The National Register. — 1809-04-02 (London, England)

MARY BATEMAV, THE SORCER ESS.—This devoted and profligate creature, was a follower of the principles of Joanna; —only improvieg deception into robbstry, barbarity, and murder ! She affected the visions—the trances—the second-sight of that wretched sect ;—large bodies of w horn from Leeds attended the execution ; the more simple part of whom really imagined that some miracle would be worked in her favour, and that she would fly off the scaffold in a cloud or on a broom, and be saved by the interposition of Ilebven! Jack Ketch, however, was of a different opinion, and his opinion prevailed ; his tether was too tightly tied against any attempts of her supposed assisting Angels. Notwithstanding all the prayers and exhortations of the Clergyman, she obstinately persisted in denying that she had poisoned the woman for whom she suffered, and died extremely hardened and unrepenting ; thus quitting, after foul and delibe.. rate murder, the last brink of time, with au obdurate lie hanging on her quivering and distorted lips ! It is a curious matter to state, that so ingrained and assimilated to her disposition had become Ahoy Bateman's taste for plunder and witchcraft, that from the poor woman who had attended on herself and child in prison, she contrived to steal a guinea, by telling the woman's fortune and making the stars favourable to her in a sweetheart. She carried on this religious mummery to the last, and the gallows only stopped her taste and her insight into futurity. When it is considered that this wretch by the same means and by a complete knowledge of poisons, had before destroyed the lives of two innocent women, whom she robbed of every thing they had, and that had Perigo died as well as his wife, this would have been the fourth life a victim to her infernal arts, we trust it will prove a salutary and dreadful lesson to those who are attempting to mislead the understandings of the poor by these fanatical flights—by visions— second-sight—trances and stealings—and all the mummery of such abandoned schools as those of Joanna, &c. who are march. ing through piety into the pocket, and making religion a stalk.. ing-horse for plunder. The child which had been sucking for a year past, at her breast was taken from her, some little time before her exectbs tion. Dreadful to tell ! she gave it up, without a pang !! she parted from it, without one emotion !!! A F racTIN C ssir ASTRO oft E.—We have a mnst painful duty to discharge in recording the very dreadful transaction which has involved the family of Sir Steukley Shuckburg, Bart. of Upper Shuckb in the county of Warwick, and the family of Lieut. Sharpe, of the Bedford Militia, in the deepest distress. Lieut. Sharpe having paid his addresses to M iss Shuckhurg, which were disapproved by the family, formed (if he should be disappointed in obtaining the object of his affections), the horrid detertnina. lion of putting a period to his own, and her existence, which he carried into etrect on Sunday morning last, in the plantations of Shuckhurg Park. They were overheard in earnest discourse by the butler, as if l.ieut. Sharpe was persuading her to elope with him ; and, as Miss Shnckburg uttered the words " No, no, no !" he immediately heard the report of a pistol, which, in" a feiv .4.conds was succeeded by another, and they were instantly lifeless ! !—After a most deliberate investigation of all the circum-, stances of this most adecting and ass fu; event, before John Tomes, Esq. and a respectable Jury, and the Rev. Mr. Bronas field, a :Magistrate of the county, a verdict of Lunacy was given respecting Lieut. Sharpe, and that Miss Shockburg died b.v his hand. Lieut. Sharpe had been occasionally for some weeks preceding in a state of mental derangement, and in coutinement