Star.
London, England, 1824-05-03 00:00:00

DORSET COUNTY SESSIONS.

.7111:CilicKANTT112 KING V. R. NORTg4VIIIR AND MARY
NORTNOVER, FOR AN ASSAULT ON, ELIZ. PARSONS.
Mr. WILLIAMS briefly opened the case by outlining
the evidence which he should have to produce, in order
to prove that an assault of a most cruel and violent kind
had been committed by the prisoners on a poor woman
of Btidport, of the name of Elizabeth Parsons, on the
most unjustifiable, and, in these times, most extraordi-
nary pretence, viz. that the woman was what they
termed a witch. _

Elizabeth Parsons, examined by Mr. WILLIAMS.—
Lived at Bridport ; was there on the 2d January last;
knew William Fudge ; lived with him ; he was an old
man, 81 years of age; it was his house. On the night
in question she was in bed when Mr. Fudge, who had
been out, came home; she got up. He had been drink-
ing; lie was not very drinky, but in liquor; when she
came down, Fudge did not go to bed ; he wanted to go
out again , she advised him to go to bed, and to pre-
vent his going to a public-house again, she locked the
door of the room ; knows Robert Northover and his
wife; saw them at twelve o'clock at night on the 2d of
January, at William Fudge's house; it was after Wil-
liam Fudge had come home; perhaps it might be ten
minutes after ; heard Northover's voice in the Court,
but did not see him when he came first;
.knows his
voice ; he said to W. Fudge, " are you locked in ?"—'
Fudge answered, " Yes.'" Northover then said, " Betty
will not let.you out, she'll murder you to-night and set
fire to your house—she murdered six horses and a pig
for me. She is a white, white bitch, who mur-
deted my six horses and pig." He then asked Fudge if
be should briak open the door? Fudge told him to do
so, and the door was forced open by Robert Northover,
who came in and said to me, " Are you going to mur-
der Mr. Fudge ?" He called me a white b—, put up
his fist and struck me a violent blow on the head, which
ce4 me against the stairs. I ran up to Mr. Fudge's
• looin ; Northover followed me; his wife came in with
r. liht. Mary Northover said, " Now, old bag, I have
got thee, where are my six horses and.fat pig ?" Both
of them beat me ; I cried for mercy, and said I was in-
noceitt—that I never did any harm nor meant any ;1
they continued beating me, and I struggled to get out;
I had only my shift and cap on ; at length I escaped.
from them, and went to bed ; a few minutes after
they both came into my room; I know Charlotte'
.citiiier; I saw her there ; she was leaning against the
chamber door when they were beating me; she rents
' a little house near Fudge's, and goes by the name of
Great Charle; she hindered me from passing through
the door ; she struck me two violent blows on the
head ; after they went down stairs; the Northcvers
came up again into my bed-room; they asked me again
what I had done with their six horses and pig; Mary
Northover said," I won't leor.e the room until I have
got the old hag's blood." Robert said, " bed—d
tf I don't murder her, for there's no law to hang me."
He then took out of his pocket a clasp knife, and cut
me in the face, breast, and arm. His wife, with a candle
in one hand, and beating me with the other, looking at
her hand, said, " now you old hag, I have got what I
wanted ; now I shall be able to keep a horse and pig ;
why didst not give the man the cold water? thou halt
beep ill for three days ; thou bast been hag-ridden for
three nights. Robert, I'll not leave the room till the
old hag's down ill prison ;" I said, don't put me in
prison to-night ; but have me examined by Mi.Gundry.
to-morrow.' Robert said, "d— you and Mr. Gun& y
too;' he then went to call the constable; she staid at,
the chamber door the while ; the constable came to the
house, but not up stairs—he 'closed to come ; Robert.
then said, "11l turn constable myself ;" he then dragged
me out of the bed, down stairs into the street ; 1 was
naked at the time, or nearly so ; I begged for mercy,
and said I was innocent—iunocent of being a witch; I
did not know there was any such thing before; he said
I should go to prison. -His wife went up stairs, and
brought me down a petticoat and gown. The watch-
man came—staid half an hour ; I SAW the Northovers
no mole after ; I went to bed. What occasioned them
to go was a cart coming to the public-house; they went
to see it, and I crept up stairs.
Other witnesses were called, and corroborated her
statements.

The CHAIRMAN shortly recapitulated the principal
parts of the evidence, and in the summing up com•
mented on the extraordinary facts of the case, astonish.
ing as they were, as happening in this country, and at
this time. The principal witness was supported through-
out by the testimony of all the others, and not at all
contradicted, but mainly corroborated by that of the
evidence set up in opposition to it. It was really diffi-
cult for the Court, under the circumstances of the de-
fendant's condition and family, to proportion the amount
of the punishment to the nature of the offence ; but for
the purpose of marking as strongly as possible its ab-
horrence of such transactions, and such a spirit, they
would endeavour, if possible, to check the indulgence
of such feelings by such ignorant and infatuated per-
sons, in future.

The Jury immediately found a verdict of Guilty, and
the prisoners were sentenced by the Court to be imp i-
roned for one year.

IRELAND.

FROM THE LIMERICK CHRONICLE.

A few nights ago, six men armed with guns and pis-
tols, two of whom were covered with handkerchiefs,
attacked the house of Michael Buckley, of Manister, in
this county, and forced in the door ; when they entered
the house, they enquired was old M'Namara from Li-
merick within ? Buckley said he was ; they immediately
entered the room, where they found M.Namara in bed;
they dragged him outside the door in an unmerciful
manner ; they compelled him to kneel ; one of then:
fired a pistol-shot at him, the contents of which he re-
ceived in his arm, at which time he cried out murder;
another of them said, " I think he has got enough,
throw him in:" he was then taken and thrown in the
door; another exclaimed, " you rascal, is it for this
you brought us twelve miles from home without do-
ing our duty ?" he returned back and fired a shot into
the house, the contents of which lodged in Buckley's
horse, which died immediately after ; MiNamara is
at present under the care of Surgeon Franklin, jun.
The 'reason assigned for this outrage is, that MiNamara
is charged with the apprehension of :Michael Sullivan,
who was transported about twelve months ago.
The following notice was posted a few nights ago,
at Kilooleman, near Shanagolden, which bounds Bal-
lry*, where the man was so shockingly beaten on
last Monday night. The house of William M'Cormac,
moose name is mentioned iu the notice, was burned on
the lands of Knockbaheen, last year; Ahern is the man
for whom the notice was intended; he is a stranger,

and lately commenced herding Abe Wads. The. wort's
" Remember Ballyegna," alludes to Up:heating
Meade's man, klenrahae, got on Monday night i—
"'Take Notice, that if any Stranger attempts to.come
into this place, or interferes with the herding of Knock.
baheen, that he shall be served the same as William;
MiCormac—Ahern, you'll get no more warning than
this. Remember Ballyegna. "GENERAL R9CIC."
Donovan and Russell, for the Glanasheen affair, were
hanged on the 24th ult. in front of the drop at Ole County
Gaol ; they neither admitted nor denied their guilt. a:•3
appeared to meet death with the greatest firmness. Bcel
died without a struggle. They were remar:cably stro:.s
young fellows, and unmarried. Donovan was only 22,
end Russell 24 years of age. It is very extrdoreinary,
that out of eleven men tried for the attack on GL,n.i.
sheen barracks, the eldest of them did not exceed 'l7
years. Though young in years, they were old in (Tin,
On the night of the 20th April a newly built ranzt
of offices, consisting of a cow-house, stable, and barn,
the property of John Bollard, a peaceable and iri2ustli.
ous farmer, residing on the lands of Boeherard, ner
Aughaboe, in the Queen's County, part of the estate r!
John Roston, Esq. together with eight head of cat'e
hay, corn, and farming implements, were malicint),:•,-
set fire to, and entirely consumed, by some
person or persons.