The Cock Lane ghost trial
On 10 July 1762 five people stood trial at the Guildhall in London, on a conspiracy charge brought by William Kent, over the Cock Lane ghost affair.
The Cock Lane ghost trial took place at the Guildhall in London on 10 July 1762, with Lord Chief Justice William Murray presiding. Wikipedia says proceedings began at 10 am before a crowded courtroom. William Kent brought the case against the defendants. The charge was a plot against his life, carried out by accusing him of murdering Frances Lynes with poison. Kent testified against the five defendants.
The Skeptic names the defendants: Mary Frazer, Richard Parsons, Mrs Parsons, Richard James and the Reverend John Moore. Frazer acted as medium at Cock Lane. James was behind prejudicial additions to the Public Ledger. In the twentieth century the author Colin Wilson, a believer in psychic phenomena, described the Cock Lane ghost as a poltergeist. He criticised the judges at the trial for declining to take neighbours' testimony about knocking sounds seriously.
"The trial of all five was held at the Guild Hall in London on 10 July 1762. Presiding over the case was Lord Chief Justice William Murray. Proceedings began at 10 am, "brought by William Kent against the above defendants for a conspiracy to take away his life by charging him with the murder of Frances Lynes by giving her poison whereof she died". The courtroom was crowded with spectators, who watched as Kent gave evidence against those in the dock."
- Scratching Fanny: the accusant ghost of Cock Lane, The Skeptic
- Cock Lane Ghost, Psi Encyclopedia, Society for Psychical Research