The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-06-26 00:00:00

A HORRIBLE CASE OF INSANITY.

A bon Mb, case f reli.dons aberration recectly oc-
curled in North Carolina. A Mr. bowl, Jane his
wife, and four children, named Sarah, Polly, Eli, and
iCinirod, became lease by an attendance at a "pro-
tracted meeting," and becan to see visions. Sally
claimed to be the true God, the mother often saw
Polly • 'll the CrOAS, and amodimes herself felt on her
head the thorny crown, &nil felt in her side the spear,
Ai her Saviour had done before her. They held meet-
ings in the tills, and were seen one day with their
sleeves rolled tif i above their elbows, km eking dried
chestnut- hurl trom I ale to the other until their
naked hands and arms were covered with blood.
tine night, while Sally and her mother discussed
some pasmge in Scripture, a dlspute arose, oc-
casioned by both of them claiming to be God.
The mother thought Sally was the devil, and
ordered her ROHS and husband to tie her; they
did so, and thrust her, her hands tied together, out of
the door. She attempted to get in ; James seized a bit
of board and tried to push her away, while the mother,
unable to hold the door against her, ordered Eli to
shoot the devil; he fired, hitting her in the hand, and
then, as they described it afterwards, "the devil
scrambled off the door-step." SOOll she was back
again, putting her blmaly bands in at a hole in the
top of the door, when Eli was again ordered to shoot.
Nimrod loaded the rifle with two bullets, gave it
to Eli, who sa•id, " Father, must I shoot?" "If
nothing else will do." said he, "you must shoot ;"
and said Eli, "this time I plumbed him right
between the eyes." The body lay outside the door
until daylight, then the mother ordered the rest to
carry the devil to the log-heap and burn it. This they
nothin2, being left but a bit of the spine and
skull, a rib or two, some portion of the abdomen, and
the outlive of the evening shouldeis and hips in the
oldies. The family were taken to gal, and while they
were all occupying the cage, a room grated with iron
on the top and sides, the sons killed their mdther by
claikin her. ,‘ trial resulted in their acquittal on the
ground of insanity.

ACTION AGAINST THE "CORNHILL
MAGAZINE."
In the Court of Queen's Bench, in London, the cause
of " Harrison v. Smith and others" has been tried, and
an action hy George Henry De Strabolgie
Nevile Plantagenet Harrison against Messrs. Smith,
Elihr and Co., for an alleged libel contained in an
a., lie in tile Cornhill Magazi,,e for April, IRA, imput-
ing, an wan uggented, that he was a swindler. The
detentlants pleaded "Not Guilty."
The article complained of was entitled "Don Rh.
earth'," :did was of a light aud lively character. It
commenced thus :
One day I remember walking past a certain banking-house
Is Madrid, when On Ricardo slopped me, and, pointing to
the house said "Ah ! in that house I met that wonderful
fellow who called himself General Plantagenet Harrison.
Did you ever meet him." I had to own my ignorance, though
I daresay many who read this sill remember his name. per-
haps with sorrow. " Well," continued Don Ricardo, " I will
tell you my experience of lOm, and his doings in this country ;
as I was behind the scenes I knew the circumstances inti-
mately."
The article then went on to narrate the supposed ad-
ventures of the "General" and stated that a person
had reel veil a telegram which ran thus :
A notorious Engl sh swindler. callh kg himself General Plan-
tagenet Garrison, and travalinc with forged circular notes,
has lust lett Bay mole, where he succeeded in obtaining some
£6OO from the ewrespondents. it is confidently bell ved he
Is now in Media Beware of him.
Tim plaintiff, General Plantagenet Harrison, was
called as a witness, and stated that he had always
borne the name of Plantagenet Harrison, anti had
passed some Nears between 1843 and 1848 isa South
Arnericas—chietly Yucatan and Guatemala—where he
had been in many engagements, and had acquired the
rank of General. Since then he had always borne the
name of General Plantagenet Harrison, and carried it
on his card. In 1818 he came to England anti went
thence to Spain, awl travelled throueh Bayonne to
Ear,. and Mandril lie hail a bill anti left it at a
bank for colleetioa. Ile passed ttircugh Malaga, and
after he had left it he was met openly by a messenger
from the Clptain-Gerieral, Who said he had in-
structions to escort him until he wan out of Spain.
At that time the tnaintry was in a very die.
turbed state. He visited several other parts of Spain
after that, always with a military esdort. He went
to Seville, for inetaflce, anti otitar places. In the end
he resolved to go to Gibraltar. Next if ty after
ilia aril val there Le YAW Arl rated for the amount of the
and remained in in is dr ten months, doting which
time, howevsz he was supplied with every luzury
iron the hotel. He was aaluaintsd with Generai
tlaraluthil who call.d upon him. Atter his liberation
he went to Morocco to try to get into the Iloolish
rmy ; but in the result, in be came to Eoglwud.
Hs pru4uce4 hie pasputivi whiab coutaimed l.luaus