The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1823-08-06
VARIETY.
LAW IN rELLIGENCE.
FORTUNE TELLING

Oh'oc We hoi6ait SuuhSb.
The defendant was indicted upon the
tenth section ofthe act for the punishment,
ofcertain offences therein specified To-,
that she under the false pretence Of fore
knowing future events, and Of telling the
fortune Of George Badgley, did obtain
from said George s5 cents, with in,en,
him, the said George Badgely, to cheat
and defraud. Plea-Not guilty. Vim
toB-For the Prosecution. Douglass
Fer the Defendant.
George Badgley stated that he had
heard Of the reputation of Mrs. Church
In the neighborhood, for telling fortunes,
and had understood he. common price to
be s5 cents that with the view of get.
ting his fortune told, he went to her
house that she sat beside him, and after
ehuffling some cards, uttering some mys>
ticai words, and examining closely the
palm OF his hand, commenced the thread
of his fortune, and ran through the whole
tale OF his lille; that he paid paid her
% cents willingly, came away well pleas
ed, and wa. perfectly satisfied that
much of what she told him had proved
true, but sufficient time had not elapsed
20 determine as to all. The defendants
council wished the witness to relate all
that she did tell him but this, from deli
cate motives, he declined, and the court
and council forbore to press it; but it was
plain, from the manner of the witness,
ga donnie 6rau iaddic," that it was con-
corning an affair OF very tender nature.
Witness believed from report that much
of what the defendant was in the habit of
telling actually came to pass; and that
her reputation stood high in the neigh
oOrhood as correc,fortune teller.
Jesse Dutton stated--that he pursued
the employment of boa,man up and
down the Ohio river that he had los, his
pocket book, containing all his bills and
most valuable papers that, alter long
and useless search, he was advised to app
ply to the defendant {; that, after going
through the ceremonies of dark sayings,
anxious looks and shuflling cards, she
told him THAI he might rest perfectly as
sured that neither his pocket book, nor
pnY oil lis contents would be eventually
lost 10 him, although some time must
necessarily elapse before he could posi-.
by o6taiB il: but that within certain dates
reTy dark comhie:rione1 man or q negro
would bring him the pockel book with
its contents that he willingly paid the
usual fee OF 25 cents and re,ired.-Wn.
ness stated that, Within the period men
toned, negro man came TO him with
the pocket book containing all he had lost
AS to whether any disturbances had been
created by reason OF her doiDgs ht stated
he had once had heard THAI she fol eIold a
dark compleXioned man or Chcksmagua
would cheat and deiraud his neighbors !,
and that person who suspected tba,
himself was intended, had manifested
some i'll blood on the upon the occasion.
General HolComb was called as 20 the
character Of the defendant, and her set.
ting "iolks together by the ears" in the
peighborhood. The general stated tina he
lived near neighbor 20 MRS. Church ,
that she was anindusirous woman; that her
husband was an old revolutionary soldier.
and that what she obtained, together with
his pension, afforded subsistence to
themselves and family that he had heard
much Of her telling fortunes, and believ
ed her house was he full resort OF both
nymphs and SWANS Of The country round
TO get their fortunes told that he had
seen and conversed with many of them
that all were pleased, and many highly
delighted with the tender tales Of love
she had .o'd them that he knew m
disturbances in the neigh5orhood 10y rea
sop of what she had told he once, howe
YER, met company of young men re
.. r. 81. ,IcC.rIapf'a honec 49,.