Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1841-05-11
CONNECTICUT wITeHeRAFT.

CONNECTICUT .WITCHCRAFT.
Col. Stone, reviewing volume of Ban
croft's History Of the United States, in a
late number Of his Commercial Adver.
tiser, called the historians accuracy in
question, "in leaving the impression that
there we're no trails for witchCraft in Con-
nectcut, subsequent to, or cOntempera-
neOuS with, the celebrated trial and ex-
ecutiOns in salem" ....
A writer under the signature Of Eaton
in the Ne,O HaUen Herald, severely rep
Timands the Col and, in turn questions
his accuracy. This writer puts forth h is
assertions with confidence, and is backed
BY the Historian Trumbull. This has
called out reply from Col. Stone, in
which he vindicates his own accuracy,
by record evidence. We give his nara.
tive below: cara aan. 0rnse, .s
Many years ago, while on an extended
visit TO, Come cticut, we were permitted
10 examine large collection of ancient
papers III the archives Of the WHY'S fami-
ly,members of which family had for near.
" hundred successive years discharged
the duties Of secretary of the colony end
State. Many of these papers related to
the early history, laws, and institutions of
the colony, and many others to the con-
duct Of public men, from 1886 10 700
We also noted several documents relating
to the eaIly settlement Of Rhode Island
and one or two original letters written by
the celebrated Roger Williams, Among
these papers we discovered large bum
die carefully fled away and labelled
"Tryals for Ditchcraft." Several days
were spent in examining these curious
and taluble records of antiquity, during
which time copies were made Of many Of
the most interesting papers in regard TO
the trials Of the unfortunate persons who
had been accused of "familiarity with Sa-
TAM" and as the present is, "anr open
day. with us, convenient opportunity
is afforded for taking the cOnceit out OF
"Mr Eaten" by sketching the history Of
one Of the trials 10 which we referred IN
reviewing BancrOft's History, The par.
tic0laFs will be found curious, If not in
teTesting; and when we have done we
will leave our New Haven critic TO say
which Of the two has the greater reason
to. dleud the hazard OF "writing about facls
from general recollection and vague con
lecture" The copies Of the papers we
shSll adduce were made with the greatest
possible axactness from the records Of the
Court, by our own hand.
Alta special Court Of Dyes and Termin.
Or, held at Fayre6eld, Sept. 10, 1922
Present--Robert Treat Esq. Gov, WIN
Jones Esq. Deputy Gov, John Allyn, Sec,
Mr.. Andrew Leete, Capt. John Burr, Mr.
Mn. Pnkin, Capt. Moses Mansfield, (com-
posing the court. I'm s,as,
"The Grand Jurors impannelled were
MI. Joseph Bayard, Samuel Ward, Ed
ward Hayward, Peter Ferris, Jonas Wa
terbury, John Bowels, Samuel Sherman,
Samuel Galpin, Ehenr. Booth, John Plat,
christopher Comsiock, Wm. Reed: who
presented bill Of Indictment against
Mercy DisbOrOagh, in the words following
AorRAt ss 81 aar ,gsa 9 H
moii !s5,a (cOPPYE.) uaaa
"A bill exhibited against Mercy Dis
borough, wife of Thomas DisborOugh, Of
,Compo, lin county aOf Fayrefeld in the
colony Of Connecticut" aa
"Mercy Disboyough, wife Of Thomas
lDisbOrOugh, of ComPo, in Fayrefeld, thou
art here indicted by the name Of Mercy
iDisborCugh, that not having the fear Of
GcD before thine eyes, thou hast had ia
miliatity with Satan, the grand enemie
OfGoD and man, and that ly bis iDstiga-
tiOn aud help, thou hast in Preturhat
utal way, afflicted and done harm to the
bodyes and estates Of sundry Of their
Msiestes subjects, or to some Of them,
contrary 10 the peace Of our sovereign
Lord and Ladie, the King and Queen,
their crowhe aud dignitie, and that on the
25thOF April and Il suhdry other times,
for which by the laws Of God and this
GOloby thou DasEkvETH To DEE.
EayTeis "a, I5tR, Sept. 1892! SR
'ea 'al John s ! is Yig, ,SecFetdry."
aThs indictment having been read,
tbep!isqneF Plead 'ngt guilty Z la srd y Tsi
tsfIsd hsl:elf ~ tryal 81 goo, I'D ler
sannlLiss EhIsh e0uRtEis gas M .Ihs ~, i' )