Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1906-09-03
said their husbands praised her too
much and she had turned their heads

said their husbands praised her too
much and she had turned their heads
with her Witchcraft. III 55f#
They acknowledged, however, that
the brown eyes of Grace Sherwood
cleaned upon them with tenderest
sympathy whenever they were sick
or in trouble. Yet still they declared
that this was done only in. order to
harm them I 1ss8 y .5 E .,55 "
Grace Sherwood was tried on
charges brought by her neighbors,
Luke Hill and wife. They charged
that she had brought through sorcery
distemper upon their cattle. She
was arrested and confined in the old
Jail of Princess Anne county, which is
still standing. The justices of the
court which tried her were Colonel
Moseley Lieut.. Colonel Thorrowg
John Richason, John Cornick, Captain
Chapman and Captain Hancock. She
was arrested on January 8, 1905.
After a month of discussion the court
ordered that Luke Hill should pay
the costs of the trial and that Grace
Sherwood should be tried by jury of
women. Eliza Barnes was forewoman
OF this jury. Other members of the
jury were Sarah Norris, Margaret
Watkins, Hannah Dimis, Sarah Good
aerd, Mary Burgess, Sarah Sergeant,
Winifred Davis, Ursula Henly, Anna
Brights, Exable. Waplies and Mary
Cotle. They promptly decided that
she was a witch.
The case dragged along until July,
when the court rendered the following
remarkable decision: Whereas for
this several courts We. business be-
tween Luke Hill and Grace Sherwood
on suspicion of Witchcraft have been
for several things omitted particular
ly for wanted of a jury to search her
We court being doubtful that they
should not get one to search her and
We court being willing to have all
means tried to either acquit her or
give her more strength to We suspicion
vt she might be dealt with as de-
served therefore it was ordered Us
day by her own consent to be tryed
in We water by duclzing. But ye
weater being soc bad and rainey UT
possibly it might endanger her
health. It is therefore ordr. vt We
Sheriff. be requested to secure We
body Of We said Grace till We time be
forthcoming for her to be dealth
with"
Nearly year later Grace Sher-
wood, the weather being clear, was
taken to John Harper's plantation on
the bank of the Lynnhaven river.
People went in great numbers from
Norfolk, from the plantations on
Sewell's Point nearby, where will be
held next year the Jamestown Ter.
Centennial Exposition, from Old Point
and from Newport News. I~:, = 81 = w y.
In the presence of this multitude
the sheriff, the justices Of the court
and the jury OF women, Grace sher
wood still stately, still beautiful des
pite all her sufferings, was repeatedly
ducked. The spot is to this day
known as s'Witch's Duck" After this
she was taken back to prison and kept
there for many months. Finally she
was released. ~ .'s =
The legends of Princess Anne coun
ity recite impossible stories of Grace
Sherwood's life. These legends sci
forth that she was thrown into Lynn
haven river, near the present site Of
| the Jamestown Exposition. On this
occasion, it is said, her hands were
Itied and a milestone was fastened
about her neck. Almost instantly
/ legends tell, she came up to the sur
Iface with the milestone still about hel
neck but with her hands free. Witt
the stone still fast to her neck sht
4 reached the other shore none The
worse for her terrible experience
/ This is cited as conclusive proof d
4 her having been witch. I.
On another occasion she Is said tt
have visited a brig which was lying il
4 Hampton Roads with only the cook OF
Il board. She ordered this person t,
4 take her to England, saying she ha,
. been treated cruelty in this eountr,
and wished TO leave. He replied tina
4 he was unable to hoist the sails, no
to speak OF other details of navigation
At this, according to the story tfl
q cook. has handed down to posterity
she ordered him to so Into the cabir
q When she ordered him on deck agai
a few hours later, the ship was entel
Il Ing Portsmouth Iarbor in England
The sails moved In obedience to be
J command without the medium I
tbrawny arms to pull on brace Q
i sheet.
Indeed after her death there wa