New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-12-31
ClSTJNG OFT DEVILS.

The determination OF the Human Nina 10
believe in Evil Spirits, as if its own Rascai!ty
and Deprayty were not sufficient, is certainly
discouaging There are those who apologize
for this proclivity by attributing it to ignor-
ance; but, at this time of day, the Human
Mind aforesaid has no business to be so dcnsey
ignorant as TO suppose it possible for devils to
take possession of boys-though these do some
times behave in a way to lead 10 that belief
il we could but settle the fact that there are
devils to take possession" in accordance with
the credulty which anlicts the superstitious.
Some time ago we heard of n girl in Ohio
who was sail to be "obsessed,' which
is something more dreadful than being
" possessed and a great deal harder TO cure.
We recommended in this case mild cathartcs.
ut. even If they were administered, we never
heard Of the result Now we get news OF
German young man away out IN WATERFOWL,
Wisconsin, who has Gem badly, whatever
they may be. This instance of diabolical
agency having excited much attention, two
Editors Supposed TO be familiar with devils
have visited the youth, aud their report Is
thrilling n the extreme. The family to which
the young man belongs came from Northern
Germany. n country highly devoted to the de-
velopmeni of spirits, ghosts, and demons. The
youths nme is Siege, and hard siege he was
having of long before he came to this cnlight-
ened Land His troubles began when he was
about five years old. The story is that his
sister found "a ducks egg with pin-hole IN
"it.n Uner maternal direction, she gave II to
n dog, wien the poor animal went mad and
blind tie sister went into spasms, and soon
"a. al
troubled with contortiOns. Also with Jerk
"ingsr Likewise with fr0thing- at-the-mouth.
Moreove, with CLOCKS of most malignant
"hatred.' He could only "appease the raging
demons by making the sign of the cross"
He was aeated with roots !" he got no better
very fast; and his afflicted parents determined
TO emignte to this country to try our Co
lumbar roots" But the kind of vegetable
proper fd this case does not grow In Wisconsin.
At any rte, the unfortunate German is having
" the iensr and "the shakes" somewhat worse
than e,cr. "The demOniac symptoms
assumed an added violence" He CRASHED
his teetl; he threatened to break the bones
of his little brother. Then the doors began
to slam. Hollow noises were heard in the
room. The family all had "a rush OF blood to
" the he'd" One of the sisters also had an
illegitmte child by a Lutheran minister.
Then th devil got into this poor family's COW,
which 'reared on her legs, smote her tail,
and shook her horns with savage fury
OF course, this was too bad to be borne, and
an Indian doctor was called in. This alb
original physician tried "plasters,' but iii a
few DAYS the plastcrs refused to stick,
and "sp,outed hairs Then they summoned
Medium, who diagnosed ga snake in the
stomad," the lashngs of whose tail could
abe head under the RIBS Finally, tho aid OF
the Catholic Church was invoked, but, tho
young person being Lutheran, thore was some
disincimtion to undertake his cure although
ut the tine of the last accounts tbs poor epleptc
had ben carried to church and placed In
diflerelt attitudes before the picture of the
{" Holy Tirgin." Upon this, 1.-THE spirits spoke
Gin tn, Irish and Latin languages" -Four
devils we're cast out " in one day." and pretty
good dgs work we consider that 1t was. On
the next day, three more were cast out. On
the day following, "the most obdurate" agreed
to leave But alas another devil, according
10 tho account before us, has manifested
himself, and after being cast out, he announced
the presence OF four others in poor Master
siege's stomach. When last heard from he
was gdng to church regularly, but that he
will ever get rid of all his devils is more than
we can affirm.
Now, here ia a story which really belongs to
the Middle Ages, or to some earlier period OF
the worlds history, and which should receive
credit at the present time only in some semi
civilized country. If we may judge from tho
narrative the person said to DO possessed Is
an epileptic, suffering from disease nearly