Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-11-30
F0RET0LDIN DREAMS
REMARKABLE INSTANCES or THE
SUPERNATURAL IN CRIME.
Authenticity of Miraculous Interpretation
60 Convict the Guilty and Protect tho
neutrality-suspicious.
81 Lonls Glohe.pemocrn,

tcenth centuries contain numerous
references 10 supernatural occurrences
in court and on the soafTold. Ono Of
the most remarkable records Of this kind
is connected with murder trial which
took place in England carly in the reign
OF tho first Charles. SirJobn Maynard,
one OF the first lawyers OF the century.
is the authority for the supernatural
events Of the trial and in his quaint pre-
face 10 his notes he saws he Thought
good TO report the evidence which was
given. which many did hear, that the
memory thereof might not be lost by
miscarriage Of papers or otherwise
One JOhan Norkett, a farmers wife.
had died, and at the coroner's inquest
evidence was given proving that the
voman's throat had been cut from
ear 20 oar. At first the jury favored a
verdict of fcl0 ne 81. and the body was
inferred but rumOrs became general
pointing TO soul play, aud the body was
exhumed Thirty days after the death
The jury assembled before tho body, and
four suspected persons were brought IN.
The only evidence against the prisoners
was that they had slept in an adjoining
room, snd that no one had passed that
room therefore, If she did not muir
der herself, they must be the murder
ers. What took place at the re-
markable pOsf-mOricm inquiry may
best bo described in the words Of n
witness ut the subsequent trial, who was
described as can ancient and grave per-
son. minister 10 tine parish whore this
murder was committed" This estima-
blo gentleman said They the prison
ersl did touch the dead body, where
upon the brow OF the dead,
which was before hyid and
carton color began to have dew
or gentle sweat arise upon 1t, which IN
creased by degrees til the sweat ran
down in drops upon the face, the brow
turned and changed 10 q lively color,
and the dead opened and shut one OF
her ewes and shut II again, which she did
three several times She likewise thrust
out the ring, or marriago-fnger three
times and pulled IT in again, and the
finger dropped blood on the floor.
Naturally enough, such remarkable evil
dcnce rs this Was received with some
suspicion by the Court although the
witness, 20 again quote SIR John May
nard, "was reverend person, about
seventy years OF age, as could be guess
ell. Fis testimony was delivered grave
~ and tcmperatcly, but % the great al
Tniration OF the auditory Ample con-
iirmation OF an obviously impartial char
acter was. however, forthcoming, and
I. - ..fn.,.r.l e. Inrplr
80 much so that tho prisoners were con-
victed, and two Of thom suffered death
AZ the hand Of the common hangman.
Neither Of the victims. one OF whom
was an aged woman, could ever he pre-
vailed upOn 10 confess any completely IN
the crime.
THE HTD-BARY MURDER
OF much moro recent date was
Tho record OF the "Red-Bam Muir
der" remarkable for the fact
that the murderer was discover
cd through tho means of information
impaired in a dream. The victim OF the
murder WIS rustic beauty, named
Maria Marten, who was a source of per
petual jealousy among the young men
in village near the English cast coast.
Maria's father was q mole-catchcr, but
the girl was educated beyond tho ave-
rage of village maidens. Her first ac-
cepted lover was n Tich young man
named John Gordon. who led the
girl from the paths Of virtue and
thenabandoncdh her. a still more wealthy
suitor appeared, who, In turn, was dis
placed by William Gordon, brother OF
John. Under promise Of marriage Miss
Marten was again led astray, and when
she found herself soon to become a
mother she importuned her betrayer 10
fulfll his promise. Corden tired OF
this and going to the house one even
ing arranged with great detail TO run of
with the girl To q neighboring city,
where thov were to be secretly married.
The Girl gladly consented, and agreed
10 meet her lover at red barn on her
mothers farm. Gordon met her there,
and in accordance with prearranged
scheme shot and buried her.
lie then disappeared, returning alter
few days and explaining to the mole
catcher that the marriage had taken
place, and that his bride was IN lodgings
at Ipswich. Months passed away, the
barn under which the body lay was filled
with grain. aud vet no tidings came from
Maria Young Corden, however, eX-
planned that she had hurt her right
hand and could not write. He subse-
uuenuy left the neighborhoOd. one
night Mrs. Marten dreamt that her
daughter had been murdered by Gordon,
and that the body was inferred under
the barn. The dream was repeated
so frequently that she repeated II to
The mole-catchor, who, after many re-
fusals and much udicule, finally went to
the barn, got the grain removed, and
commenced 10 dig at the spot indicated
in the dream. Tho body was imme-
dia.ely discovered and identified. Sus-
picion, of course, pointed TO Gordon.
who was traced 10 London. where he had
married a schoolmistress and was living
on her earnings. He was arrested, con-
victed, and executed. 1t is remarkable
proof OF the truth OF this story that Mrs.
Marten applied 10 justice Of the peace
for warrant against Gordon three
months before she converted her skeptl-
ca husband 10 q belief in her dream.
DREAM WARNING.
in l751 an Irish murderer was con-
vieted largely upon dream evidence. \
Waterford publican, named Rogers,
dreamt one night that he saw man
murder another man on a green spot
on the summit Of an adjoining noun
tam. He was able next day 70 describe
both men with perfect accuracy, and
did 40 10 many Of his friends One Of
the men was exceptionally strong,
the other weak and puny, but 1t was
the latter who in the vision committed
the murder. Rogers persuaded the
parish priest TO accompany him to the
spot. which be found without difficulty,
but where there seemed to be no traces
of murder or struggle. Hence
Rogers got rather laughed at. Next
day, however, two men entered the sa-
loon, and Mrs Rogers at once recog-