The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1871-09-22
Marietta Georgia. Friday Morning, September 1871.
[From the Philadelphia Ledger.
IGNORANCE Ar HOME AND
ABROAD.

y
ABROAD.
A few weeks ago a police case
this city developed the fact that tn
superstition of witchcraft still linger
} among some very ignorant people
1t was a case of swindling, in whicI
, a crafty rascal made woman believ
that the sickness of her child wa
caused by a witch, and that if pait
he would skill the SPELL" A repor
of another case ofsupposed "bewitch'
ing" also credited to Philadelphia, il
circulating about in distant newspa,
pers, and this has induced another
cunning scamp to write letter to
Philadelphia, intended to reach the
supposed victim. Most people will
marvel that such things can exist in
this country, but we have this letter
before us, and can attest its genuine
ness. The writer signs his name
and gives his residence as doctor.
The letter is in such clear, bold pen
manship and good English as to show
that the writer is no illiterate ignor-
anus. Speaking of the "bewitched"
girl, this "doctor" says: "You are
authorized to give her my name and
address, and assure her that | will
relieve her of any trouble whatsoever
coming from or being caused by
witchcraft, and to kill any power
over her by bad people within eleven
days" That an educated man in
these days will take the risk of wri-
ting such villainous stuff shows that
he at least is firm in the faith that
"the fools are not all dead yet" and
that there are customers for the arts
which he processes to practice.
Such occurrences demonstrate the
unwelcome truth, that, with all the
light now beaming into the human
mind in our day and time, we have
those among us who are yet living in
the "dark ages" when men and We
men were slaughtered by the thou
sand as witches, wizards and ''magi-
cians," and sorcerers. 1t is compu-
ted that from the year l643 to l770
more than three thousand persons
suffered death in Great Britain upon
the accusation OF "witchcraft." In
1890, thirty years afterward, there
were in the prisons of Scotland
ninety persons under the same &C
cusation. Common sense sometimes
operated better than common law fol-
the release of the accused. Sir John
Powell, an English Judge from 1856
to the close of the century, had
before him a woman, whose enemies
testified against her that she "could
fly" "Prisoner," said the Judge,
"can you fly 7" Under the terror,
or the delusion which led such unfor-
tunate wretches to confess impossi.
bic things, the prisoner answered,
eyes, my Lord" "Well, them"
replied the sensible Justice, "you
may fly; there is no law against
flying"
The act against witchcraft in Eng
land was not repealed until the year
1896. Even after this some of its
clauses were retained, for, in the
records of the House of Commons fol-
March, 1921, appears notice Of the
third and final reading OF the witch
craft repeal bill. 1t is common
mistake that the prosecution and
punishment of witches was a pecu-
liarly New England scandal. But
the eoIonists, in their frenzy, only
repeated what was done in the Old
World. The active witch persecu-
ton in New England was short. In
1902 nineteen persons were execu-
ted, and one was pressed to DEATH
Though there were many convictions,
and more accusations afterward,
there were no executions. The main
actors in the Salem prosecutions ulti-
mately abjured their errers in these
words eve signify to all in general
and to the sufferers in special, our
deep sense of, and sorrow for, our
errors, and we hereby declare that
we were sadly deluded and mistaken;
we also pray that we may be con-
sidered candidly and Alright by the
living sufferers as being then under
tue power Of general and strong
delusion."
Among curious cases in Europe i
that of Urban Grandier, a Frencl
priest, who was strangled and burn
in London, August Is, 1884. Tn
charges against him was that he ha
g bewitched number of nuns. Tn
9 actual cause of his destruction wa
that he had written a libel agains
{ Cardinal Richelieu. He was dc
: cIared duly attainted and guilty
G the crimes of magic, Sorccry and pos
session. The sentence was base
upon the dispositions of Ashtaroth,
e devil of the order of Seraphims, an
chief of the possessing devils {; and o
: Easas, Celsas, CedrOn and AsmOdeuS
: of the order of the thrones; and .
: Alex. Zabulon, Nepthalin, Criel ant
n Achas, of the order of the principals
i ties. The devils deposed through
d the mouths of the women who be-
: lieved that they were severally pos
i sessed, and the testimony was
u deemed sufficient for the condemna-
e ton of the unfortunate priest.