Norwich bulletin., 1914-07-06

The principal facts in the case I give as I read them:
 ''Elizabeth Canning, servant girl in London. was permitted to visit a relative on the 1st of January, 1753. She started to return at g in the even- ing, but never came back there A month later she appeared at her mothers house. frightfully emaciated, and this was the oft propounded qre- ry: Where had she been in the inte- rim? If her own story were true, she had been dragged by two men to a house, ten miles off. at Enfield Wash, owned by Mother Wells. a woman of despiceble character. Another woman called Mrs. Squires was with her in the kitchen. Mrs Squires' face was mighty" she said herself never made such another" This hideous old hag asked if Canning would Ego their way" She said No, and they imme- diately seized and confined her in a back room. where she remained un- molested for month She had noth- Ting to eat except some bits of bread and a mince pie, which happened to be in her pocket At the end of a month she tore some boards from a window and escaped Both Mrs. Wells and Mrs Squires were tried upon charge of this deed, and on the 18th of February they were convicted and sentenced to death. However. the case was thought to look suspicious; inquiries were made and a reprfeve obtained. Mrs. Squires said that dur ing the time of Canning's imprison- ment she had been making visits to her son and daughter, in Dorsetshire. This evidence was confirmed, and after several necessary delays Can- ming was tried for perjury and con victed in May, 1753. This was the first criminal trial that was not fin- ished at a single sitting. or course the excitement was intense. Mobs col lected and threatened the witnesses Thirty-fiye witnesses swore that Mrs. Squires was travelling in Dorsetshire during January, 1753, and 20 sWore they had seen her at Enfield Wash How could they account for this fale evidence2 One set of witnesses tesu- fled falsely, but which one we can never know
 Some of us ask how the original story, if 1t were false, suggested itself to the servant Cannings mindg Sne did not mention any names when she came back. simply stating that she had been confined in some unkown house One of her friends said 1t must have been Mother Wells She ac- cepted the name suggested, and, as we have stated, a warrant was served against Mrs Wells. A crowd went with Canning to identify the place. When they reached the house Mrs. Squires came in with the crowd, ana Canning immediately seized upon this hidious creature as her Ja1ler. ms serves to tell how. step by step. the story was constructed.
 A number of people swore that they had seen old Mrs. Squires at Enfield In January, but in almost all cases she hp af the time (I believe she was a gypsy hucksterl ana had been seen by some bringing pack some work to a shop. It was proved, from the books, that the work was re- ally brought back some days later. One witness called it a perfect "hurly- burly." Every one tried to throw some light upon the subject, and no one could. The change of style had just taken place and there was much confusion between old and new Christmas day. which led several witnesses astray. Many of them could not read and had extremely vague ideas about the calendar.
 If we are all inclined to think Can ming guilty of perjury, yet we are glad to hear she had no previous stain upon her character. Where she was in Jan- uary 1T53, will always remain a mys- tery, but it is easy to suggest reasons why retirement might be convenient, which would be very undesirable eith- CT for her or her friends to reveal We all confess some interest in hearing that when transported to America, she was kindly treated. made a respectable marriage, and, like an ideal heroine in an ideal story book, lived very hap oily ever afterward, and has left de- scendants living at this day, we are informed, who still believe her story or, profess to do so. Voltaire inferred from the case inferority of English To tr Could he think so now. when the whole world is asking where Is the justice of the 18th century in France?
 LUCY B. SAYLES