The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1877-12-11
Vol. 15.---NO. 81.
Juliana Cox-The Witch.
Hartford Conn /, Times. /

Hartford Conn Times.
A friend in Glastonbury sends ~ the
following account which had been cnt 0ut
Of the Times away back in 1873, and
pasted in an old scrap book. Juliana Cox
we rejoice to believe, was the only witch
that was ever hanged in Connec lieut. and
1t is matter OF regret tbat even ono cass
Of superstition and shame ean be brought
up against the good old state. The placs
Of the execution, on Gallows Hill In this
city, is now known as the commanding
trap-rock ridge by the stone pits
This Ia the account:
In the beautiful town OF Glastonbury,
Conn.,. the following remarkable event
occurred In LISA. Ii March OF that year
one Julius Perry went out with his dDKs
to hunt. In The depths Of the iorrest b.
discovered las be allegcd) an old gray
fox, and bis dogs gave chase. After
chasing the fox upwards Of Two miles.
the animal was holed. When Mr. Perry
came up he heard strange noise over
the other side OF the hole, and going 70
the spot he there found Juliana Cox lying
aud painting for breath Her LEFT should
er was bleeding and had on it mafks OF
the dogs teeth. This was just the spot
on the gray fox's shoulder where the dog
had seized hold. Upon this testimony
Miss Cox. y maiden Indy Of furty-four.
was brought to trial for the capital Of
fence Of being n witch. On her arrainx-
lnent she plead not guilty, ard it was d..
teimincd that committee OF the select
men should examine her person for witch
marks, In order to introduce conhrinatO
ny proofs against her She was therefore
remanded 10 prison. The following per
sons were appointed on the committrs:
Eben Brewer, Aicxas Jones and Samuel
Cutworth. These msn proceeded 1t once
to the prison. and, stripping Miss Cox.
they began their examination. For
time exceeding M hour they could find
no marks, and Miss Cox submitted u
their examination with tears aud saha
Finally, when they had picked many pla-
ces on her body without success, she oun-
fesscd to two marks--one \ little below
the right hip and one on the left arm.
The committee now +,ucane satisfied that
these were true marks. ~ the nesh there
on was discolorcd in slight degree
They thereupon made their report to the
court appointed TO hear the trial.
The evidence, confirming Tint Of Mr..
Perry, WAS thought to be conclusive, and
and on the 81 OF April the trial took
place. II was thought unnecessary to r.
sort to further tests, and Miss Cox WIS
found guilty of wtchcfaft on the evi-
dencc already quoted and santenced 10
be hanged. Strange noises and dcmona
haunted the Jail At Hartford up 10 the
trf 81 PHI akn9U iti1rassliela Sax,aR.atke
There was large concourse Of men and
women attending her execution and d.
though she declared that she was unjust
~ accused, and that she confessed 10 the
witch-marks 70 stop the pain Of bciny
pricked 50 cruelty BY the committ00 men,
yet every person present believed her 10
DO . true witch and IN league with the
devil. She further declared that Julius
Perry accused her wrongfully. She said
she was IN the forrest gathering herbs.
and that Julius Perry came along and
would have his will Of her; that, she
constantly refusing, he set bis dog upon
her and the animal bit her shoulder, and
thathe. fearing to be detected In this bad
act, had laid the charge Of witchcrafl
against her. This she said under the
gallows Whereupon shout was made
among the people to" burn the witeh,"
as hanging was too easy death for 20
foul strumpet of the devil. While the
people went to fetch wood to burn her,
the sheriff hung her up, 50 that she died
on the gallows before the wood could
be brought.
This account Of Juliana Cox's witch.
craft and death is abridged from the state
ment Of Dinah Jones before commit
tee OF delegates to revise tho laws Of
Connecticut.