The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-06-01
From tho Baltimore sun,
Great rails Of History.
TRIAL or ANN TURNER.


In tho carly part OF tho seventeenth
century superstition ran riot among
ah Glasses in England and not only
was tho ignorant class susceptible. but
the great men ana tho court ladies en-
tertained most remarkable ideas re-
gardins love potions nnd the like. Il
was one Of the many singular fallnciea
of the reign OF james /.
The chief pricstcEs who distributed
indulgence ~ This time was Ann Tur-
ncr, who was known az the white
witch she Is said 10 have been i
woman Of remarkable beauty, and II
was through this reason that sho was
ab!c so completely TO carry out her
work among q large number OF follow
"rs Ann protcsacd, among other arts,
10 understand how TO preserve youth.
10 hindle love anu TO chill desire.
one Of AIMS chief patrons was Lady
Esse%. From the 'AVhite Witch" Lady
Essen secured one philter 10 chill her
hushand's love and another TO warm
mo iaan she w!shcd 10 call her lover
the Earl OF Rochester. Lady Essex had
scant need for sorccry. tor Rochester
fell an easy prey 10 her charms
Sir Thomas ovcrbury. who had h!th
erto concurrcd with Rochester and
aided him in his a,nours, now opposed
the marriage scheme. Wien the cour-
tcsh heard OF Cverbury's objections she
resolved 10 destroy him, She tried
various means 10 accomplish this. and
iinally was able to secure Mrs. Turner
10 compound q poison that could 10
administered ia small doses. with tho
result that after several months over.
bury died The rcHult OF this dcath
caused the arrcs, or Mrs. Turner. her
man Weston. and tho upothecary
FRANKLIN. VINO had sold tho drug.
The King Was forced 10 appoint 4
commission OF inquiry into the poets
death, and he named the following.
Eilsmcrc. LennoN, Couch and Coke. ana
their meetings were held in tho Lord
IhanecIlor's residence, York House. ~
which the accused were summoned.
Weston told the story OF tho crime
Ere long Mrs. Turner and Franklin
confessed their quit. Tho "Whito
witch turned over the paraphernalia
with which sho work ed-tho roll OF
devils, the scarf OF white crosses, tho
bundle OF waNcn dolls and tho scrap
OF human skin.
At tho trial Mrs. Turner was com.
PEELED 10 expose rho nofarious business
which she had worked with such cx-
ccHent pront. She was compelled 10
lay bare the history OF her life. and In
doing so named the large number Of
gentlemen and ladies who had consult
cd her In various ways. This comics
sion sealed tho fate of many OF them
and resulted IN tho Earl and Countess
OF Somerset heinG imprisoned for son,s
years in tho Tower.
mo criminals were executed at Ty-
burn. When Mrs. Turner appearcd in
hcr yellow bands and powdered bair
before tho mighty crowd, many OF them
"cpt FOR the beautiful though faded
creature who knew the secret wavs ~
al human hearts. She stood on til.
eal!owh rnring 1T the world she wa.
about TO leave, and calling down nro
n GOV a.
midst OF sin and shame
The Earl and Lady Somersets trinl
occurred later, on MAY "a. 1916. 1t was
Il great day In London. All priyato
business was suspended for a time: tho
shops were closed and thu parks d.-
serted. Tho execution OF Mrs. Turner
had occurred on November Is, lGl5.
Mrs. Turner had made herself "a
nous in the fashionable world M tina
invcntress OF a yellow starch. and. In
aIluston TO this circumstance. Lord
chief Justice Coke. who, in summing
up up, mad accused her OF being guilty OF
the seven deadly sins. also declared
that she was tho inventor of yellow
starched rufs and cuffs. and that n,
would be tho last by whom they wound
be worn.
The Chief Justice also gave str,o,
orders ihaf Mrs Turner should III
hanged In that attire which she bad
rendered fashionabic This addition -
the sentence was fully carried out: and
IN" iair demon. on tho day OF her exc.
cution. came TO tho scaffold arraycd as
II for some festive occasion.
Numerous persons OF quality, ladies'
rs wcll as gentlemen. went In their
coaches TO Tyburn to SEQ tho last
or Mrs. Turner. 1t is needless IA
say that the yellow run was never mo.s
worn from that day. The reason n,
signed FOR the light punishment given
10 tho Earl and Countess OF Somersc,
seems TO have been brought about ~
fear from tho King, who dreaded tha
revelation by his former fayorIta oft
some discreditable secret.