The organ of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, O. [Ohio]) 1852-1853, 1852-10-08


tern loaf had been cut in 50 many pieces
Her story went on 10 say that she remained ia
this place for four weeks, eating so much Of
the bread aud drinking little water daily, till
both were exhausted She then succeeded in
making her escape by removing board which
was nailed across window. "First," she
sald, 81 got my head out, and held fast OF the
wall, and got my body ont; after that, turn
ed myself round and jumped into little nOr-
row place by lane, with field beside it.
Having nothing on but can old sort of bed
gown and handkerchief that were in this hay
loft, aud lay in CRATE in the chimney, she
managed to travel twelve miles through an
unknown country To. her mothers house, not
daring as she said, to call at any place by the
way lest she should again fall into the hands
of her prosecutors.
II Elizabeth S absence created excitement,
herre-appearance in the plight she was in, and
with such a story to tell, increased it tenfold
She was an attractive looking girl; and, seeing
the sympathy she excited, had no objection to
assent to the theory formed by her friends,
that the people in whose hands she had fallen
had the basest designs upon her; that they had
resolved to conquer her virtue by imprison-
ment and starvation; and that she had mag
unanimously and patiently resisted all their ef-
forts. The story was hawked about every
where. 1t was spoken of in every tavern and
at every dinner table. The indignation Of
many respectable citizens was aroused. They
We're parents, aud had daughters Of their own,
who might be made the victims Of the diaboli-
cal crew from which this poor. girl had escap-
ed. Many Of them resolved to rally round
her-ayenge her wrongs, and punish the per-
petrators. Elizabeth found herself one OF the
most important people in London. She re-
ceved many presents and considerable funds
were raised to prosecute the inquiry,
In these circumstances, she was bound, Of
conrse, 10 assist her friends by remembering
every little incident that could lead them To
the place Of her sufferings She believed
that it must have been on tho Hartford road
| for, in looking from the window, she had
caught sight Of coach on that road with
| which she was familiar, as former mistress
had been accustomed 10 travel in it. This cir.
cumstance, with the distance travelled by the
girl, afforded her champions a clue, aud they
| concentrated their researches Mt Enfield Wash
There they found a questionable looking lodg
ing shouse, kept bya family Of the name O.
| Wells, which seemed to answer to Elizabeth 7
description. lthad garret with an old straw
bed, and black pitcher was found in The
house y r.-
Elizabeth was taken to examine this house
in a sort Of triumDhal procession. Her friends
went ON horseback, making a complete caval-
cade; she and her mother travelling ina coach
/ As many as could find room seem to have sim
ultaneously rushed into the squalid lodging.
house, and the natural establishment and con.
| fusion Of the inmates on such an invasion were
at once assigned as the symptoms of consciou,
guilt. Elizabeth seemed to be at first some.
what confused and undecided; these symp-
toms were attributed 70 the excitement of the
moment OH recollection of the horrors she had
endured, and to q feeling Of insecurity. She
was told to take courage; she was among hel
friends, who would support her cause; and she
at last said decidedly, that she was in the house
where she had been imprisoned.
A gipsy woman Of very remarkable appear.
ance was present. One of the witnesses re.
cOgnized her, from her likeness to the portrait!
Of Mother Shipton the sorGeress She sal
bending over the fire smoking pipe, and ex.
hibiting through the hubbub around the i'm,
pertUbablc calmness peculiar to her race
Elizabeth immediateld pointed to her, and sale
she was the woman who had cut her stays, aDt
| helped to put her in her prison room. Ever
| this did not disturb the stolid indifference o.
tie old woman, who was paying no attention
to what the people said, When, however, he
daughter stepped up aud said: "Good moth
er, this young woman says you robbed her,
she started to her feet, and said: "Irob you
take care what you say, If you have one,
seen my face, you cannot mistake it, for Coo
never made such another.' When told Of thl
robbery, she gavea wild laugh, and said sh
was then above hundred miles off in Dor,
setshire. This woman was named Squires.-
Her son, George Squires, was present. Eli
zabeth did not seem completely to remembe
him at first, but she in the end maintained
| him tn bn ono Of ba pigfiaur bO bod at4 aok
ed her in MoOTfield's. Her followers wer
now eminently satisfied. All the persons il
the house were seized, and Immediately com
mitted for examination.
This strange, wild aspect Of the gipsy, seem
to have added an element to the horrors of th
affair, and, in the afternoon, when two 0
Elizabeth's s friends were discussing the Who'll
matter over steak in the Three Crowns a
Newington, one of them said to the other
/ "Mr. Lyon, hope God Almighty will destro
the model that he made that face BY, and neve
make another like it," 1t was found tina
Mrs. Wells, who kept the lodging house, be
longed TO a disreputable family, and she ad
mitted that her husband had been hanged. |
Elizabeth had given a false tale to hide th
questionable causes OF her absenting herself
She had probable found that it took muc
more serious turn than she intended, aud sh
must now make up nef mlnd 10 recant her tai
or go through with it. She resolved on til
latter course, to which she was probably tempt
cd by having all London to back her. Sh
could not well have carried on the charg
alone, but thepopulaEity Of her cause brough
her unexpected aid. Awoman named Virtu
Hall, who lived in Mrs. Wells lodging house
, thought It would be good speculation to be
partner with ElizabetI Canning, and she CAV
testimony which corroboratea the whole ston
On the 2lst Of February, Mary Sqnires an
, Snsannah Wells were brought to trial for
capital offense. Theevidence adduced again
them was the story inst told. When Mri
J Squires was called on for her defense, she Vay
q succihct account Of how she had, from dsy
day, gone from one distant place to auoths
! during the time when Elizabeth said she VIC
in confinement. Two or three witnesst
; came forward, somewhat timidly, to coffobor
ate her statements and it is melancholy fac
4 that others would have appeared and offere
: convincing testimony Of the innocence Of I'll
accused, bnt were intimidated by the ferociol
q aspect Of the London populace from ventaFin
Q to give their evidence. That it was not very sa
9 to contradict the popular idol, Elizabeth Car
Il ming, Was indeed experienced in q Teryinr