Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-01-09
DREAMS AS EVIDENCE.
THRILLING MURDER TALES RECORD
ED IN THE OLD LAW BOOKS.

Peculiar Actions of a Disinterred Corpse.
One Man Dreams OF a Crime Before 1t
Is Committed-A Mother Sees Her Son
Killed and Avcnges His Death.
Law reports of the Sixteenth and Seven
tenth centuries contain numerous refer
ences TO supernatural occurrences in court
and on the scaffold. One of the most re-
markable records of this kind is connected
with murder trial which took place in
England early in the reign of the first
Charles. Sir John Maynard, one of the
first lawyers of the century, is the author
ity for the supernatural events of the trial,
and in his quaint preface to his notes he
says he Thought good TO report the evil
dence which was given, which many did
hear, that the memory thereof might not
be lost by miscarriage OF papers or other
wise"
One Johan Norkett, a farmers wife, had
died, and at the coroner's inquest evidence
was given proving that the woman's throat
had been cut from ear 70 ear. At first the
jury favored n verdict of felo de Sc, and the
body was inferred; but rumors became
general pointing to foul play, and the body
was exhumed Thirty days after the death
the jury assembled before the body. and
four suspected persons were brought in.
The only evidence against the prisoners
was that they slept in an adjoining room.
and that no one had passed that room;
therefore, il she did not murder herself,
they must be the murderers."
QUEER ACTIONS OF A CORPSE.
What took place mt the remarkable post
morton inquiry may best be described in
the words of "A witness at the subsequent
trial, who was described as ian ancient
and grave person, minister 20 the parish
where this murder was committed" This
estimable gentleman said: "They (the
prisoners) did touch the dead body, where
upon the brow Of the dead, which was be-
fore a livid and Carrion color, began to
have a dew or gentle sweat arise upon il,
which increased by degrees till the sweet
ran down in drops upon the face, the brow
turned and changed to a lively color, and
the dead opened one of her eyes and shut
il again, which she did three several times.
She likewise thrust out the ring or mar
riare finger three times, and pulled it in
again, ami the finger dropped blood on the
floor"
Naturally enough such remarkable evil
denco as this was received with some sus-
picion by the court, although the wit
II.
twas n reverend person about co years OF
age, as could be guessed. His testimony
was delivered gravely and temperately. but
60 the great admiration of the auditory"
Ample confirmation Of an obviously i'm
partial character was, however. forthcom-
ing, and the admiration turned to hor-
ror, so much 50 that the prisoners were
convicted, and two Of them suffered death
at the hand Of the common hangman.
Neither OF the victims, one of whom was an
aged woman, could ever be prevailed upon
To confess any completely in the crime.
SAW THE CRIME ~ A DREAM
In l1Il an Irish murderer was convicted
largely upon dream evidence A Water
ford publican named Rogers dreamed one
night that NE saw a man murder another
man on "a green spot on the summit of an
adjoining mountain. He was able next
day 20 describe both men with perfect &C
curacy, and did so TO many of his friends
One Of the men was exceptionally strong.
the other weak and puny: but il was he
latter who, ia the vision, committed the
murder Rogers persuaded the parish
priest 90 accompany him 10 the spot, which
he found without difficulty, but where
there seemed TO be no traces of a murder
or a struggle. Hence Rogers got rather
laughed az. Next day, however. two men
entered the public house. and Mrs. Rogers
at once recognized them from her husbands
description Cs the heroes in the vision.
Much alarmed she fetched her husband,
who was also certain they were the two
men
When they rose to leave Rogers begged
the one he expected 10 be murdered to re-
main, hut without avail He nearly faint
ell with ri gnt after the men had left. aud
finally persuaded a neighbor to accompany
him 10 the green spot on the hill, where.
sure enough, the tragedy Of the dream had
taken place ia reality. The murderer was
tracked and caught, and Rogers was the
principal witness. His recital Of his dream
was 50 vivid that the prisoner ~ once con
fessed, adding that he killed his compap-
ion exactly rs ioretoid in the dream. The
weapon used was a knife. and as eight
stabs were seen hy Rogers in his dream. so
the murderer admitted that he drove his
knife up To the handle in his companions
body exactly that number Of fir,a-
A ~ - 49,