“ILL-WISHED"

Evening Star, Issue 19662, 15 September 1927, Page 14

“ILL-WISHED"

GIPSY SWINDLES CREDULOUS OLD MAN. A story of an old man’s credulity was told at Truro (Cornwall) when Mary Hearn, a gipsy, was charged with demanding £l7l 10s with menaces from Richard Harris Paddy, aged seventy-five, a gardener of St. Mawes. It was stated that tho woman, who is sixty-four, told Paddy that ho had been “ ill-wished,” and lie handed over to her about £SOO in all, in tbo belief that she could remove the effect of the “ ill-wishing.” She used to place what she called an electric compass in Her hand, strike it and say “Jupiter, Vein" - .,” _or somethink like it. On one occasion she ordered him to draw £4O from tho bank. He did so and gave it to her, and next week successfully demanded a similar sum. She had money almost weekly, and once told him it was difficult to remove tho “ ill-wish ” because it was so bad and so long ago. His health failed, and under pressure he told his employer what was the matter. The police afterwards hid themselves and listened to a conversation between the couple, and jumping over a hedge arrested the woman as she was receiving £2 from Paddy. Tho woman was committed for trial.