EXTRAORDINAY CASE OF SUPERSTITION.

Evening Star, Issue 3800, 29 April 1875, Page 3

EXTRAORDINAY CASE OF SUPERSTITION.

Thi ‘Bristol Journal’ states :—At Wes-ton-super-Mare Police Court, Hester Adams, a middle-aged woman, was charged with assaulting an old woman named Ma'ia Pring iV'” ad -l acenfc visage of Lvmpshatn, by -tabbing her in he face and hands. Complainant stated that defendant, affer assaulting her, excaimed : “Now I’ve drawn your blood I’m happy.” Defendant : I can prove •fj j 1S an oJd witch, and she have bagudded me and my husband for the past two years. The Bench ; In what way ? Defen dant: She comes to my honse ami groans at me; I have often seen her in the night. The Bench : Do you believe she has an evil eye? Defendant: I know she is an old witch. The Bench : What do you mean by calling her a witch ? Defendant; Why an evil spirit. The Bench: Why do you not ake the advice of the l-’ev. Prebendary Stephenson, your vicar, on the matter, as he would dissuade you from such foolish notions? Defendant: Mr Stephenson believes it too, but don’t know what to do with her. Thomas Cook, farmer, said he was passing complainant’s cottage, when he siw the two women struggling together, and heard defendant exclaim, ** 1 don’t care now I’ve drawn blood from her.”—The Bench (to defendant!: What docs the complainant do to injure yen ?—Defendant; I bad no rest night or day before X scratched her, and n >w my husl asd is troubl d by her.—The Bench : What do you mean by hig-ridiug ?—Defendant . A person that comes and terrilies others by night.—The Bench : Have you been troubled by her since you drew her blood ? -Defendant: Not so much, but my husband is, and I’ll draw it again for her if she does not leave me alone. The Bench • We will stop you from doing that for some time to come.—Defendant; Complainant said she wished she had a good stick for me. The Bench : Which would have served you right.—Defendant : I have been obliged to leave T-ympsham because she terrified me so.-The Bench : Do you see her when she terrifies you ? Defendant : Yes, I have seen her many times at night, but she does nob come bodify.-The Bench : How. then ? —Defendant : Why, spiritual'y. (Laughter.) ihe Bench : It is a sad state of thin ns to believe m such superstition as you do in the nineteenth century.—The Clerk : How does the complainant appear to you V—Defendant : In a nasty, evil, spiritual way, making a nasty noise. The Bench imposed a fine of Is, for the assault, and bound defeudaut over to be of good behavior for one month, for (using the threats she had in court.