The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1823-06-24
SOMERSET APRIL AsSl2Es.

SOMERSET APRIL ASSI2ES.
DtPs0r0bie Superstition The most in
tense curiosity was excited by the appear
ancc Of the names of three females on the
calender, on a charge, under Lord Ellen
borough's act, of malcously cutting aud
siahbing an old woman, a rcputed switch -
with Intention 10 murder her. The Grand
Jury, heweser, alter consulting the learn
ed Judge upon the singular ease, threw
out the bali ON the capital charge of ma
liciously cutting under Lord EAenbo.
rough's act, and returned trne bill IA
gdlnst the three prisoners for an assault
Elizabeth Bryant, the mother, aged so,
Elizabeth Bryant, the younger, aged -,
aud Jane Bryant, aged 10, the two daugh-
tiers were charged with having naliciously
assaulted Anne Burgess.
The parties resided at Wivciiscombc, in
this county, and the prosrcutrix VAS Il
very aged woman. The elder prisoner
was married woman, residing IN the same
neighborheed. She had three daughters,
who lived WITH her, two of whom were
the prisoners at the bar. One OF these had
been afflicted by fits, and the mother, with
a degree Of d"lusien and credulity that APP
peared to belong to the spot, firmly be-
ieved that these fits were the working of
some malignant spirit upon her daughter,
and IN order to coanteract or break the
spell, she applied for advice Ia reputed
sorcerer, or conJnrer, named Baker, resi-
ding aud exercising absolute sway, IN re-
mote part OF Devonshlre. This fellow adj
Fised her that her daNghter was bcwtched
by particular person in their neighbour
hood, and thai to dlsslpate the charm cllcc-
tually, it was necessary tn draw blood from
the witch The prosecutriX WAS imme.
diately fixed upon as the witch, and as
such published throughout the enlightened
town of Wi,eiscombe, by the elder prison.
er, who positively declared that her daugh-
ter had been beWitched by her for morr
than twelve months The pru3eeutrix,
alarmed at the general impression which
appeared to he raised against her, wcHt on
the night Of the 2jlh of November, 10 the
ouse of the elder gisoner, whom she met
in the dark passage of her house, ard said
in a very simple manner, that she came to
know the foundation of the reports Which
had been circulated respecting her The
prisoner viewed the visit as a prOsdentidl
one for executing Der purpose of drawing
blood aid with horrible imprecaiious sriz-
ed the old woman. The two daughters,
upon hearing the noise rushed ogt and IN
stantly fell upon the prosecutliN, who WIZ
dragged To the floor, and one OF them
ie,ched nail AS the first thing IN the way,
and began To lacerate the old woman's arm
in the most ferocious manner, whist the
other two held her.
The apprentice To Mr.. North, Surgeon
Of Wivviiacon,be, deposed, that on the
night in question the prosecuirlX came Ia
him to dress her arm, which he found
drr;tdiully laccrated. There were 10 OF
iG missions upon it, OF about IA quarter oi
an inch deep, ,fa others an eighth of an
inch. They were from to 3 and 81 in
chcs hong. She bied very severely. Wit
ness dressed her arm, and as she was very
healthy ii got well fast. She was i'll for
mare than Il month, N consequence OF the
attack. Her arm was still b0tmd up.
The Jury then found all the prisoners
guilty.
Mr. Justice Burroughs then addressed
Il j
is little doubt that if a weapon had been
at the moment within your reach, you
would have acted upon your notlon 10 the
extent ot committing murder upon the
poor old woman, for you called ont in
your rage "for knife To cut of the flesh
from the old witch's boncs.o AS it was,
YOU, and every one OF you, stood in peril
uf you- lives for the offence Won have com
mitted, but that I considered il moi IN have
come within the extent of the act OF Par
lament Ii is my doing that you are pro
secuted for this assault, instead Of being
tried for your lives but You cannot be al
lowed to escape without some punishment.
You have been guilty ut great, a gross,
and very atominable crime and though
in consequence of the certainty that your
mind was at the time labou,ing under 4
deIuson, shall act in a most lrnlent man
ner towards YOU, compared with the sen
teuce | should otherwise have passed
vet it is necessary to visit you with pun
| ishment that viii cause you and every bo-
DIV to remember, that it is at the peril o
severe punishment, il they act upon sucl
! ignorance and folly. The. sentence which
feel it my duty to pass upon you is, tina
you he each further imprisoned IN tn,
county goal for four calender months"
!
The steam ship Robert Fulton was solt
at New York on the I'd inst. by order o
the administrators of the late David Dun
ham, Esq. for $4,000. The vessel wa
F. . Is, II.,arU r. ,L fnrI Zen