The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1870-07-02
VOudOOism in Texas.

Il
date tells this story, which, if true, is one
of the most remarkable instances of reli-
gious fanaticism of the time -
On Sunday, at the farm of Mr. J. Wright,
lying two miles east Of Springfield, in Lime
stone county, Texas, an old negro woman
named Jane who with her husband, lived
on the farm, announced to the rest of the
negroes on the farm, some eight or ten
adults in number, that she had Just received
revelation from Ged that the millennium
was to come on Thursday, the Goth of this
month, and that the mighty "Ship of
Zion" would come-water or no water
and take all those to glory who would fol-
low implicitly the directions she (Jane)
would give them, she being, as she avowed,
the chosen instrument of God for their sal
Walton. She first preached whole day to
large congregation, and after having
made many converts, she commended them
to burn one-half of the household and kitchen
furniture, clothing, ETC., they possessed
no baggage being allowed-which they did
in mighty bonfire. She next commanded
them to cut up with hoes one-half of all
their growing crops, which they did, dig
ging everything up by the roots much of
the corn was nearly waist high, and both
corn and cotton were good generally. She
then commanded that they give away halt
their children, their wagons, horses, plows,
and other farming utensils, which they did,
to several persons living near. Then came
command for both sexes to entirely dis
robe themselves and pray and dance the
"Holy Dance" which was implicitly obey
ed Many of the small children, upon re-
fusing to obey these orders, were severely
beaten, and one man who refused was
nearly beaten to death by the women
They were then made to partake of what
she denominated the "Lord's Supper" the
bread consisting of water and salads, and
the wine of water and molasses. She said
human sacrifice was demanded, and &C
cordingly stripped her own infant of cloth
ing, wrapped it in a cloth, and prepared to
give it as burnt offering, and would as
suredly have done so but for the interfer-
ence of some present who were not so in
sane. They We're then commanded to kill
all their dogs, which they did to the num-
Der Of fifteen, and after some two days
those 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
ego SLOW"
While they were hating, their leader en-
deavored to show them how to ego through
dorg,' but her stomach being of a differ
emit notion than her head, eschewed the re-
past, and speedily delivered itself of such
wonderful morsels.
At this stage of the proceedings, Mr..
Isaac burst, gentleman living near, and
who had desired to step the insane pro-
ceeding before, but knew not exactly how
to proceed, told her husband she was crazy,
and to get chain and fasten her, where
she could no longer do mischief. She at
once fled and was pursued, caught, and Sc
cured, 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.. burst
greatly for breaking the spell Jane had
thrown over them-went to their now al
most ruined fields and commenced work
again in good earnest-the parties having
kept and returned to them their stock,
farming utensils, etc. They are now, how
ever, without the necessary apparel and
food to enable them to work successfully.
The excitement lasted some ten days. and
all that time no work was done by these
deluded creatures.
Until the confinement of the old woman,
every one of her commands were obeyed,
and, from what we have narrated, none can
doubt that if she had commanded her fol-
lowers to commit murder among the whites
they would have essayed to do it. In case
of the negro man beaten, she commanded
them to beat him to death, unless he joined
their band. But for Mr.. burst, he would
have been killed outright.