The Placer herald., 1870-07-16
vouDoo1sn IN TEXAS.
Remarkable Narrative Of Religious Rsen.
zy.-Ranasical Freedmen.

Mo0Aork4ble Narrative Of 0ellg1OuA Rfeme
zy--Fanasical Freedmen.
We copy ibs folIo~ing article from the
Fairfield, Tsxas, Ledger Of May 2s.b:
voupooIsM. et.
Every Newspaper repor. relating, 4, the
Voudoo rites and ceremonies that are nov
being prscsicsd to . greater or less extent
all over negsodo,n, are 10 q very great msa-
sure regarded ~ mere fctious-ibs result Of
sssislsd prejudice against the negro race, or
= greatly diseased imagination. We row
propose TO chronicle bars facts, With nothing
"vsrdra~n. aod "oaugh. set down 10 nsics."
II any person, far or nsas, doubt what We
write, ws refer him to the white citizens We
name for . confirmation of our abatement,
and there are none Of more vsracity 10 our
State. On Sunday, the 18th day Of this
month. at the farm Of Mr.. J. Wright, lying
two miIes east from Springfield, Limestone
county. Tsxas, an old negro woman named
jane, who, With ber husband. lived on
said farm. announced TO the rest Of tho
negroes on the farm, some eight or ten
adults 10 number, that che bad 'juas received
liorA REVELATION FROM GOD,
That the millennium was TO come on Thurs
day, the 26,b day Of this month. and that
the mighty ship Zion" would come water
or no water-and take all those TO glory
who would follow implicitly The directions
sha (Jaoe) would give then, sbs being, she
vowed, the chosen ios,rumsoi Of Goo for
their salvation. She fret preached whole
day TO large congregation, and after bav-
log made many converts,
SHE COMMANDED THEM TO BURN
One-haif Of all the household, kitchen furui.
ture, clothing, etc, they possessed -oo bag
gage being sIlowed-which they did 10
mighty bondfre. She next commanded
them TO cut up with boss oc.-b.lf Of all
their growing crops. which they did digging
everything up by the roots. Much Of tbs
corn was neatly wais. high, aud both corn
and cotton we're good generally. She then
commanded that they give away half their
children, their wagons. horses. plows. and
other farming utensils, which they did 10
several peraons living here. Then came
COMMAND FOR BOTH sExgs TO ENrrRsLY
"a I.u pIsRoBE 1s.4ir g
Themselves and pray and dance the Holy
Dance" which was implicitly obeyed Many
Of the snAll children upon refusing TO obey
these orders were severely beaten, and one
man who refused was very nearly beaten 10
death by the womsr. They were then III nade
to partsks Of what sbs dsnomiustsd the
Lords Supper" the bread consisting Of
water and salads, and the wine Of water and
moIass-s. She said human sacrifice was
demanded. snt accordingly stripped her own
infant Of ito clothing. wrapped il in cloth
and prepared TO give it 80 burnt offering,
and would assursdIy have done 90, but Tor
the interference Of some present who were
not so insane. They were then
coMMASDED TO KILL ALL THEIR DOCS,
Which they did 10 the number Of fifteen, md
after some two days-.hess things all the
tins going on-thsy we're ordered by their
leader to eat Of the putrid carcasses,s At which
command. they, for the frs. me, evincsd a
disposition to "go SLOW" While they we're
hsliing the leader endeavored to show them
how to ''go through dorg," bu, her stomach
being Of = different notion from her bead,
sschswsd The rspsst. and speedily delivered |
i.sslf Of such wonderful mor.eIs. At this
stage Of the proceedings. Mr.. Isaac Durst, a |
gentleman living hear, and who had desired
TO stop the inssne proceedings before. bu,
knew not exactly bow 10 proceed, told her
husband she was crazy. and to &c, chain
and fas,sn her whore che could no longer
do mischief. She at once fed, and was
pursued, caught and secured, and at oncs
the rect Of her followers gathered round and
seemed for The 6,st time 10 become aware
Of the mischief they bad wrought. They
thanked Mr.. Durst greatly for
lo BREAKING THE SPELL
Jane had thrown around them, went to their
now slmos. ruined fields and commenced
work again 10 good earnest, the parties hav-
ing kept and returned to them their stock. |
farming utensils. etc. They are now, how
ever, without the necessary apparel and food
to soDabIs them to work successfully.
THE ExcIrEAENT LASTED SONS TEN DAYS,
And oil that time no work Vas done by
these dsladsd creatures. Until The con6ns.
men. OF the old woman, every one Of her
commando we're obsyed. and from wha. We
have narrated none can doub. that il she had |
her followers 10 commit murder
amoog The wbits', they would have essay
10 do it. 10 ihs case Of the negro man
beaten, she commanded them to beat him TO
death unless be joined their bsod. But for
Mr.. Durat be would have been killed out
right. The gentlemen to whom We refer
for the truth Of what is hsre reported to Us,
are Isaao Durss, 7. F. Waller. J. Wright
and E. B. Smith. Had it not been for The
presence and efforts Of those gentlemen,
lbsrs 10 no ,slliogto to what insane lengths
lhsss ignorant and dsludsd beings would
have gone.
MERCURY in its various FERNS, has filed the
earth with shattered wrecks Of humanity. This
and destructive drug has been the spc
:idc and main reliance Of empires and quacks of
past generations. aud the present, for the cure Of
Ill classes Of chronic and constitutional diseases.