New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-05-09
TINE WITCHES OF NEVKYORK-No XIV.
MRS. CROMMER.
No. 81 N. Second street, willism.bursl

'
Of The complexion Of his amable Majesty our reporter
has no meaDs Of asceranng 10 exact nicely at tins
presen time of writing; but he makes the positive
sert,on. that some Of the Satanic human employees
ere 60 black as 10 need painting of any description.
Whether or not the ancient wise men from the East
were swarthy skinned he is cot competent to decide,
lint he il able to prove by occular demonstration TO
any subeieving skeptic that some of the modern
wise men," are particularly " dark completed"
Mrs Crommer of No. "a North Second street, in the
suburb of Wlhamsburgh is a case in point. The
fame of this husrious ebony lady had gone abroad
through the land and her skill in prophecy had been
vouched for TO delegate by those who protested to
have personal knowledge of the truthfuness of her
predictions. But an air of mystery surrounded the
sable sorceress and declared to be impossible to
obtain knowledge of her exact whereabouts, except
bya preliminary visit to certain mysterious cave"
The locality of which was accurately described.
A cave the very word smacked of daboism, and
had the true flavor Of genuine wchcraft- Our over
loved reporter thought of the Witch of Vesuvus in
her mountain oavern-of her lank, gray, dead hair;
erhyd corpseke skim her stony eye; her shrveled,
blue lips; her hollow voice, and her threatening arm
and skinny menacng forehnger-of the red-eyed fox
at her side the crested serpent at her feet the mystic
lamp above her head and the statue In the background
tnpleheaded with skulls of dog and horse and boar
Something of this kind reporter hoped to witness
IN the present instance for he argued that any
who lived in a cave must surely be supplied with some
more oabaistic instruments with which to work her
spells than greasy playIngcGrds or rsty brass door
heys At last then, he had discovered something in
modern Wtchcraft worthy the ancient romance of the
name. Triumphant and ove1oyed, he prepared for
the visit and confident in his ability to witness any
hOYe without Hcnchng,
hs courage to pass any ordeal howsoever fearful he
swallowed no countercharms protective potions, and
did not even take the precauton TO horseshoe
m the seat Of his pantaloons.
Alas! for the uncertainty Of mortal hopes All ls
vanity, bosh and botheration.
On arriving at the enchanted spot, it soon became
evident to the of our asonsbeo delegate that
the Cave was not cavern fit for the habitaton of
powerful sorceress bat merely Rystifying cog
pomen applied TO drinking saloon with billiard
room attached which had accommodations also for
persons who wished to participate in other profane
games On entering the Cave, our oeluded repre-
sentative saw no toothless bag with the expected
vitch-hke surroundings but observed emily company
Of men seemingly respectable indulgng in plentiful
rotatiops of beer and certain other liquids which ap
psayed at the distance from which our reporter OBJ
seryed them, to be the popular compoundsdesgnated
in the vulgar tongue as whisky toddes.' Address
ing the nearest bystander reporter ascerained the
habtation of Mrs. Grommer, and immediately departed
IN search Of that interesting female
o The way was crooked, as all WillamsbuIgh ways
are but after an irregular, eurviinear journey of half
an hour the anxious inquirer stood in front OF the
looked.for mansion The grading Of the street has
lft at this point gravel bank six or eight feet
high on the summit Of which is perched the house Of
Ms. Grommer, like contented mudtnrtle on q sunny
stump II is story affair, with several irregular
wings or additions sprouting out of it at unexpected
angles and on the whole II looks as II it had been
originally built tall and slim like talow candle, but
had melted and run down into its present Understandable
shape The architect neglected to provide this beau
6ful edifce with front door, and reporter was
compelled TO ascend the bank by fight Of rheumatic
steps and make grand detour through curant bushee,
chickens washtubs ran-barres, and colored children,
irregular TO sire, and varegated as TO hse, to the
back, and only, door. Here his modest rap was un-
answered and he composedly walked in, masked,
through the kitchen, and took a seat in the parlor
where he was presently discovered by the lady Of the
house but not until he had time to take an accurate
observation.
The room was about 10 by ~, and 80 low that tall
man could rot yawp in II without rapping his head
against the ceiling. in places the plaster had been
0spaSed and the pare ihtn snONeO llIouSu ioihihe-
sg one Of skeletons The floor dinghy carpeted;
double bed occupied one side Of the room, small
cooking stood in the middle OF the floor and had
dsproportionsely shin pipe issuing out Of the cor
ner, ike straw in mintjuep; seven chairs of va
ned patterns small round table on which lay pack
OF cards covered with a CLOTH and tumble-dewn
chest Of drawers completed the necessary furniture OF
the apartment The ornaments quickly enumer-
ated. black wooden cross hung by the windows,
few cheap and gsudy Scuptural prints were fastened
against the wall, a chemists bottle of large dimen-
sions, and filed with blue liquid, reposed on the
chest Of drawers, side by side with few miniature
costs Of lambs and dogs; and little shelf stood
suartersire plaster bust Of some unknown worthy of
which the head had been knocked of and its place
significantly supplied with gOose-egg.
In a short time Mrs. Grommer emerged from
soled-Sor apartment and entered the room. She is
Segress and gTandmsther-hers age is 65 and brood
ef children together with swarm of grandchildren,
reside near at hand and keep the old adys mansion
constantly besieged. As 10 sze-she Is large, appa
renty solid and would struggle severely with w
pound weight before she would acknowledge herself
conquered. She was neatly sttired, and, in fact a
most grateful air Of cleanliness perysded the entire es
ssbhshment and il a refreshing contrast TO most
the dens of the farersknned witches heretofore en-
ssuntered by the delegate from Spruce street. The
ssb one entered into conversation and few minutes
h vere pssssd 10 ehserfs] chat, ID the course Of winch