case No.37573

Source material(s)

Case File

Length of case file

Between 6 and 10 pages

Repository(s)

• Washington State Archives, Puget Sound Regional Branch (Bellevue, Washington)

State

• Washington

People

• Gammell, L. (petitioner)
• Gammell, Wallace (Gemmil) (bound party)
• Farleigh, Nelson (holding party)
• Farleigh, Nelson (respondent)
• Farleigh, Marion (respondent)
• Farleigh, Marion (holding party)
• Benson, E. D. (petitioner attorney)
• Aust, George F. (petitioner attorney)
• Bell, William R. (judge)

• Additional parties

  Gemmell, George (Husband/ father)

  Cudihee, Edward (Sheriff); Koeplfi, C. A. (Clerk); Brewster, J. M (Deputy); Hall, Calvin S. (Notary)