The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-07-15
V O U DO U I S NJ.
CELEBRATIoN OF FETISH RITES IN
LOUISIIN4.


Human Sacriflces-A White Child Miss
ins-An En-Chaplain OF the Legisia-
ture Misunderstanding OF the Spell
by q "Pricstess''-Extrnordinary
Scene In a Christian Chapel.
The past week or two has been period OF
strange, wild excitement among the black
people of New Orleans. st. Johns day inaugur-'
ated the annual ceremonies of the believers in
the African superstition Of Voudouism, and
the celebration of Fetish rites generally. How
long these ceremonies are to be kept up we
are not informed. st. Johns day, however,
is the principal feast, and for that occasion
this year a secluded spot was selected on the
shore Of Lake Ponchartrain, where numerous
shanties were constructed, with principal
one in the centre. under cover Of which the
voudou orgies were performed. A corres-
pondent writes:
These rites, as celebrated this year, do not
appear to have been so eXtravagant and cruel
as In former years. 1t appears that they vary
according to circumstances and / have the
word of Youdou priestess that there are oc-
casons which require the sacrifice of new
born infant In order to accomplish the pur-
poses of this savage superstition. During the
period of slavery great efforts were made TO
eradicate voudouism, and it Is certain the
superstition was greatly toned down, but
during late years the blacks have passed so
much out of and beyond the influence Of white
civilization that Fetishism seems to be on the
increase. 1t Is invoked on all occasions Of
personal quarrels or Jealousies OF any kind,
and almost all cases Of sickness are attributed
to the fatal spell Of some Fetish man or wO-
happens to occur during o period OF excite
ment or when some important event has oc-
Cured, or is about to occur, Of some special
interest to any considerable number of the
black people, It is then the ceremonies be-
come most imposing and, at the same time,
most revolving. On this point obtain my In
formation from protessed Voudou priestess,
and it confirms all that is said or believed BY
white people on the subject.
1t Is horrible to think that even human sac
rifce Is not beyond the requirements oil this
horrible infatuation. On such occasions great
mystery is affected, and none are allowed to
be present except chosen few. The victim,
strange to say, must be white, If attainable,
and Of such an age as to imply Innocent blood
In this requirement there Is easily to be seen
horrible alusion 10 the crucifxion OF the
Saviour. When all is ready the votaries as
semble in their rude temple, in the centre OF
which is placed large iron cauldron, con-
tanning snake. If circumstances are extra
ordinary, requiring actual human blood, the
victim, as stated, must be white Infant, II 1t
can possibly be had, and of very tender age.
NIL Qa,tok ktno~ in n
absolute nudity, and her assistants IN simple
loose, white garments. lead wild anu nendlsh
dance around the cauldron, during which the
dancers, one at q time, drop ont OF the circle
and PROSTATE themselves beside the cauldron.
BY proper appliances the snake Is then
forced from his repose IN the canidron and az, u
lowed to crawl over each PROSTATE form. All
having submitted to this loathsome touch,
then follows the work Of sacrifice and expia-
tion the innocent blood of the child being
,sprinkled upon the cauldron, upon the snake,
and upon all the worshippers. All this takes
place amid dancing and wild, incoherent In
carnations.
This completes the sacriacal ceremony, and
afterwards the priestesses array themselves In
the most gaudy and costly garments, the head
priestess being adorned and honored as o
queen. Word Is then sent out Of great festivi-
Ties at the Voudou temple, and for far and near
the dusky children OF Ham flock to the place,
and for days and nights give themselves up to
feasting and the most extraVaGant amuse-
ments.
Such Is the description given by Voudou
priestess of the celebration Of st. Johns day
on an occasion extraordinary. On an ordinary
occasion the rites are only varied by the omis-
sion of the sacrifice, the prlestess sprinkling
on the worshippers the blood of snakes or liz
ards. It Is Impossible to say how many times
human sacrifice has thus been practiced, as
the greatest possible secrecy Is generally OBJ
served in regard to the place OF celebrating
the fete OF st. John. The singular and mystic
rious disappearance of very young children
every few years has led to firm conviction In
the minds of many that they were sacrificed on
Voudou affairs. At this very moment the peo-
pie of New Orleans are greatly excited by an
Instance of this kind. On the 9th OF June, only
few days before st. Johns day, negro wo-
man stole the infant child Of Mr.. Digby, re-
siding at the corner OF Howard and Poydras
streets. The case was Immediately placed In
the hands of the police, aud the most efficient
detectives employed. Constant and unremit-
ting search has been made from that day to
this, without the least particle Of success, not
withstanding heavy rewards have been offered
for the recovery OF the child. No one appears
to feel authorized to say 1t was stolen for sac
rihcial purposes, yet thousands believe such
was the purpose of its abduction, since neither
Mr.. Digby nor his friends have any knowledge
of any specific reason why his child was taken.
The entire absence Of any Ieuds. animosities or
iealousies, within the knowledge of the chlld's
parents, such as usually exist where children
are stolen, leaves wide margin for conjec-
ture, of which Youdouism Is not the least i'm
probable.
The negro seems peculiarly fitted for the re-
ceptions Of all kinds Of superstltious ideas.
Teach him any method of religion and he will
maintain 1t Just so long as be Is controlled
by instruction. Withdraw that, and the pure
est, simplest doctrines will soon degenerate
In bis mind into the most absurd superstitions
From such o fruitful soil it would be un-
reasonable to expect an abundant supply Of
Fetish men and women, who claim the power
of putting spells upon their fellows that will
even cause them to pine away and die. They
call this voudouing. Among peopla so given
to superstition, victims are OF course not want
Ing. Imagination would do the work, how
ever much the Fetish men might be lacking IN
power. A beefs heart. stuffed with bitter herbs
and laid upon the door step; miniature coft1ns,
or wooden likenesses Of mice, spiders, snakes,
or the feathers OF u jay bird, interviewer with
str,ws, dipped in blood and hid in pillows, In
beds or In crcvices about ones r0om-any OF
these things will .Voudou" the stoutest-heart-
ed negro. When any Of these things happen
to q negro, it is understood that lie must die,
or be subject to continual misfortune unless
the spell can be broken. Some prestess Is
Instantly sent for and for q pecuniary conside-
ration she undertakes the relief OF the suffer-
err A emakable instance of this kind occur