The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1867-11-23

tho General Court for redress, and obtained
Judgment. The majority however, kept up
their opposition, and Nj. Bayley At length
retired in disgust from the field. Mr.. John
Burroughs was the next candidate, and the
party who had been the especial friends Of
MI Bayley, became his successors bitter
opponents. Among these was the Putnam
family. 30 the war went on. Mr.. Bur.
roughs, after stemming the tide for four
years, and suffering every species Of wrong
[, and Outrage, went back to his duties as
missionary to the Indians at Casco Bay,
whose charity he preferred to the belliger.
ents at Salem village. While pursuing his
humble calling among the Indians, he was,
eight years later, accused Of witchcrait,
arrested, brought back to Salem village,
tried, convicted and hung rs wizard. Mr..
DeOdnt Lawson was the next preacher.
The elements Of strife still remained, and
at the end Of four years no retired to give
place to Rev. Samuel Paris, who entered
upon his ministry in April, 1850. The
flames Of discorl had now become smonl.
ydcring embers. II Mr.. Paris had been
man like either Of his predecessors oil
might have been well. He was, however,
avaricious, and given to intrigue. He at.
tempted TO obtain the title deeds in his own
right Of the property belonging to the par
ish. When his plans were discovered, and
ha was In process Of being dealt with, the
witchcraft excitement burst forth, and fell
upon the devoted heads of those who had
been prominent in frustrating his purposes.
In tho winter of 1861 9 circle of young
girls met frequently ut Mr.. Parris's house,
Ostensibly to practice psalm singing, hut
their principal occupation was fortunc-
telling and the various arts Of NEGRO.
mnncy, magic and ventriloquisn, in which
they had instruction of two negro or In
dian servants, whom Mr.. Paris brought
with him from the Spanish West lndia Is
lands, where no was engaged in trndc.
One of these girls was u daughter of Mr..
Paris, nine years Of age. Another was
Ann Putnam, twelve years Of age. The
ages Of tho other girls ranged from eleven
to eighteen years, They crept into holes
alld under benches, threw themselves on
the floor, went into spnsms, and uttered
strange Outcries. These proceedings were
probably commenced IN sport, hut as the
girls became adopts they began 10 attract
the attention Of the neghbos, and gave ex.
lihitions of their new accomplishments.
From day TO day they learned new tricks.
The village doctor was called in, who, with
Mr.. Paris, concluded the girls were sun.
der an evil hand" The community was
excited, and flOcked to sec their strange ac-
iions. Witch books were in Mr. Parris's
house, and the girls propably learned how
witches in England behaved. The girls
were now questioned rs to who had bo.
witchcd them. They named Sarah Cool,
poor wretcled outcast, aud Tiluba, one
of the Indian servants. Whether they
named these persons under instructions
cannOt he asccrtained. The time was not
yet come for striking higher game. The
local magistrates inquired into the matter,
aud held public examination of the two
persons accused.
In all these trials the guilt of the accused
wns assumed, aud tliese simple persons
were piled with such questions as these by
the magistrates "Sarah Good, why ,lo you
hurt these children ?" 81 do not hurt them,
scorn it," Whom TO you employ, then,
TO do it?" "Iemploy no one" The chill
drcn then 20 into commissions. "Sarah
Good, do you not sec what you have done?
Why do you not tell the trn,hT' 81 do
not torment tlicin." ''llow came they thus
tonnented? ?" "Whnt do | know?' Aher
many inquiries Of this kind the wrrtcled
woman finds that her only refuge Is in nc
c,ising some one else; then she says that
Sarah Osburn had bewilchcd them. Os-
burn was arrested and brought in. She
was asked: "What evil spirit have you fa.
tniliarity will, ?" "Nonc." "Have you
made no contract with the devil 2" "No, !
never saw The devil in my lifc." The "af.
flcied children" look upon her and 90 into
convulsions. "Why do you hurt these
children ?" "I do not hurt them" "Whom
DO you employ then ?" "l employ nobody,
] do not know that the devil goes about in
my likeness to do any harm.
Sarah Osburn was committed and Titu.
ba was brought in. The same questions
were asked aud the same scene enacted.
"Who Is 1t thut hurt these children? ?"
"The devil, for alight know" ibid you
ever sec the devil?" 1.-THE devil came to
inc and bid me serve him" "Whom have
you secn?" "Four women sometimes hurt
these children. Goody Osburn aud Sarah
Good ] do not know who the others
were." She then confessed she had tor.
tncnted the children. and made some
strange revelations. Tho devil, she said.
appeared in black clothes sometimes, and
sometimes in a serge coat Of another color.
She was asked how she went to witch
meetings, and replied; 1--WE ride upon
sticks, Good and Osburn behind me-" "Do
you 20 through the trees or over them"
ave sec nothing, hut arc there presently"
This woman was the servant of Mr.. Paris,
and tho instructor Of tho 'afllicted chill.
,Iren" in their hellish arts. John Indian,
the other servant. appeared rs an uccuser
in later stage of the proceedings.
The delusion was now under full head.
way. The next victim was the wife Of
Giles Covey, dcvout matron eighty yenrs
of agc, who spent most of her time in
prayer. Her examination wns a scene for
the pencil of an artist. The usual qucs-
tions were put to her. She denied the nj.
legations, and asking leave to 20 TO prayer,
knelt in the presence of the court and OF.
fered up fervent supplication. When she
had concluded. the magistrate said: 1--WE
,lo not send for you to 60 to prayer, but tell
me why you hurt these children" 81 am
nn innocent person. ] never had anything
TO do with wilchcraf since wns born. j
nm gospel woman" The girls go into
fits and declare that Goodey Coyey J. pinch.
ing them, and nre not restored till they
touch tho person OF tho accused. These
proceedings wep enacted at every trial.
This pious woman regarded the whole
thing us a dcluson. md to the question,
"Do You not see Thar these children COM
plain of you?' replied, "The Lori open
the eyes Of the magistrates aud ministers =
She was hung September %, 1902.
There was no possibility Of making a
defence at any of these trials, for evidence
such us wus received could be manufacture.
ai to any extent. a lifelong reconl Of pie.
~ and virtue went for nothing. and mn init.
nation that the court aud Witnesses were
acting under deiu.ion or something