The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-07-14
Extraordinary Case of Delusion and Super
StitiOne

On Sunday, the 18th day of May, at the farm
of Mr.. J. Wright two miles from Springfield,
in Limestone county, Texas, an old negro
woman, named Jane, who, with her husband,
lived on said farm, announced to the rest of the
negroes on the farm, some eight or ten adults
in number. that she had just received revela-
tion from God that the millennium was to come
on Thursday, the 26th of last month, and that
the mighty "Ship of Zion" would come-water
or no water-and take all those to glory who
should follow implicitly the directions she (Jane)
would give them, she being, as she avowed, the
chosen instrument Of God for their salvation.
She first preached whole day to large con-
gregation, and after having made many con-
verts, she commanded them to burn one-half of
the household and kitchen furniture, clothing,
&C., they possessed, which they did in mighty
bonfire. She next commanded them to cut up
with hoes one-half of their growing crops,
which they did, digging everything up by the
roots Much of the corn was nearly waist
high, and both corn and cotton were good gen.
orally. She then commanded that they give
away half of their children, their wagons,
plows and other farming utensils, which they
did, to several persons living near. Then came
a command for both sexes entirely to disrobe
themselves and pray and dance the "Holy
Dance" which was implicitly obeyed. Many
of the small children, upon refusing to obey
these orders, were severely beaten, and one
man, who refused, was very nearly beaten to
death by the women. They were then made to
partake of what she denominated the Lords
Supper" the bread consisting of water and
salads, and the wine of water and molasses.
She said human sacrifice was demanded, and
accordingly stripped her own infant of its
clothing wrapped it in cloth and prepared to
give it as burnt offering, and would assuredly
have done so but for the interference of some
present, who were not so insane. They were
then commanded to kill all their dogs, which
they did, to the number Of fifteen, and after
some two days-these things all the time going
on-they were ordered by their leader to eat of
the putrid carcasses, at which command they,
for the first time, evinced disposition to "go
slow"
While they were halting, their leader en-
deavored to show them how to ego through a
dorg," but her stomach being of different no
ton from her head, eschewed the repast and
speedily delivered itself of such wonderful
morsels.
At this stage of the proceedings, Mr.. Isaac
Durst, gentleman living near, and who had
desired to stop the insane proceedings before,
bat Mnew not exactly how to proceed, told her
husband she was crazy, and to get a chain and
,asten ,ier, where she could no longer do mis-
chef. She at once fed, and was pursued,
cal yht and secured, and at once the rest of her
followers gathered round, and seemed for the
first time to become aware of the mischief they
had wrought They thanked Mr.. D. greatly
for breaking the spell that Jane had thrown
around them-went to their now almost ruined
fields and commenced work again in good ear
nest-the parties having kept and returned to
them their stock, farming utensils, &c.
They are now, however, without the necessa-
ry apparel and food to enable them to work
successfully.
The excitement lasted some seven or ten
days, and all that time no work of any kind
was done by these deluded creatures.-Galves-
ton Civilian.
A CENSUS MAN IN DoUBT.-One of the as
sistant Marshals in East Tennessee writes to his
chief. as follows:
II find, sir, that the instructions, although
very clear and explicit, do not reach every par
ticular. THE name of every person as required.
I have already found dozen children without
names over one and two years old. ! have,
however, remedied this by asserting that the
government demands that all children born
prior to the first day of june 1870, should be
named at once, when the Bible is Immediately
called for and the proper entries made; but
have been somewhat puzzled in the following
instance: found man living with two wives
one rs lawful as the other; both claim him as
their husband, both have children, and both
occupy the same position in domestic relations.
Now, which one shall 1 place at the head of