Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-05-19
From the Chicago (Ill) Post.
WitchcrRft In ChIeaSO-The Devil Badly
La.


We are sure our readers will be surprised
at the recital of the facts Of Il genuince case
OF the practice of witchcraft or daDolsm in
this city; but they were disclosed in the
course of judicial investigation, and are be-
yond all question.
few days ago a case was put upon trial
before a jury in judge Higgins branch of the
superior court. The parties were Christian
Wulz VS.. Nelson Morris and the action was
brought on pronlissory note OF 500. The
evidence disclosed that the plaintiff was doc
tor, one who undertakes to cure diseases by
sympathy and supernatural means. The de-
PENDANT had wife sadly afflicted with St. VII
tus' dance. The plaintiff undertook to cure
her. One witness (the parties were all Ger
mans) testified that he belonged to that old
and almost extinct profession of surgical bar
beers, including in his practice some branch of
surgery and blood drawing. He was taken
by the plaintiff to the house of the defendant
for the purpose of bleeding the wife of the lat
ter. DIR. Wulz directed that the woman be
bled, and that half an ounce of the blood drawn
from her should be put in phial for him.
The surgical witness stated that the woman
was in bed, and laboring under her peculiar
disease, and looked SO ill and weak that for
some time he hestitated to bleed her. The
doctor however insisted upon it, and after
some vain objections on his part, he bed the
woman. Halt an ounce OF the blood was put in
small bottle and corked by the doctor, who
uttered over it what the vulgar would call i'll
carnations, but the learned would say were
words Of mysterious potency. He then said
to the husband that the woman would get
well; that in ten days she would be able to
ride out, and that if he were paid at the end
OF the ten days two hundred dollars, she
would be entirely cured within sixty days.
In six days he was present again; that is
there were witnesses who were present at an
interview at the end OF the six days.
The woman had improved considerably.
AT this or some interview, he stated that to
effect this cure required of him the most vi
client physical labor. That every night he
walked ont to North Clark street cemetery;
that if while proceeding to that rather
gloomy place of evening resort he met any
person who spoke to him, he was obliged
to retrace his steps and commence his iour-
ney over again from the place of the be-
ginning. That when he reached the GENE.
terry he proceeded to Il tree in the north
end OF the enclosure, where he met the
devil, with whom he Immediately entered
into physical struggle for the possession
OF the bottle containing the half ounce Of
blood! These struggles he represented to be
yerj severe ones, he having not only to
defend himself against the immense strength.
but also the sharp strategy OF the devil. If
he could prove successful in these nightly
struggles with the devil and keep the bottle of
blood out OF the possession OF the latter, the
cure was certainty. At all the visits OF the
doctor described by the Witnesses, he marked
the walls, and the doors, and perhaps other
parts Of the house, with signs aud figures to
IL iptu 4, Il
struggle in the tree, continued always until
the devil gave up for that night.
On the tenth day the woman had so far inn
proved that she was able to go out riding,
and generally appeared in a fair way of re-
covery. Her husband felt his confidence in
the doctors extraordinary and pecu lar skill
much increased. The latter reported that he
had vanquished the devil, and was now ready
to guarantee a perfect cure. But business
was business, and doctors, like other deople,
required to be paid for their labors. He ask
ed 500 in gold to be paid down on that day,
and 500 to be paid at the end of sixty days,
if the woman was cured. The husband fond
ly expecting that the wife would be cured of
her diSagreeable malady, and confident in the
doctors ability to work cure--a man who
had worsted the devil in bandit hand strug-
gle up a tree for ten consecutive nights, GER
talnly had extraordinary powers-agreed to
the terms. He paid him 500 in gold, and
gave his note for 500 more, to be paid, if his
wife was permanently cured, at the end of
sixty days.
During the sixty days the health Of the wo-
man varied very much. AT the expiration of
that time she was in better health than when
the doctor was first called in, but was not
cured, by any means. She was still afflicted
with her complaint. The husband refused to
pay the note, and for the recovery Of the sum
mentioned in it this suit was brought The
evidence of the defence showed that between
the giving of the note and the trial, the wo-
man had been confined, and the doctor warned
the defendant, that unless the note was paid
the wife and child would be afflicted with the
horrible complaint, and that during the period
that had elapsed up to the trial, the poor wo-
man had been under the effects of this disease
just as much as she had been before DIR. w.
took charge of her case.
The mere statement of the case carries
with it all the comment that is needed. The
pretension of the physician" and the cred-
bility of his patients are but the old story.
Bet this case has sequel for which we doubt
whether there is any recorded parallel. The
jury found a verdict for the plaintiff for the
500, interests and costs! That we consider
is equal to any other part OF the case, not ex-
cepting the midnight fight with the devil in
tba