The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-05-24
DREAMS AND CRIMES
THRILLING MURDER TALES RECORDED
IN OLD LAWBOOKS.

Law reports of the sixteenth and seven
teenth centuries contain numerous refer
ences TO supernatural occurrences in co,,r+
and on the scaffold. One of the most re-
markabe records of this kind is connect
cd with a murder trial which took place
in England early in the reign of the FIRST
Charles Sir John Maynard. one Of tbn
greatest lawyers, is the authority for the
supernatural events of the trial. and in
his quaint preface TO his notes he SAYS he
Thought good to report the evidence
which was given, which many did hear
that the memory thereof might not he
lost by miscarriage of papers or other
wise"
One Iohan Norkett, farmers wife
had died, and ut the coroners inquest evil
iencc was given proving that the WON
ans throat had been cut from ear TO oar
1t first the jury favored a verdict of fclo
de ST, and the body was inferred, bur RI
mors became general pointing to foul
play. and the body was eXhumcd. Tbir-
ty days after the death the Jury assem-
bled before the body and four SUSPECTED
persons were brought in. The only evi-
dence against the prisoners was thar +hev
slept in an adjoining room and that no
one had passed that room: therefore. if
She did not murder herself, they must be
the murdercrs."
What took place at the remarkable post
mortem inquiry may best be described in
the words of 4 witness at the subScuurn+
trial, who was described as IAN ancient
and grave person. minister to the parish
where this murder was committed. This
e-tmable gentleman said: They (thn
prisoners did touch the dead body. where
upon the brow of the dead, which was be-
fore a liyid and carrion color, began to
have a dew or gentle sweat arise upon if.
which increased by degrees till the sweat
ran down in drops upon the face the
brow turned and changed to a lively col.
or, and the dead opened one of her ewes
and shut it again. which she did three
several times. She likewise thrust ont
tho ring or marriage finger three times
and pulled it in again, ana the finger
dropped blood on the floor"
Naturally enough such remarkable evi-
dancc rs this was received with some sus.
ricion by the court, although the witness.
to again quote Sir John Maynard was
4 reverend person about 60 years of ace.
rs could be guessed. His testimony was
delivered gravely and temporarily. but to
the great admiration of the auditory"
Ample confirmation Of an obviously i'm
partial character was, however. forth.
coming, and the Admiration" turned to
horror, SO much so that the prisoners
We're convicted, and two of them suffered
death ut the hand of the common hang
m9u. Neither of the victims, one Of
whom was an aged woman, could ever he
prevailed upon to confess any completely
In the crime.
In l75l an Irish murderer was convict.
ed largely upon dream evidence. 4 Wa
tcrford publican named Rogers dreamed
one night that he saw a man murder an
other man on a green spot on the summit
If an adjoining mountain. He was able
next day to describe both men with per-
feet accuracy, and did so to many of his
friends. One of the men was exception
ALLY strong, the other weak and puny; but
it was the latter who in the vision com
mittcd the murder. Rogers persuaded the
parish priest to accompany him to the
spot which he found without difficulty.
hut where there seemed to be no traces of
a murder or struggle; hence Rogers got
rather laughed at. Next day, however,
two men entered the public house, and
Mrs. Rogers Mt once recognized them
from her husbands description of the
heroes in the vision. Much alarmed, she
fetched her husband, who was also GER
tain they were the two men.
When they rose to leave. Rogers begged
the one he expected to be murdered to re-
main, but without avail. He nearly
tainted with fright after the men had gone
and finally persuaded neighbor to ac-
company him to the green spot on the
tlll, where, sure enough. the tragedy Of
the dream had taken place in reality
HE murderer was tracked and caught.
and Rogers was the principal witness.
His recital of his dream was 50 vivid that
the prisoner at once confessed. adding
that he killed his companion exactly as
forctold in the dream. The weapun used
was 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 times.
In 1901 a woman named Kraeme ap-
peared before a Frankfort justice ami
asked to be sworn. as she had valuable
information about a crime committed in
remote village in Russia, many days
Journey from her German home. The
story She told the justice was this: Ten
wears before her only son had left home.
She heard nothing of him and had no
idea at all where he was living until the
night before. when his spirit appeared to
her and told her what she now nastcned
10 relate. The revelation was that after
ieaNlns home the young man hnd wan
dcred about Europe till he had finally
found permanent work in the VILLAGE OF
hlaf, in Russia. Here he had fallen in
love with serf's daughter who had a
Russian beau On the preceding night
this latter had inveigled the young leu.
ton into the country, where he had stab
Ted him and then concealed the body III
a cave off the highway
The justice knew that his informant
was poor and mad never been outside Of
her native town. and he was So struck
with the vividness of her description OF
victim, aSsailant and location that he for
Wardcd 1t to notary in Kiaf.
Meantime Carl Kraome had been mss
td, and on the receipt of the dream story
the police hunted for the cave, found it
exactly as Iocated and also the body,
with wound corresponding with that de-
scrbed in the vision. The murderer was
at once arrested. and the Widow kraeme
undertook the long journey to ayenge her
sons death. Her recital in court was
vivid in the extreme. and she screamed
with fright when she first saw the pris.
81, 4.
from among a crowd of men in dimly
Lighted COLL Cba oISo i1ontiEnd . no yUnto.