The National Register.
London, England, 1809-04-02 00:00:00

ACCIDENT'S, OFFENCES, Ec.

MARY BATEMAV, THE SORCER ESS.—This devoted and
profligate creature, was a follower of the principles of Joanna;
—only improvieg deception into robbstry, barbarity, and mur-
der ! She affected the visions—the trances—the second-sight of
that wretched sect ;—large bodies of w horn from Leeds attended
the execution ; the more simple part of whom really imagined
that some miracle would be worked in her favour, and that she
would fly off the scaffold in a cloud or on a broom, and be saved
by the interposition of Ilebven! Jack Ketch, however, was of
a different opinion, and his opinion prevailed ; his tether was too
tightly tied against any attempts of her supposed assisting
Angels. Notwithstanding all the prayers and exhortations of
the Clergyman, she obstinately persisted in denying that she had
poisoned the woman for whom she suffered, and died extremely
hardened and unrepenting ; thus quitting, after foul and delibe..
rate murder, the last brink of time, with au obdurate lie hang-
ing on her quivering and distorted lips !
It is a curious matter to state, that so ingrained and assimi-
lated to her disposition had become Ahoy Bateman's taste for
plunder and witchcraft, that from the poor woman who had
attended on herself and child in prison, she contrived to steal a
guinea, by telling the woman's fortune and making the stars
favourable to her in a sweetheart. She carried on this religi-
ous mummery to the last, and the gallows only stopped her
taste and her insight into futurity. When it is considered that
this wretch by the same means and by a complete knowledge of
poisons, had before destroyed the lives of two innocent women,
whom she robbed of every thing they had, and that had Perigo
died as well as his wife, this would have been the fourth life a
victim to her infernal arts, we trust it will prove a salutary and
dreadful lesson to those who are attempting to mislead the un-
derstandings of the poor by these fanatical flights—by visions—
second-sight—trances and stealings—and all the mummery of
such abandoned schools as those of Joanna, &c. who are march.
ing through piety into the pocket, and making religion a stalk..
ing-horse for plunder.
The child which had been sucking for a year past, at her
breast was taken from her, some little time before her exectbs
tion. Dreadful to tell ! she gave it up, without a pang !!
she parted from it, without one emotion !!!
A F racTIN C ssir ASTRO oft E.—We have a mnst painful duty
to discharge in recording the very dreadful transaction which has
involved the family of Sir Steukley Shuckburg, Bart. of Upper
Shuckb in the county of Warwick, and the family of Lieut.
Sharpe, of the Bedford Militia, in the deepest distress. Lieut.
Sharpe having paid his addresses to M iss Shuckhurg, which were
disapproved by the family, formed (if he should be disappointed
in obtaining the object of his affections), the horrid detertnina.
lion of putting a period to his own, and her existence, which he
carried into etrect on Sunday morning last, in the plantations of
Shuckhurg Park. They were overheard in earnest discourse by
the butler, as if l.ieut. Sharpe was persuading her to elope with
him ; and, as Miss Shnckburg uttered the words " No, no, no !"
he immediately heard the report of a pistol, which, in" a feiv
.4.conds was succeeded by another, and they were instantly life-
less ! !—After a most deliberate investigation of all the circum-,
stances of this most adecting and ass fu; event, before John
Tomes, Esq. and a respectable Jury, and the Rev. Mr. Bronas
field, a :Magistrate of the county, a verdict of Lunacy was given
respecting Lieut. Sharpe, and that Miss Shockburg died b.v his
hand. Lieut. Sharpe had been occasionally for some weeks
preceding in a state of mental derangement, and in coutinement-