The Sun.
London, England, 1866-05-22 00:00:00

Fortune Telling Extraordinary.

At the Merthy Tydfil Police-court, tin Saturday last,
Mary. Mullins was charged before Mr. J. O. Fowler, the sti-
pendiary magistrate, with having stolen £BO, the property
of Thomas Francis Thomas. The charge was also made
against the prisoner of having obtained the said sum by
false pretences. "Under the Vagrant Act the prisoner was
charged with having received 2s. 6d. from Margaret Thomas
for telling her fortune.

Mr. J. hews appeared for the prosecution ; and Mr. 011(.
ton, of Bristol, for the defeaco.

The case, during the past week or two, had excited con-
siderable curiosity in the town, and the court was conse-
quently crowded. Mrs. Thomas, the principal witness, is
the wife of an assistant-surgeon in good circumstances, and
has evidently received a superior education. She was well
dressed, and her handsome features and richly-braided hair
were a remarkable contrast with the freckled sunburnt face
and gaudy garb of the gipsy in the dock, who is about the
same age as Mrs. Thomas, 21.
The substance of tho evidence is as follows :
Margaret Thomas, wife of prosecutor, living in Church-
street, Merthy, said—The prisoner called at our house
several times selling clothes pegs, but never said anything
about telling my fortune till Friday, April 27. About ono
o'clock that day she said, "If you will give me half-a-
crown I will read your planet and tell you many things." I
gave her the half-crown. She put a piece of paper in my
hand, and she said she would have to work in some circles
and to open something under ground to raise the spirit.
She said she would have to go away to open the circles,
and would return at four o'clock. She went away, and
returned at that time, when she said she was bound to
have £4O, to put £lO on each circle. There were four
circles. I was told by her to wrap the money up in some-
thing good, and I wrapped it in a piece of blue silk. She
took it with her, and said, on leaving, she would call on
the following morning (Saturday). She called before I was
up, and I did not see het that day. On the Monday another
woman' called on me-L•a very sallow-complexioned woman
—who said her daughter (the prisoner) had been called
away to Rhymney. She said her daughter would call at 7.
I said she must call sooner, as I wanted the money. Pri-
soner called that evening at 7. She said she would bring
back the £4O if I would double it. She brought back the
money wrapped up in the blue silk, and made me take an
.oath on the Bible, swearing that, so help me God, I would
got the £BO by the following Monday. She called that day
about 1 o'clock, but I bad not the money then, and she
said she was bound to have it, and I need not make any
excuse whatever, for I could get it if I liked. She asked
me if I could not change a cheque, and I said I could not
without its being known to my husband. "Put your name
to it," she said, and no one will know; I will work it so
that no one knows." As I had not the money then, she
arranged to call again at 4 o'clock. She came as appointed,
and I had then only £3O, and she said that would not do,
and if I was afraid of my husband she would go home and
open the circles so that ho would not know. She went
away and called again at 8 the same evening, when I had
the £BO which she said she wanted to put on the circles.
The £BO consisted of gold and silver and notes, which I
handed to her, and have not had it returned.
•

Mr. Plews—Was there anything said by her about your
having a fortune? Witness—She said I was to have a for-
tune through my father, and she would work to get it by
the 14th May. I was also told by her that my husband's
relations would be kinder to me after I had the money.
Mr. Fowler—When was the last time you saw her ?
Witness—Monday evening, and I never saw her again till
yesterday.

Mr. Fowler—The money has not been recovered ?
Mr. Superintendent Wrenn—No, sir, none of it.
Mr. Plews—What did she say would happen if you did

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not let her have the, money ? Witness—She said, "BY
1 I God, if you don't get it you won't be worth that," pointing
to a flannel petticoat.
3,1?, H. Wren, superintendent of Glamorganshire con-.
stabulu'ry, said he knew prisoner to be one of the numerouS
gipsy tri,.llo of the Lovells scattered over the midland coun-
ties, and on Wednesday last he want down to Dudley in
worcoaters2-tire, and found her an d an bid woman in custody.
He charged h,.
w
with stealing thte £BO, and she denied it,
but admitted luwing
received 2s. 6d. for telling 3111"
Thomas's. fortune.
Mr. Clinton, on be.. half of the prisoner, wished to reserve
the defence, but as the' Prisoner pleaded guilty when the
charge was read over to her, his worship, Mr. Fowler, at
once said that the case again,ll the prisoner was clear, and
as it came within his jurisdiction he could dispose of it.
He commented upon the prisoner, who by her wily speech
had worked ups the uervou. sness and credulity of a young
lady, and said that so far as his experience was concerned
few cases of the kind by member's of the prisoner's tribe
had been brought before him- The prisoner was senteuced
to six calendar months' handlabour in Cardiff Gaol.
Prisoner left the dock with' a baby in her arms in an
unconcerned manner, and winkt.'d to some one she receg"
nised in the court.

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