The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-11-03
A WITCH TRIAL.
A Pennsylvnnia Woman Accused of
Prncticing Witchcraft.
From the Philadelphia Press.

From the Philadelphia Press.
Lancaster, Pa, Oct 30-A case of alleged
witchcraft and fortune telling was tried
in court to-day. Mrs. Fanny Cosgrove,
a middle-aged woman, Tesiding in this
city, was tried for forttfnestelling, the in
dictment reading that the defendant "for
gain an lucre did predict future events
by cards, tokens, etc, and put spell
upon one John Herr" The prosecutor
was Abram Herr, a young man, nephew
of John Herr, who was supposed to be
under 1.-THE influence" The Heirs live at
Bird-at-Hand, this county, and are quite
wealthy people.
Abram Herr, the prosecutor. swore that
his father, Jacob Herr, received a letter
from party in Lancaster and the father
and son, in response, visited Mrs. Cos
groves house, on East Fulton street, this
city. Mrs. CosgrOve told them, accord
ing to Abram Herr that John Herr had
visited her and promised to pay her big
money to work against witness father,
Jacob Herr. Abram Herr then continued:
1--WE gave her a half-dollar and she said
for S2.75 she would turn reel and make
fathers enemies come to the house and
confess. She said she and John Herr were
on fathers place at night. She said the
horse was ruined, which was true She
said the object was to kill father and
ruin his stock. She said that she had
given quicksilver to parties TO put in
the well. She said We would have lots of
bad luck with the live stock"
Jacob Herr, the father of Abram, then
took the stand. Testifying as to his visit
to Mrs. Cosgrove's house, he said the
trouble. Two are working against you.
Your brother paid big money for work
against you Your money for work against
you.
Samuel bosch. who accompanied the
Hers to Mrs. Cosgrove's house, testified
to the methods of the defendant. 'She
cut the cards ond told Abe Herr to think
of what he would like to know and she
would tell him what it was. She said
Jacob and his son were bewitched. Lots
of harm had been done to Abe's father
and the stock His enemies tried to kill
| Jacob Herr, she stated, and declared they
would yet kill him. She told us she had
given John Herr some quicksilver to
throw in the well to make it dry"
For the defense Mrs. CosgrOVe made
general denial. She said she never. told
fortunes, didn't know one card from an
other, and did not write the letter re-
ceived by Jacob Herr, as she could Meth
er read nor write. She also denied hav-
nesses for the prosecution. Neighbors of
Mrs CosgTove testified that they had
never seen strangers at her house and
never heard of her telling fortunes.
John Herr, the man who was supposed
to be under the influence of Mrs. Cos
groves alleged mysterious power, was
called to testify, but he did not respond
and what promised to be a particularly in
teresting feature of the trial did not ma
terialze.
jury, said that while the case aroused the
risibilities of lawyers and the audience.
it was a serious matter-so serious in
fact, that the legislature of Pennsylvania
has made law against it-and the jury
must so consider it.
After nearly three hours deliberation
the jury rendered a verdict of not guilty.
but imposed the costs on the defendant