Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1860-02-23
THURSDAY TOwDA BRADFORD COUNTY A

voice OF one IN agony struggling to cry ont
aud stiaed by powerful hands. The wonlel
rushed from the wood, dragging with then
their helpless victim, whom they had gagged
so that she could not even suppIicate thei
mercy. Another cry was presently heard
the wall of a terrified child The little boy
ronSed from sleep by the screams OF his moth
| er. ran toward her captors, and throwing him
self on his knees, begged for her in piteous ac
cents and with streaming tears.
Take him away ?" cried several together
and one of their number, snalching up the
child, ran off with him at her utmost speed
and did not return. .-.. .f.
The others proceeded quickly to their mis-,
sion of vengeance Dragging the helpless
dame to the pond, they rushed into it, needless
OF risk to themselves, till they stood deep in
the water. Then each in turn, Seizing her
enemy by the shoulders plugged her in, head
and all, crying as she did so, This is for my
husband !" " And this is for mine :" This
for mine y was echoed, with the puuges in
quick succession, till the work of retribution
was accomplished, and the party hurried to
shore
Startled by noise Of some one approach
ing, the disguised avengers aed, leaving their
victim on the bank, and lost no time in hasten
ing homeward. The dawn of day disclosed a
dreadful catastrophe. Dame Winton was
found dead beside the water. There was eYi-
dence enough that she had perished not by
accident, bat violence Who could have done
the deed p -... ... .
The occurrence created great commotion n
EaSton, as it is but natural it should but 1t
was never discovered with certainty who were
the perpetrators of the murder Suspicion
fell on several but they were prudent enough
to keep silent, and nothing could be proved
against them. Perhaps, the more prominent
among the men, who should have taken upon
themselves the investigation of the affair, had
their own reasons for passing it over rather
slightly. 1t was beyond doubt, too, that act.
ual murder had not been designed by the act
ors IN the tragedy but simply The punishment
assigned to witchcraft by popular usage. So
the matter was not long agitated, though it
was for many years a subject Of conversation
among those who had DO iatereSt IN hushing
it up; and the story served as a warning to
give point to the lessons Of careful mothers
II was for long time believed that the
ghost OF the unfortunate English woman haunt
ed the spot where she had died Nor did the
belief cease to prevail long after the pond was
draiued, aud the wood felled, and the space
bull! over \ stable, belonging to a gentle
man whom I am acquainted, stands near the
place. have heard him relate how one of his
servants, who had never heard the story, had
rushed in one night. much alarmed to say that
he had seen q female figure, in old fashioned
cap and white gown, standing at the door OF
the stable Another friend who resides near
was told by his domestic that strange wo-
man stood at the back gate, who had sudden
ly disappeared when asked who she vas
Thus there seems ground enough to excuse the
belief, even now prevalent among The common
people in EaSton, that TIE spirit still walks at
night about that portion of the town