The Press.
London, England, 1857-03-28 00:00:00

July 3rd.—Cook died. I don't 'mow the cause, if not
the sulks.

The night before the poor creature died the mate
( who deserted at Rio Grande) was seen to kick the
deceased and strike him with the block. The coun-
sel for th• defence attempted to prove that this was
the immediate cause of Devue's death. The jury
happily thought otherwise, and considering the
evidence against the prisoner as conclusive, found
a verdict, "Guilty of manslaughter," and Mr. Justice
Williams sentenced him to he transported for life.
A BEWITCHED FAMILY in this nineteenth century
of progress and civilisation, and a real trial for
witchcraft, comprise a fact and an incident worthy of
note. One Charlesworth, a small farmer at Bromley
Hurst, Stafford, last year married against the wish of
his mother. She predicted that he would never
prosper, and that his cheeses would all fall to pieces.
In April last year he suddenly found that things went
wrong in the dairy, that the cheese wouldn't curd,
and that the dairymaid engaged from his mother
f.ll ill. One of the farm labourers sun( sted
witchcraft ; and a witch doctor, one Tunnicliff, was
sent for. Tunnicliff came, and announced directly
that 27 cows, 2 horses, the farmer, his wife, his dairy-
maid, and his cheese-kettle were all bewitched. Now,
he would cure them all at 33. 61. a bead for the
cattle, and ss. each for the human beings and the
cheese-kettle. The terms were agreed to, and shortly
afterwards he took up his residence with the family,
and then the symptoms of bewitchery became strong.
Successive fits of illness attacked husband, wife, baby,
and dairymaid. Mr. Tunnicliff frequently attended
to the preparation of the different meals. At the
same time marvellous sights and sounds were seen
and heard. " Fire dogs " would enter through closed
doors; lona knocks would occur ; the cows would

" lament," the horses prance, the house-dogs howl,
and strange noises still louder were tremblingly
listened to. Then the prisoner would enter into
stubborn contests with the weird spirits; while the
wretched family were seized with terrible "shakings,"
which rendered the application of brandy necessary :
One night (said the wife in her evidence) the prisoner
took a knife and plate, and asked me and my husband to
go into a room with him and he would show us all our
enemies ; but we were too ill to go. When he came out
of the room there was a blueness over him. When Ile
went in he said it would be either death or glory to him,
and wlieu he came nut he said he had succeeded. . • -
My shakings lasted for two hours. There were like cats
fighting in the room. I can't tell what shook me, whether
it was a spirit or not. No man could shake me as I was
Nhaken. (Laughter.) I went better after the prisoner
lighted the candle. A little spirits (brandy) soothed me,
and I went better. (Laughter.) The yells sere like mite
a dog, but louder. The yell went away when my man (t 1
carman) bid it go. He is not here to-day. We believed
that we were bewitched from April, IMO, till February 11,
1e57. I never take spirits, except when I have spasms.
I did not see the fiery dog come into the house, hut I saw
the blaze. I saw our dog, and then a d-ig after it on fire.
( Laughter.) I saw the blaze, but not the dog. Our Cog
then sat down on his hind legs, with his tongue out, and
his paws hanging down. (Laughter.) It seemed thing.
The girl, Ann Richardson, who saw the fire dog, is here;
She said if I did not send the prisoner away, she would go:
Ann Richardson described the " fire dog " as fol-
lows :

The dog was very bad. The same night the master was
very ill, and we heard something come into the yard like a
carriage. Something came in the passage like the wind.
There was our dog and the shape of another cl.,g after it
all on fire. Our dog went behind the door in the yard
with his tongue out. I did not see what became of the
fiery dog. (Laughter.) Both the dogs came in together.
don't know what became of the " shape of the dog."
I had never seen a fire dog " before I saw it quite
plainly. Only me and master's brother saw it. It came
in at the door. I followed it. It went behind the door
that was shut. I could not think how the dog got through.
( Laughter.) I did not smell any brimstone. (Laughter.)
Our dog sat behind the door with his tongue out. It
seemed to me a quarter of a yard long. (Loud laughter.)
These things went on till February in the present
year, when the farmer, becoming very ill, sent for a
doctor, and—to make a long story short—was soon
disabused of his delusions, and finally discharged
Mr. Tunnicliff, after paying him some 301. He now
charged him with obtaining money under false pre.
tences. The jury found the prisoner guilty, and
Mr. Justice Willes sentenced him to be imprisoned
for twelve months with hard labour.

MR. ESDAILE, the late Governor of the Royal
British Bank, was further examined on Wednesday
last. Mr. Esdaile read a statement in defence of the
management of the bank, in which he declared that
though the directors might have acted injudiciously,
they bad done everything for the best. He had
joined the bank early, and continued with it, and he
thanked his God be had left it with clean hands
(laughter). In the course of the examination, it
transpired that a Mr. Menzies in Whitecross-street
prison first conceived the project of the bank.
Menzies was afterwards appointed secretary, and a
letter was read from Menzies to Mullen% the then
solicitor of the bank, dated Burden's Hotel, White-
cross•street, June 21, 1849, requesting Muliens to
obtain his release, that he might be enabled to
attend the next board meeting, and put all things
right. The history of the opening of the bank was
characteristic. The morning of the day on which the
bank commenced operations was solemnised by
prayer. A dinner was given in the evening, and a
medal struck to commemorate the happy event. The
prospectus put forth assured the public that
the contributions of innumerable small rills gradually
swelling into a mighty head might be diffused so as to irri-
gate and fructify the surrctuiding space, and be a blessing
to givers and receivers.
Monied men of a serious turn were informed that

the benefits of the institution to the commonwealth would
as much exceed those of even savings banks, as did the
gains of the good and faithful servant those of him who
kept his pound laid up in a napkin.

While people of business, looking more to the main
chance than to the beauties of sentiment or to the
teachings of theology, were edified by the statement
that

the Royal British Bank, being incorporated by royal char-
ter, is possessed of a privilege of doing local busineva
equal to any bank, except the Bank of Elieland The
Lords of Her Majesty's Privy Council of Trade have
already approved of the deed of constitution, b‘ increasing
the capital as the nature of the business might require.
At the last moment, Mr. Cameron took up all the
shares on hand, and enabled the bank to open. Mr.
Ellis stated that the late Mr. Walton's transactions
with the bank were covered by ample securities, and
that Mr. Walton had died solvent. Mr. EMdaile
admitted that Mr. M'Gregor was indebted 7,0001. to
the bank. The further bearing of the cage was then
adjourned till Wednesday next, when Mr. Apoley
Pellatt will be examined.

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