The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-06-30
Extraordinary Case OF ,DsIusion and
,.Superstitiou.;5 X. n *! b. slgstFss

Extraordinnry Case OF. Dclusion$ and
s.t5l5 u s. ,superstitton. 81 4 q
The Leagera at length brings us the
particulars Of a case of negro supersti.
ton in an upper county, Of which we
have had vague accounts before:
On Sunday, the 10Th daySof May, at
the farm of Mr.. J. Wright, two miles
from Springfield, in Limestone County.
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 u
revelation from God that the millennium
was to como OH Thursday, the 26th of
last mouth, and thut the mighty "Ship
of Zion" would come-wnter or no VA.
ter-and take all those to glory who
should follow implicitly the directions
she (Janc) would give them, she being,
as she avowcd, the chosen instrument of
God for their salvation. She first
preached whole day to large congre-
cation, aud after having made many
converts, she commanded them to burn
one-half Of all the kitchen furniture,
clothing, etc, they possessed, which
they did in mighty bonfire. She next
commanded them to cut up with hoes
one-half of nll their growing crops, which
they did, digging everything up by the
and both corn and cotton wero good
generally. She then commanded that
they give way half of their childron,
their wagons, plows and other farming
utensils, which they did, to several per-
sous living near. Then came com
mand for both sexes entirely to disrobe
themselves and pray and dance the
"Holy Dance" which was implicitly
obeycd. Many of the small children,
upon refusing to obey these orders,
were severely beaten, and one man, who
refused, was very nenrly beaten to death
by the women. They were then made
to partnke of what she denominutcd the
Lords Supper" the bread consisting
OF water aud salads, and the wine OF wa
ter and molasses. She said human
sacrifice was demanded, and accordingly
stripped ber own infant of it's clothing,
wrapped it in cloth and prepared to
give it rs q burnt offering, and would
assuredly have done so but for the inter
ference 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 cut of the putrid carcasscs, ut
which command they, for the first time,
evinced a disposition to 'go slow. .
While they were halting, their leader
endoavored to show them how to "go
through dorg," but her stomach being
of different notion from her head, es-
chewed tho repast, and speedily dcliv-
cred itself of such wonderful morsels.
AZ this stage of the proceedings, Mr..
Isaac burst, gentleman living near,
and who had desired to stop the insane
proceedings before, but knew not cx-
actly how to proceed. told her husband
she was crazy, and to get chain and
fastcn her, where she could no longer
do mischief. She 1T once fled, and was
pursued, caught aud secured. and at
once the rest of her followers gathered
round aud seemed, for the first time, to
become aware of tho mischief they had
wrought. They thanked Mr.. burst
greatly for breaking the spell that Jane
had thrown around thcm-went to their
now almost ruined fields and com mmenced
work again in good rarncst-thc parties
having kept and returned to them their
stock, farming utensils, etc. They are
now, however, without the necessary
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 dcludel creatures.
GulreSton Ciriliena.