Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1849-05-25

Wee whose names are Vnder written,
being commanded by Capt. George Cor
wine, Esq, SHERIFF. of we County of
Essex this Cd day of June 1899 for TO
view y'e bodyes Of Brigeu Bishop alias
Oliver, Rebeccah Nurse, Elizabeth Proc
tor, Alic Parker, Susanna Marine, Sarah
Good. The first three, namely, Bishop;
Nurse; Proctor; by diligent search have
discovered a pre~ternatural Excrescencc
of flesh betweene y'c- and - much
like 10 Tets and not vsuall in women, and
mach vnlikc TO we other three that hath
been searched by VS. and Vt they were in
all We three women neer We same place.
j. BARTON, Chyrurg.
Alice X Pickering, Jane X Woolings,
her markc. her marke.
MargeryS Williams, AnnaE Stephens,
her marke. her marke.
Elizabeth X Hill, El'r< Henderson,
her marke. her marke.
Rebecca X Sharp, LydiaS Pickman,
her marke. her marke.
Hannah Kezier.
Sworne in Court, June Cd, 1862.
Att. Step. Sewall, Gle.
Another much-valued proof was the
Lords Prayer. If the accused could re-
peat it correctly, it was no conclusive
proof Of innocence; but if he made the
slightest mistake, il was a conclusive
proof Of guilt. Even the pronunciation
of the word halloiUcd as holiowed, in one
case, was set down as strong proof of the
agency of an evil spirit.
But if all other means of proof failed,
the accused was completely in the hands
of the afflicted accuser, when the latter
was permitted 10 palm upon the court his
testimony as TO the deeds which the ac-
cused had performed out of the body, or
in the shape of a specter. Against this
no rebutting testimony could possibly be
brought. 81
Besides the Indictment already recited,
four others of a similar character were
returned against poor Bridget Bishop for
the same crime in regard to other per-
sons, 10 all Of which she plead not guilty.
The fact that the crime had been com
mitted by somebody was taken for gran
ted, us too notorious to be questioned.
Under the ordinary rules of evidence,
the prosecution would here have run foul
of a rock. 1t would have found it diff.
cult to prove that anything serious had
been suffered by Mercy Lewis, much
more hat she was bewitched. But the
popular belief was taken as full proof on
This point, and it only remained TO prove
that Bridget Bishop committed the crime.
First the afflicted testified that the shape
Of The prisoner-her spectre or superna-
tural appearance-very previously PIN
ched, choaked, bit and afflicted them on
various occasions, urging them TO write
their names in a book which she called
"ours." One testified that the shape Of
the prisoner took her from her wheel to
the river and attempted to drown her.
Another that this shape Dragged that she
had been the death Of sundry persons,
and that The spectres Of these persons
appeared, saying TO her, "You murder
ed u.s." All the strange conducLof The
afflicted at her examination was brought
up against her. One D1liverance Hobbs,
who had saved her life by conressing
herself a witch, testified that the spectre
of the prisoner tormenled her on account
Of her confession and urged her 10 sign
the DEVILS book again, that she whipped
her with iron rods, to compel her thereto,
and she alleged that Bishop was present
at a Sacrament Of witches in Salem viii
lage, where she partook Of bread and
wine.
John Cook testified that the spectre of
the prisoner appeared 10 him fire or Sir
gears before, and struck him and knock
ed an apple out of his hand into the lap
Of his mother.
Samuel Gray testified that about four
teen gears before the spectre Of the same
unfortunate woman appeared in his bed
room between his bed and the cradle and
bewilched the babe in the cradle so that
it pinned and died. lie did not then
know the woman, but when he afterwards
saw her he knew that it must have been
her spectre.
John BLY, and his wife testified that the
prisoner had be~wilched a SOW which they
bought of her husband, because she did
not have the lingering of the money.
Richard Cowan, evidently referring to
n severe case of nightmare, testified
that the apparition of Bishop and two
others had appeared 10 him eight years
before, when he was asleep, expressing
him so that he could neither sir himself
nor wake any one else. Many pages
might be added of similar tales raked up
from the twenty years previous against
this ~friendless old woman.
One John Louder testified that after
having a controversy with the prisoner
about her fowls, her likeness appeared TO
him in the night and oppressed him ill
morning, and quickly after, one Lords
day, he saw a black goblin enter his win
dow with the body of a monkey, the feet
of a cock and the face of n man, 1t
endeavored to persuade him 10 sign the
book. lie put his hand upon il but could