The Sun. — 1850-09-21 (London, England)

WITCHCRAFT IN TIPPERARY. The following most extraordinary instance of Irish superstition has just occurred in the town of Roscrea. The facts are as follows :—A poor little girl, aged six years, named Mary Anne Kelly, daughter of Thomas Kelly, a resident of this town, has been for six months past in a dying gate, under the care of the dispensary physician. An old hag, who professed to be one of those rare characters a " fairy woman," persuaded the parents of the child that it was " fairy struck," and offered to cure her if they would comply with her directions. To these terms they agreed. The child was to be placed on a shovel at night in the open air, in the name of the D—l, after having a prayer or invocation in the same name said over it. In the course of the night the mother was to say to her, " Mary Anne, if you are able to come in, do so." This was done for three nights in succession, on the last of which the child died, a victim to the credulity of its father and mother. While enduring the cold of the nights the cries of the little sufferer were most piteous ; and who can but wonder that a woman, and that woman a mother, should not be softened y the distressing cries of the child of her bosom, who was an idiot, had been born blind, and, although six years of age, had never walked ? On Sunday last Mr. O'Mesgher, coroner, held an inquest on the body of the child. The following persons ware sworn on the jury, namely, John Delany (foreman), W. Corcoran, Michael Doherty, Patrick Cahill, Richard Quin, Thomas Healey, John Corcoran, Jeremiah Maher, W. Saunders, Joseph Glennon, J.imes Phelan, jun., and Solomon B. Matthews. Bridget Pesters, the " fairy doctress," and Mary Kt-ffy, the mother of the deceased, were present in the custody of the police. The first witness produced was Mary Maher, who stated that the "fairy woman " administered herbs in milk to the child, and said that it did nut belong to Mbry Kelly, as it was a fairy. Mary Kelp's own child she represented as having been taken away by the "good people ;" she also stated that she would either "kill or cure" the child. She blistered the child, and steeped it in water, after which she put the child out cn the shovel in the air for three nights. The child cried and called to its mother to bring her in. The "fairy woman" used to say to the child, " Mary Anne, get up and come in." The mother and she helped the child in. The " doctress" said that on the last night the child would be very black as there would be some faries beating it; and that she would either live or die after it. The witness also added, that " the witch" had been in the house of the mother of the child for several weeks for the purpose, and that she heard Mary Kelly, the mother, say to the doctress, " Why don't you do it quick ?" On the third night the witness, who was a servant in the house, was ordered to put out the child on a shovel, and, having refused to do so, she was discharged. Another woman, named Mary Whitford, deposed that she heard Bridget Peters, "the fairy woman," say that she had stupifled the child three times, and had given her verbena and foxglove. Surgeon Pow ell deposed that he knew the deceased child, who had an affection of the brain and was very delicate. Ile was of opinion that death was caused by the treatment of Bridget Peters and Mary Kelly. The Coroner charged the jury, who returned a verdict of "Manslaughter" against both prisoners, who were then committed to gaol to abide their trial at the next assizes at Nenagh.  ome years since the master tailor of a battalion of Lhe Foreign Legion and his wife and child were found murdered in their bed in the barracks at Pau. Two sub-officers of the regiment were tried for murder, one of whom was acquitted, amt the other, notwiths. ending his protestations of innocence, condemned and executed. An old cantinie of the regiment, has lately, it is said, made some revelations on her death-bed relative to the said murder, which completely prove the innocence of the sergeant who was executed, and seriously compromise other individuals.