Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1874-04-27
CIR eat ImDOstures

Society has never oeen fee from impostures
There is always certain class cas- lily led ava,
ty every new fraud. The very novelty which
surrounds sham 10 a source of fascination I,
Ilauy.
II matters not if the fraud be political, socia
of religious, the gullibity OF somo men makel
them an easy prey to it. And SO In all age,
hearty adyo Gates have been found for schemes
and ductrines the farthest removed from com.
mon sense. No doubt there Is great dis
tmcton In inpostures themselves. Some weal
such ALI air of sincerity about them that man,
hpn, st. persons abet them. Others are 20 plain
ly connected with treachery and guile, thai
OILY designing knaves rank themselves upon
their side. But frauds are frauds, whether
sprlnging from sincere motives or foul.
The seventh century will always be remem.
btred by the great religious imposition Of Mo.
hammed. FCr long time lie was servant
Until, an aged woman took fancy 10 him and
give him her heart, hand and purse. Meccs
Knew nothing Of him until he was forty yeal
old, when he began 10 teach his fanatical doc
trines.
| 1 hese 50 enraged his fellow citizens that he
was compelled 10 flee from Medina. Here
from mere enterprlsing fanatic he rose ID be
Judge, law-giver, ruler. Having now dreamed
lle was the Messiah he took up the sword to
enforce faith In him. tie besieged Mecca after
having scourged Arabia, captured Ii, aud was
| proclaimed king. Soon after he died In the
arms OF his flvorite wife, leaving quser relig-
iols system, to-day accepted by about one hun.
died and thirty millions Of people.
| During the reign OF Henry VIII, a strange
| impostor aiose named Elizabeth Barton, alias
| The Holy Maid of Kent Barton was bar
maid. She was subject TO paroxysms and con
tinual incoherent exclamations. The priest:
used her to prophesy according TO their views
Henry had quarreed with the Pope, and thi.
woman lnveighed against his diyorciug Catha-
riile and marrying Anne Boleyn. Having beer
| trsj for treason, and confessed her crime she
ami her accomplces were hanged at Tyburn.
II Is authentictll recorded that lnei like SiI
Thomas More and Archbishop OF Canter-
bury were imposed upon by this same descep-
| tion.
Titus Oates was the most accompi he'd kuavs
OF the seventeeth century. He belonged IL
turn to the Baptist, Anglican aud Jesuit com
munions, but was dismissed from them all il
disgrace. Henceforlh his wit must support
him.
lie then worked the legend that English
PrytestantisR was in danger. According tc
him there was TO be general uprising of the
Catholics, massacre Of Protestants, the burn
ing of the city of London, ths assassination o.
the King, and the invasion of Ireland by che
| French.
Tie became popular hero, receiving 1900
year as pension, and a suite of apartments ir
Whitehall. Many innocent Roman Catholic
gentlemen were bebeaded at his instiga,ion.-
Retrihution, however, overlook him. At The
| Court Of Kings Bench he was convicted ol
| con.pilacy, and sentenced to the pillory and
whipping at the carts tail. Instructions were
given to whip him to death, but his hide wa.
too tough. Feaifully lacerated he was cast in.
TO Prison. But strange tide turned In hii
| faVur. Ills sentence was reversed, and he was
awarded pension of f300, which lie enjoyed
year or two in retirement, and the died In
1701.
| About ITO London was terribly apitated
over the Cock Lane Ghost imposture The
ghost was in the house of one Pal sons In Smith.
field, Uuaccountabls noises and a luminou $
lady were heard and seen. The ghost being
inteirogated, told by rappmgs of the murder Of
a former resident Of the house. The daughter
OF Parsons at last was captured, and under
threats commanded to reproduce the rappings
She lii so while lying in bed, and upon being
searched was fouhd TO have taken u sounding
boarl to bed with her. The ghost bubble was
now exploded, but not until DR.. johnson and
hundreds of otller visitors had become believ.
ers in the spirits reality.
JOANNA Souhcott, the Dovonshire prophet.
sss, was remarkable dec.iver of the Q Ugh
teenth century She was TO be a second Mary
and gave forth predictions the most fictitiou:
In nature. Thousands believed In her. She
gave sealed papers to her followers which would
secure them from all Gods fiery judgments
At last she imagined herself To have svmntom,
Of pregnancy, and gave forth that she was Ia
give birth 10 another Messiah. Her prediction.
were received with reverence. A cradle wa.
prepared for the new shoot, and great sums O
money spent in preparation. In few week.
she died, and posi- mortem examination de-
veloped symptoms of dropsy instead of pregnan
cy. Her followers, however, believed she woul,
rise again, and so waited In hope, Suffice
to say, she has not risen vet. As late az 1s6
there were as many as four Soushcottian con
gregstions In London alone.
. The nineteenth century also has bad its q
gantic frauds.