Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1846-07-04


dcpravity has Just been brought to light In Skow.
hegsu, Somerset Co.. Maine. I. is not the il,st
instance in which credulity has done injustice
to the innocent by believing the artful tales of
mesmeric imposters -
DR.. Marden, of g., had, Tor the last ten
months, lad in his Office by the name Of Ed.
win Bray, aged about twelve years. B. soon
won the Doctors regard by his obliging dispos.
ition, and apparent good conduct but recent
developements have shown this lad to be ain &C.
cofhplished william. DR.. NJ. is a mesneriser,
and yuung Bray soon seemed good clairvoyant
subject. His success was wonderful. He
could, in that state, see minute articles in the
stoeet. At one time he informed Dr. NJ. that
there was a watch key and half dollar piece
in the street in Canaan Village, and on going
there The next day readily found them. Attn.
mother time he stated that there was wale,
under the sidewalk in Waterve, with FIVE
dollar bill in il, and which he afterwards, on go-
ing to Waterville, Iound
On the 3lst ult, Sunday AFTER meeting, the
boy went home, and the doctor returned few
moments after and found, that during his ab.
scnrc, the house had been robbed of a half eagle
and pair Of footings Search was made For
The theft but nothing discovered In the even
ing Edwin was mesmerised, and on being asked
for the theft replied that Henry Hooper, who
resides lalfa mile from the Doctors house, was
the person who committed the theft, and that
the money was then in Hooper's pocket.
This lad, Hooper, had before been accused ty
Edwin. while In the mesmeric state, Of tobbng
Edward McLellan's jewelry stote-artcles
having been stolen from that store several times
within the last month or two. Mcclellan had
suspected Bray, but the Doctor would not listen
TO his suspicious. However, Dr. Marden now
called on McLellan and with an officer procce-
dcd at 10 o'clock on that Sunday night to ex-
anime Hooper's premises for the stolen goods.
Every effort was made for discovery with no
success. Young Hooper was arrested and put
under keepers at the tavern.
In the morning, another experiment was
made with Bray. and he stated that the piece of
money had rolled out Of IIooper's pocket Under
the bed and was covered up BY lint and straw,
and thus escaped the search Of the previous e.
vening. Another search was commenced.
Previously, however, the footings were dscov.
cred buried in DR.. Ms garden, and suspicious
began TO attach TO Bray. On this second search
nothing was discovered to throw suspicion upoa
Hooper, till aler all had left the house, when
The boy told DR.. NJ. thn, he saw something in
one OF the cracks In the house. They accor.
dinghy again repaired TO the rootn and there in
plain sight was The lost piece Of money. Upon
this testimony, Hooper was arragncd before
Justice Weston, and hound over to appeal at tho
District Court for trial, and for want of bail was
!, committed to Jail.
q On the next day, some circumstances looking
y favorable to Hooper, (t havirg been proved
!, that he was sbed wher the robbery was commit
ted on Sunday,) he was liberated on his own
: recognisance. lie Immediately charged Bray
Q with committing the theft, and B. was arrested
and bound over fot tral-Dr. Marden, whose
. faith In him was still unshaken--becams his
: bondman
e. On Thursday evening subsequent, Bray was
: put Into a mesmeric state, and in presence Of
. Mcclellan, again stated that Hooper had stolen
the aftcles from his store, that part Of them had
been thrown out Of the window and he could
I find them So off they started again, at the in.
. stigaiion of this arch impostot. On the way
I he fell down, pretended to be faint, and so on,
!. and finally said he was SO upwell he could not
: go to the place that night. He was taken back
!, and put to bed Narden and Mcclellan then
+. went to the spot where the boy had fallen, and
q found several of the lost articles. The Doctor
!. then, for the first time, began to suspect him
fle sent for justice, the boy was called up, and
= many efforts made TO bring him TO confession.
!. From oie o'clock to daylight he was stubborn
h Then lie Knocked under, and confessed the
e whole. lie acknowledged that he stole the Jew
L elry, aud the gold piece and footings-whe
' they were searching it He confessed that at
: no time had he been asleep. but he had teigned
il In order to deceive the Doctor, and that when
.. .. ne pretended to fad the articles on the road f,
# he had them IN his possession, and drupped
e them at the time Alter he had confessed his
; guilt, he attempted to wind up his villiany by
! cutting his throat but WIS prevented by Nc
# lellan. who caught his hand while in the sc,
l. He succeeded in making slight wound. On
g Friday, he was agsin atraignsd, and committed
to prison to await his trial at the July term oi
the District Court.
The cause Of mesmerism and efa1regSnc'
must hsvs received sheok in the village u