Mower County transcript., 1869-12-09
MODERN DIABOLlSM.

O0V1AD ana U09Elt6 10F V"e0ty 00kB4
and how the Catholic Priests. have
beon Casting them Out.
From the Evening Wisconsin. Milwaukee.l
For the last few days, rumors Of strange
and diabOlical manifestations have come
from the old German city of Watertown, forty
miles west of US. It was said that o young
German had been afflicted with divers "evil
been astonishing the good CITY with miracu-
Ions feats of exercism. driving the devils out
of the young man, with great flourish OF
prayers and dincantations,a as in old Bible times.
As miracles and cxorcism have become
rare products IN this country We decided to
facts in authentic form.
Reaching Watertown on Friday evening, VIC
took our way to the house OF the ill-fatcd
family, accompanied by Mr.. Sleeper, depot
agent, Ed. Cole, the Kepblican editor, and
Mr.. March, the artist, as interpreter. The
family live in small wooden house just east
Of the depot. They are OF the poorer order
Of peasantry, coming to this country some
two years ago. from the small province of
POmeramis in Northern Germany. The FAM
lily name is Seige, and consists Of father,
mother, and three boys and five girls, nearly
simplicity together.
We found the young man in his shirt-sleeves
setting by little old pine table, trying to
polish his face with = razor. There was q
piayer-bOOk and three or four cd dirty bead
charms on the table. and q shilling picture Of
hanging IN front. The young man is slight,
simple, light-haired, nerveless looking youth
Of 26, who would be noticeably only for his
t'game leg" and withered, twisted hand. We
took our seat on pine stool beside him at
the table, while the old folks and the four
mouths and staring eyes, ready to rehearse
the wonderful history of the devils and the
miracles. This wonderful history dates back
to their old peasant home some twenty odd
years ago, and we give their version Of it
with literal exactnees. :.
When the young man was but five years of
age his next older sister found ducks egg
with small pin hole in it, deposited under
tree near their door. She brought it in to
her mother, who told her to take it back.
Aitor putting the egg under the tree again, it
was picked up and eaten by their old house
raging with madness. The dog was quickly
killed, when the little girl was seized with
similar blindI ess; and spasms, and taken to
bed. She fingered ont year in blindness
and agony, till relieved by death. The boy,
Carl, was then immediately attacked with
for months, and leaving him detormed as
described. He eked out feeble existence
for the six years following, when the diabol-
ical agencies seem to have come in and got
luO upper uuuU6 VI 4lu1 CutlIolys
The boy would now be suddenly taken with
contortions, pulling round the head, jerkings
OF the shoulder, shifting of the fiats, grating
of the teeth, frothing at the mouth, and looks
Of most malignant hatred. He would often
be thrown violently on the ground, and strike
seized at table with shaking hands, and Ills
food scattered upon the floor. When master
of himself he would make the sign of the
cross IN Gods name, or others would for MIN,
and sometimes appease the raging demons
intervals, often lasting a day. The German
doctors piled him with strong roots and phys
icing herbs, but all to no avail. There seem
ed no peace for them in the old country, and
In the spring OF 81, they made across the
big waters, and found their way where they
arc. 49, , go
But trouble pursued our hapless family
across the waters. Soon nfter tAeir arrival
in Watertown, one Of their girls, q pretty,
confiding little miss of sixteen, was put
10 living in the family of the Lutheran min
lister in the city, whose church they all be-
longed to. Tho minister had seXon children
in his family. In short time the: simple
creature became the victim Of her minister's
passions, and in due season she bore living
evidence of her misfortune to her fathers
home. .-,.,
old demoniac symptoms broke forth upon the
young man with added violence. When
under spells, he would spring toward the
child with teeth gnAshing and eyes extended,
threatening to break every bone in his body.
Oftentimes nearly all the family would be ef.
fected with him, and feel = binding, painful
rush Of blood to their heads, lasting for
hours. ,. ,
Du ing evenings, the doors w1uld slam,
the windows shake, and strange, hollow noises
be- heard in one Of tho rooms, but nothing
would be seen on entering. Late one even
ing, a large ball of fire was seen on the cook
stove. when the young man rushed forward.
smote it with mis- fist, scattering the frag-
ments over the room. Soon after, the dev1l,
they thought, got into their COW in the yard.
She would suddenly. rear on her legs, smite
her tail, and shake her horns with savage
fury. For days no one could approach to
milk her, while the young man would gaze
at her antics with ''whoop" OF joy.
Such troubles could hardly be borne. Early
last winter they called in Doctor Quinny, son
of the great: Stockbri lge Indian chief, to ap.
| ply his skill. He administered powerful herb
Physic to the young man. also put powerful
ters were LETT for day, and when removed
were found to be covered with b,'isNes; of vari-
GUS colors, from q half to three inches in
length. Strange things to come out o! the
young man, and no one could account for it.
when new difficulty appeared. A snake
seemed to be pushing its head up the young
mans throat, till he was black in the face.
| The lashings of his tail could be heard under
his ribs belowl A goose quill was pressed
down his throat, and passes made over his
man quietly disposed of in bed. The medium
seemed to have power over the devils for the
time, but nothing beyond. :
The Catholic priest was next applied to, but
he declined to engage the devils, because the
young man was not q Catholic.
sot,o uE,r,h hA SsN nSk
afterwards visited. The Bishop reached
forth his hand, the young man shaking like
an aspen, unable to raise his hand in return.
Presently the young man was quieted. The
devil, his father said. would not lot the young
man eat for twenty -four hours, because Of his
visit to the Bishop. =: - ,..atr;
Some four weeks ago, Catholic convoca.
en- PRIESTS The young. man was taken to the
church, to test the miraculous power OF the
priestly body, and have the devils cast Out
en- naasse. On being questioned as to the
names Of the devils, the father of the young
man said one of thom gave his namc as Will
helm Buhrer, known to the father, as being q
desperate man, who had murdered q hog
drover in the old country, may years ago, fol
his money. This statement was considered
by Sleeper, as fully accounting for the brisAe,
| which had been drawn Oct by Doct. Quinney's
powerful shoulder plaster.
| Thursday, four weeks ago. was set as the
day for the grand casting out of.the evil spir.
it's. The church was filed. The young man
was laid on the altar, appearing as dead. The
! seven priests now surrounded him, and be.
gan thei lamentations by sprinkling him with
holy water, amounting him with oil, burning
| incense, laying hands upon him, reading Latin
Teey ten snr
its, saying they should pronounce q curse
| upon them II they didn't leave.
I The young man was put in different atti
tudes before the picture of the Holy Virgin
with similar exercises Of sprinkling. burning
incense, laying on of hands, etc. These ex'
throughout the day. Sometimes the evi
spirit, when spoken to, would retort in his ma
| tive German. When sprinkling him with no
ly water he told them he ''would like to sur
round their whole church with water, and pu
rify it, When reading Latin prayers, h<
one yet, when they would repeat another and
another, till it suited better, The Catholic
brethren say the evil spirit spoke out many
times in strange tongues, and especially iI
the "Irish and Latin tongues." It was be
lieved thst four devils were cast out or
to have been expelled, and on Saturday morn
ing, the last, more obdurate than all, agreed
| to leave, il all the members would leave
the church with him. All but three acqui.
esced, and the devil took his departure, tc
the great Joy and wonder of the young mar
| and the brethren. ..:
We were panied to hear that another devi
made his appearance = week ago. and afte,
being cast out, announced that there were
still four more remaining! The young mar
goes up to Mass every morning, and with all
his family, is now devout Catholic.
THE LUTHERAN MINISTER.
| The young victim Of the Lutheran preach.
er, lives on contentedly at homo, her little