o go down into the vault. He went with several others, and
summoned the ghost to answer whether he had indeed poisoned her. There
being no answer, the question was put by Mr. Aldritch, who conjured it,
if it were indeed a spirit, to end their doubts-make a sign of its
presence, and point out the guilty person. There being still no answer
for the space of half an hour, during which time all these boobies
waited with the most praiseworthy perseverance, they returned to the
house of Mr. Aldritch, and ordered the girl to get up and dress
herself. She was strictly examined, but persisted in her statement that
she used no deception, and that the ghost had really appeared to her.

So many persons had, by their openly expressed belief of the reality of
the visitation, identified themselves with it, that Parsons and his
family were far from being the only persons interested in the
continuance of the delusion. The result of the experiment convinced
most people; but these were not to be convinced by any evidence,
however positive, and they, therefore, spread abroad the rumour, that
the ghost had not appeared in the vault because Mr. Kent had taken care
beforehand to have the coffin removed. That gentleman, whose position
was a very painful one, immediately procured competent witnesses, in
whose presence the vault was entered and the coffin of poor Fanny
opened. Their deposition was then published; and Mr. Kent indicted
Parsons and his wife, his daughter, Mary Frazer the servant, the
Reverend Mr. Moor, and a tradesman, two of the most prominent patrons
of the deception, for a conspiracy. The trial came on in the Court of
King's Bench, on the 10th of July, before Lord Chief-Justice Mansfield,
when, after an investigation which lasted twelve hours, the whole of
the conspirators were found guilty. The Reverend Mr. Moor and his
friend were severely reprimanded in open court, and recommended to make
some pecuniary compensation to the prosecutor for the aspersions they
had been instrumental in throwing upon his character. Parsons was
sentenced to stand three times in the pillory, and to be imprisoned for
two years: his wife to one year's, and his servant to six months'
imprisonment in the Bridewell. A printer, who had been employed by them
to publish an account of the proceedings for their profit, was also
fined fifty pounds, and discharged.

The precise manner in which the deception was carried on has never been
explained. The knockin