The North-Carolinian., 1850-11-16
IMPOSTORS AND IMPOSTURES.

tr0Uersy ,chicA arose 0M of tt-She 4
found guilty Of Perjury and transported
THE Cock Lane Ghost-PubHc Er
element occasioned by it-Defecfion oj
the Ffaud-Motire for the Imposfure-
The .StockweH Ghost.
In the next instance Of imposture which
occurred, those who were misled could
hardly be considered as blame worthy, the
circumstances ibeing such as to account
for their erroneous judgment. The case
to which allusion is here made, was tina
of Elizabeth Canning. in the year 1888.
This female, who was about eighteen years
Of age, after having been absent twenty
eight days, returned home in squaicd
and apparently haIf-~tarved condition.
The story which she told was that, as she
was proceeding at night from her uncle's
to the house Of the person with whom she
lived as servant, she was attacked by two
men, in MoOrtields, who first robbed her,
gave her a blow on the temple. and then
dragged her along. she being part Of the
| time in fits, till they reached a house of
i'll fame. kept by Susannah Wells, at En-
field Wash.
On her arrival there, she was accostcd
by gypsy, named Mary Squires, who
asked her if she would Ego their way for
if she would she should have fine clot hes. -
Supposing that Squires alluded to prostitu-
| ton, Canning replied in the negative !;
Squires, upon this, ripped up the lace other
stays with knife, took away the stays, and
thrust her into back room like hayloft,
the window of which was boarded inside
In that room she was imprisoned for twenty
seven days her only subsistence being
a scanty portion OF bread, some water; and
small mince pie, which she chanced to
have in her pocket. At last, she bethousht
her of breaking down the board. after
she dropped on the ground. She then
made the best Of her way home.
Universal pity was excited by the tale
Of her suffernss, ah@1 subscri ption was
raised for her. The most violent pubic
Indignation was expressed against the two
criminals and, while this ferment was
at its height, Wells and Squires were
brought to trial. The evidence of Eliza
beth Canning was corroborated by that of
Virtue Hall, and by various circumstances,
and the jury found both of the prisoners
guilty. Squires was condemned to death,
and Wells was ordered to be branded,
and imprisoned for six months.
Squires would certainly have suffered
had not Sir Crisp Gascoyne, who was then
Lord Mayor. fortunately interposed in her
favour. Squires herself solemnly declar-
ed that she could bring many witnesses to
prove that she was in the west of England
during the whole Of the time that was
sworn to by Canning. There were be-
sides some startling discrepancies between
CaDning's evidence and the real situation
of places and things; and. to render the
matter still more doubtful, Virtue Hall,
the main prop of Canning's story. retract-
succeeded n obtaining respite for Squires,
during which time SO much testimony was
obtained in her behalf, that free pardon
was granted to her. Such, however, was
the general prejudice in Canning's favour,
that the benevolent exertions of Sir Crisp
rendered him extremely v unpopular. Floods
of ink were expended in pamphlets by her
defenders, among whom was the highly
gifted author Of Tom Jones. Her oppo-
nents were equally active.
The mass Of evidence against Canning
at length became SO enormous, that it was
resolved to put her upon her trial for per-
jury. The trial lasted five days, and more
than a hundred and twenty witnesses were
examined. Upwards OF forty of them
were brought forward to testify as to the
movements of Squrcs, and they traced
her journeyings day by day. and proved,
by chain Of evidence OF which not single |
link was wanting. that during the whole |
of the time charged against her by Canning
she was far distant in the west Of Eng and. |!
The story told by Canning was also shown
to be in some parts contradictory, and in
others at variance with the facts. In con-
clusion, she was found guilty, and was
sentenced t" seven years transportation.
In August 1884, she was conveyed to New
England. where she is said to have married !
Some time before her
departure, she poblished declaration in
which she repeated her charge against
Squires. in spite of the triumph ant mann
er in which that charge had been refuted
and, blindly faithful to her cause, many Of
her parti<ans obstinately persevered in
asserting her innocence.
A few.years subsequently to the affair
of Elizabeth Canning. there occurred an
event, which amply proved that supersti-
ton and credulity we're as flous ishing as
ever. In January 1862 the whole town
was thrown INTO a state of excitement by |
the imposture which bears the name Of
.. the Cocklane Ghost" SO called from the |
place where the mummery was performed, |
and the supposed agent in the performance.
The scene in which the farce commenced |
was the house Of one Parsons, the parish |
clerk Of St. Sepulchre's. AS preliminary |
to the proceedings. it was reported that,
nearly two years before the affair gained
notoriety. alarming knockings and scratch
ings had been heard by the daughter OF