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Amongst the articles on view were three crosses, a large black one and two brown ones smaller in size on each side. There were four switching rods of electric wire, yabbas, glasses, blue bottles and black bottles, baskets and bags; crow bars and iron bars covered with red and black cloth; steel swords and shepherd's rod; icy-lok and essences bottles, basins and candles, statues and scare, certain imitations of a clergyman's vestments, crucifixes, and tin pans, and a liberal amount of other [illegible] presents too numerous to mention, some being a large key, a pack of cards, a Bible, a watch etc.
Cross-examination of Howell by Ashenheim: Did I understand you to swear on the last occasion that you were not introduced to Thomson? - Yes, sir. Can you tell me how many days it was before the 25th Sept that you saw accused at North and Orange St? - No, sir. At what side of the street were you standing on this particular night? - At the north-east. How long were you there? - Half an hour. Why you were there so long? - I was waiting for a man. Who? - Archibald Gordon, sir. And did he come? - No, sir. When was he to come? - Between 6.30 to 7pm sir. Did you remain there after Thompson came? - No, I went home. Who was the man you saw with Thompson? - I don't know sir. And they just walked up to you and Thompson aid 'you are sick and your wife is sick and I can help you,' and you asked for his address and he furnished it? - Yes, sir. and you made up your mind there and then that he was an obeahman and that you would trap him? - Yes, sir. And when you went to defendant's house that evening in September he did not know what you came for until you told him? - No, sir. Did you know him before the first night at Orange Street? - No, sir Did you or the police find any compass at his house? - No, sir. Ashenheim now handed the witness certain phials with liquid and asked him about the contents, one of which he said was Canadian Healing Oil, and the other he said looked like it, but did not smell like it. His Honour said he did not think it would make any difference whether it was Canadian Healing Oil. Ashenheim said it went to show accused was not prepared to admit anything palpable, and it was merely a manufactured story. His Honour said it was not a crime to have articles like those but it's a matter of what he professed. His Honour said he was concerned with the gown. Learned counsel cited a number of cases in support of his submissions. Ashenheim: Have you ever used soda mint tablet? - No, sir. Did not the female defendant go in the bus as she said she lived in that direction? - No, sir. Was your wife groaning or muttering? - She did not groan but rolled about in the bed. She only rolled about in the bed and did not answer any questions - She would not answer any questions. She laid there with her eyes wide open, twisting about in the bed and mute? - Yes, sir. Did you tell Thompson she was ill for a year? - No, sir. Ashenheim here questioned the witness as to his having said on the last occasion that his wife was ill for a year. Witness said he did say no, but his denial today was incorrect. He told accused his wife was hard of hearing. She could hear when spoken to so it was a lie in the sense he used it. Accused did ask for rice and used it. He did not remember if the police seized any other money apart from the marked money. He could not say if it was £5 15/6. He had made no enquiries to ascertain whether it was true or not that accused had sold a cow that day. He had made no efforts to find out what a Sacred Heart altar was like. He had never known what Holy Water was, but had heard of it. He did not know that some Roman Catholics had candles and crucifies in their houses. When he used the word press in regard to candles and images and table for altar, and sword, etc they were all one and the same thing - press, table and altar. The table or altar in height, caught him about his hip. On your first visit did accused pray at all? - No. He never even said the Apostles' Creed? (laughter) No, sir. Have you made enquiries since the last occasion as to whether accused conducted a mission at Shortwood? No sir. His Honour says these questions do not matter. Howell said he called defendant Brother Thompson but it was not because he knew that his mission people called him so. He had never set traps for other obeahmen before, nor did he set a trap for Thompson. Howell said accused called him Brother Garvey and he called him brother Thompson. He told accused he had taken his wife to a lot of doctors. It was arranged that he was to take his wife to accused's house on the Sunday following. He did not know whether it was to get her into the mission Thompson keeps. On the last occasion when he spoke of a small hot room, and a little hot room it had no special meaning - only that it was little and hot. It had two doors leading into it, one from his drawing room and one from his bed room. He had not searched for the man's record nor had he ferreted out anything against his character. Thompson gave him a drink of rum on every occasion he took one. Thompson drank rum twice and he had it only once. It was at his house Thompson drank also at his (Thompson's) house and Howell joined him in drinking.
John Ian Williams' evidence: He is a Sergeant-Major for St Andrew. He said he had a District Constable named Howell stationed in St Andrew. In September Howell told him something and he gave him instructions. On 26th September Williams gave Howell 8/. He gave him also certain instructions. On October 4th in consequence of what he was told, he called him in his office and gave him £3. The money was two Bradbury £1 notes, 16 shillings and two 2/ pieces. He wrote 'Willie' on the back of the two Bradbury notes. Ewart made a cross under the chin of the King's image on the silver coins. On the afternoon of October 4th he went to Whitfield Pen in St Andrew in company with Ewart, to Howell's house. They got there about 6.20pm Howell was not there. He came about 8.15pm with the two accused. Ewart and himself were secreted in an unoccupied house on the premises. Howell and the accused went into Howell's place in the bedroom. Ewart and himself left their hiding place, went on the main road, and entered Howell's place again by a track and went up beside the room. He heard a lot of what was said in the room. He could see in the room and saw the two defendants, and Howell, by looking through crevices. There was a lamp and a candle burning in the room. He saw Thompson take a drink of rum and give Howell some. He heard Thompson say to Howell 'three ghosts on her.' Mrs Howell was lying on a bed in the room. Thompson also said 'the ghosts are on her so long that they become chronic (laughter.) Her inside is like you throw lime on soda and her heart is beating three degrees above normal. (laughter). The case is a bad one, but I will fix her.' Thompson took up two parcels and went to the door and threw something from the parcel into the yard. He sounded a whistle three times and said "Go spirit - go. (laughter). Look how them feeding on the rice though! (renewed laughter). You have any chickens in the yard?" Howell said 'the neighbours have.' Thompson said to Howell: 'Don't she eat plenty rice?' Howell said yes and Thompson said 'give her no more as that is what the ghosts are feeding on. You will have to remove her from here. Have you nowhere to take her?' Howell said he had an aunt at Charles Street and Thompson said that was too far and if he had no one at Cross Roads. He asked Howell if he gave her the pills he gave him the previous day and Howell said no. He told Howell to bring them but Howell said he could not find them. Thomson said to Martin: 'Give me some pills from out the bag.' Martin had the bag in her hand and took something from it and gave Thompson, who handed it to Howell and said 'give her these three now.' Howell went and sat on his wife's bed and went back to Thompson who asked if her had given her. He said yes. He gave Howell something and said 'give her these, two in the morning, two midday and two in the evening - six.' Howell said 'Ah Mr. T. I have spent dozens of pounds on this woman for doctor.' Martin said 'and you didn't come to the right man.' (laughter) He told Howell to come to his house the following evening for a bottle of medicine, which would cost 16/ exclusive of the 60/. When he was through with her on the Sunday she should not be taken back to the room. On leaving he should leave a candle and on returning he should not blow on it, but put it out with his hand and bring him either the remaining piece or the grease. Thompson said 'You understand what I say? I say you must not blow on the candle to out it. (laughter). And you must bring me the grease.' Thompson went up to Mrs Howell's bed and said 'Mother Garvey, I am going to handle her now, and in handling her I am going to write my name, you hear?' (laughter). He stooped over the bed and asked Howell if she bawled out at times in her sleep. Howell said: 'At Mr. T. you know the thing - that's it. (laughter). Do you think you can help me?' He said 'Yes, the case if bad but I can help you. I get them already. Don't you remember the 1, 3 and 5?' He went to the table and had another drink and gave Martin some. He went to the door and said to Howell: 'Brother Garvey I am ready to go.' Howell said 'How much I must give you now Mr T?' Thompson said '60/ exclusive of the 16/ for the medicine.' Howell took something from his pocket and handed Thompson 2 pieces of paper which he accepted. Howell also counted some silver and gave Thompson. Martin took the money from Thompson and put it on the bag. At that stage Ewart and himself rushed round to the doorway. Ewart went in and asked what it all was. He asked Thompson what he was doing there and he said 'Nothing Major. We are only having a little prayer.' He arrested both. He cautioned them and Thompson said they were only having prayers. Martin said he could not arrest her. He opened the bag Martin had and found the money which was what he gave Howell. He asked accused whose money it was and Thompson said it was his, and was the proceeds of a cow he had sold that day. Witness pointed out the identification marks and Thompson said nothing. He also found in the bag 5 phials, 2 bits of glass and a bit of red cloth. On the table was a candle burning on the top of a basin with a watch beside it. Thompson said the watch was his. He seized all the articles and in trying to get accused out the house Thompson said 'we can't go like that Major, we must have a little prayer.' (laughter). Thompson knelt down and started to say the Lord's prayer in the course of which he made several mistakes. He next said the Apostle's Creed in which he also made several mistakes. (laughter). They were taken to the Half-way Tree station where he again pointed out to Thompson the identification marks on the coins and paper money. On the same night, armed with a search warrant signed, by C. R. Edwards, JP for St Andrew, he went to Thompson's house on the Shortwood Road in St Andrew. Thompson was not there. He burst a door open and went into a little hot room. Witness here identified the articles in Court, some of which were found in the hot room (most of them) and some in a bedroom. He took the big key from inside a press in the bedroom,, also a black cloth containing shells, seeds, broken glasses etc. He also found two memo books in the press. He also saw a pan with lighted coals.
Cross-examined by Ashenheim: Thompson did make a lot of mistakes when saying the Lord's prayer and Apostle's Creed. He did not know if the Roman Catholic version was different from others. If he heard the Roman Catholic Bishop saying it like Thompson he would say it was a mistake as Thompson said 'Give us this day our trespasses.' He could not say that all the implements were those used for practising obeah. He would say the bags, the yabba, a bit of board, two wooden blocks, one cigar box, may not be implements of obeah. By themselves they were perfectly innocent. Howell and himself did not set a trap to catch the man on a charge of obeah before Howell went to Thompson's place the first time, nor did they constantly discuss how the man was to be fixed, nor did they frequently discuss how the evidence was to be given, or compare any notes, since the arrest of the man, nor have Howell and himself ever together described the room as a little hot room as they have never discussed the matter. He did not say what Howell did with the first 8/ as they were not marked. He did not know when Mrs Howell got into bed on the night they went there. Their hiding place that night from Howell's place was about half a chain. He made notes of what he heard the night. He had them there. (notes handed to Ashenheim). Ashenheim asked that two pages of the notes be marked. Ashenheim further questioned the witness as to the situation of Howell's place, and where he was looking through on the night in question. Witness said he did not know if Howell read some Psalms. He was on the main road at the time. He did not hear Howell ask Thompson what about the ghost he was speaking about. He took from Thompson £5 15/7 3/4d, which he had in a purse in his pocket, which was separate from the £3 marked. He could not see Mrs Howell on the bed. He neither heard her groan not mutter, but heard her sigh. He could see Thompson distinctly when he went to her bed. He found in the bag also a partly used bottle of Canadian Healing Oil, a phial labelled 'artificial white musk,' a magnifying glass, a bottle of essence labelled 'lily of the Valley' and 'made in Germany.' Witness: 'A digusting smell, sit. He also found a glass paper weight, a Bible, the money, a phial with a few tablets which he thought were soda mint tablets and a strip of red cloth, in which the glasses were wrapped. The articles enumerated could have been used as implements of obeah. They were not all innocent in themselves, he though. He could not point out which of them were not innocent.' Witness said he could not see Mrs Howell on the bed from where he was looking through the crevice. He heard Thompson call Howell 'Brother Garvey' all the while. He saw Thompson hand Howell two tablets to give his wife. It was not after that Thompson told Martin to take his Bible from his bag and Howell read, nor Howell asked Thompson what about the ghost he was speaking of. It was after he arrested him he opened the bag and took out the marked money. He was told by Howell that Mrs Howell was not sick. He did not know as a fact that Mrs Howell was only shamming sick; he was only told by the husband. Did you or did you not know before you went to the house that Mrs Howell was going to pretend sick? - I cannot say, I was only told by the husband that she was not sick. You cannot answer yes or no? - No. Why? - Because I've never known the woman before. Was it not a part of Howell's and your plan that the woman should feign sick? - No. Witness said he heard Thompson tell Howell to bring his wife to his (accused's) church at 9 o'clock the Sunday morning. He did not hear Thompson 'Hail a Mary' while he was there. he said no prayers before he was arrested. Adjourned.
No other cases are linked to this source.
