The National Register.
London, England, 1819-04-18 00:00:00

FLINTSIIIRE GREAT SESSION.

MOLD, TIIVRSDAT, APRIL S.
(Stews' Mr.Sergenet Coes EY and Mr. &rend :11art atria L.
Ail Aliijiaty'ir
RIPE RSTI FY NNON fi II AN.
THE ZINO. ON THE PROSECUTION OF SONAR]) PIERCE.
AGAINST 301114 EDWARDS, FOR °STAINING MONEY
.61.13 FR FALSE PRETENCES.
The nature of the ease will be best understood from the evi-
dence.
F.Jward Pierce examined by Mr. Temple.—l live a! Llandyr-
raid. in the county of Denbigh. I saw Edwards, at his
own house. callad lierth.tldu, in the parish of Northop, in the
month of April. i i 13. I understood I had been put in Pfynnott
Chan I I mean Inc name had been put in. I thought somethiug
•W 35 the MA tor with tae. I saw every tiling going cross. I was
informed that John Edward,: pulled people out of the well; I
went to him in order to be pulled out. I told him something
was the mutter with me. He intmediately observed my name
was put iii Flyuaon Elian. I trend led I He said it was ant
then a tit time to take n:y name out, hut desired me to wait till
els. next full moon, when he would take me out. He requested
r:!.: in the interim to read the following psalms—ti, 7, 20, I;S.
1,12. and 115; afterwards he would let me know when to go to
Ponnon Elian. as there were other people to hro with us—it was
absolutely necessary to go there. I went to his house in .lay
. followinr,o) inquire about the limper time to go to the welL lle
said he would go the following Sunday, and desired me to meet
him at St. Ampli. We met there at seven o'clock on the Sunday
evening; it was then full moon ! Edwards fixed the day. When
I saw hint at St. Asaph. he desired me to go on one side with
Lim to pay the money, which lie said was to be given to the
-1 roan of the Well, for taking my lame out; he stud, if I paid
Ipm, my name would be taken out; I AM to pay lss.; but I
seal him I had only 14$. 6d. by me, which lie accepted! He then
engaged to take my name out, and pay the money to the Woman
of the Well. Ile told me, that in consequence of having my name
taken out, I should ha: e my health and authority as 1 wished to
have; I am sure he told me so ; I paid the inomy in order that
me name might be taken out. john Edwards, myself, and two
other mignon the same business, then started for the Well; we
attired thew from 12 to half past 12 on Sunday night; I never
saw the well betide; Edwards called me to the well, and 'hewed
• it rue; we went to a stile near the well; lie bid us three go over
and remain there till he fetched the key from the house
where the Woman of the %Veil lived. He told me he would then
pay the woman; he did not say where the house was: the well
was inside a fence; I did not see a key ; there was no dour on it
wary knowletee. Edwards was absent about 10 minute.; when
lie returned, he desired ice to follow him; one of the strangers
went with him ; they were absent about a quarter of an hour or
20 minutes; when the man returned, I went in his stead. I
found Edwards at the well; he bid me stand on one side of the
well: and say the Lord's prayer; I did so: h: then emptied the
will with a small wooden cup; when emptying it, he prayed to
Father. Son, and Holy Ghost, the well then filled again. He
then put sonic water into the cup. sod desired me to drink some
of it, and throw the remainder over my head; he said I must do
en three times; I complied: after this, Edwards said, now we
rill look for your name. He put his hand a little above near
where the water goes into the well; he found something imme-
diately and said, '• I lere is something," which he gave to me.
He desired me to put my hard in ; I did so, but could find
. nothing. What he gave me was a piece of slate, a cork, a piece
of sheet lead, rolled up, and tied together with a wire. I did not
open it till I got home; it wain my possession till then. When
I opened the sheet lead, I found a piece of parchment inside, with
the letters E. I'. upon it; there were also sonic crosses. It was
too dark to read at the well. When Edwards gave it me, he said
he thought it was my name, and said every thing would be right
and go on well with me, and that I should come on better tnan
usual. I gave the slate, Az. to Mi. Thelwall; I had them in my
possession till then.
Crass-examined by Mr. Manley.—l can't tell, I was better after
going to the well. One of my daughters was ill before I went
there; she was better after I came back. Nly cows, horses, pigs,
sheep. cats, nor dogs, were not ill, nor was my wife cross, but I
thought something was the matter with me! Edwards told me
my name was put into the well ; he said if I would pay him Iss.
he would take my name out. I don't know what you niexn by
ghosts. No. I saw no cows without heads, nor did I see blllek
pins.
By the Clief Justice.—l thought if my name was in the well, I
should not prosper. Tiought my name was put in, and that
was poinz worse in consequence. Thought by hearing ether peo-
4de talk I should suffer bodily pain, and go on badly in the world
as 100 as I Win the well.
Jar
Hyudge Marshall.—Edwards told me if my name continued
in the well, I should go on worse and worse every moon alter
at:other.
Margaret Pritchard, examined by the Attorney• General.-1
now live at Bow. in Carnarionshire; resided at Cefn y fynnon
(the farm where the well is situated) in May last. I was called
`• The Woman of tite Well." I know John Edwards ; I did not
see him in May last, ror for three years before ; he did not pay
me las. 6d. in May last; no. nor a halfpenny. lam sure I did
not see him since the dine I mentioned. 'There is no lock or
uoor to the well.
The Ilev. E. Thelwall produced the slate• cork, and parch-
ment, which he said were delivered to hini by Pierce--they had
been in his custody tier once. •' Edward Pierce" and the letters
F P. were written on the Parchment, and E. P. was cut upon
C e slate.
Edward Pierce then said. he received the articles produced by
31e. Thelwall from John Fibs arts.
Chief Justice.—Who proves the Well to be in Carnarvonshire ?
Margaret Pritchard was then called. and add the well was
s'.tuated in the township of Eiria.s. in that part of the parish set
Islandrillo in Rhos, which lies in the county of Carnarvon.
The case for the prosecution being closed,
Mr. Manley addressed the Jury on behalf of the defendant,
list called no witnesses.
'lle Chief Justice then proceeded to sum up the evidence, and
.arintadverted much on the enormity of the offnce.
The .luny, after a few minutes deliberation, found the defen-
dant Guilty.—He was thea remanded, and (mimed to be brought
up for judgment the following day ; when the Court intimated,
:that the °ff.:lice of which he had been convicted subjected hint to
traniportation ; but in consideration of its being the first offence,
And of his imprisonment since last Great Session, sentenced
Lion to be =LION' is the county gaol for Twelve Cairo/eta,
Maratha.

rrESTNINSTER SESNIONS.

On Irettnrolny, the Westminster Se►sions commenced
btf..re Mr. Bakt r,and the Bench of Magistrates.