Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1874-01-08
Sorcery in Martinique.
From Harnerss Mn9aaino.

Soroery, or obeah, is extensively
practiced by the creole and negro popu-
lation of all the West India Islands, in
spite of all the efforts of the civil and
religious authorities for its suppression.
The sorcerer is generally some person
superior in cunning and other qualities
to the mass of negro population, and is
held in great dread and veneration by
those over whom he is supposed to hold
. mysterious power for good or evil.
Under the protection of this dark super.
stitious fear he is able to commit or
instigate the most atrocious crimes, as
no negro, and few white people, will
voluntarily testify against an obean
man, lest he or his accomplices should
take summary vengeance upon them.
These sorcerers are employed by per-
sons who have grudges against their
neighbors; and as inquests on the
bodies of negroes are rare
occurrences in Martinique, it is
the easiest matter in the world
for the obeah man to furnish the
customer with the poison he wants in
order to get rid of some one who may
have wronged or offended him. But
such is the terror inspired by these
sorcerers in the minds of these ig-
norant negroes that it is not always
necessary to resort to actual poisoning.
A word, a sign, look, from the obeah
man is enough tostrike his victim with
mortal terror, under the influence of
which many . poor creature has pined
away into the grave. It is said that
sorcerers are not only very skillful in
preparing poisons to be administered
with food or drink, but that some of
them carry small globule of serpent's
venom under q sharpened fnger-nai1,
by which they can in1lict death with q
slight puncture of the flesh. These are
dangerous customers, and they are
rarely meddled with. The sale of
charms and love.powders is also a part
of their business.
Strange as it may seem, these obeah
men are frequently employed by whites
who wish to get rid of an obnoxious
person. The name of Cowpeer Karr,
who was few years ago famous sor-
,erer in Martinique, will long be re-
membered with detestation in the
island. After long career of crime,
during which he and his accomplices
were believed to have committed many
murders and lesser offenses innumera-
BILE, he was arrested and brought to
trial with an old negro woman, his
partner in guilt; but although every
one believed them to be worthy of the
severest punishment, no one was found
willing to give evidence against them,
and they were finally released, with a
Recommendation from the court to be
careful as to their future conduct. On
leaving the court room they passed
through q dense crowd of whites and
negroes, who had assembled to witness
the trial and Cowpeer Karr, stopping
for a moment to face q group of citi-
zens, said, with slow and stern de-
liberation, ,"Look well at me now
Should I declare how many of you
have applied for my services, there
would be few who would not hang
theif heads" This remarkable trial
took place in 1871. Cowpeor Karr was
no common character. He was shrewd,
quick witted, and we'll qualified to
exert powerful influence on his ignor.
ant tellow-countrymen. His bearing
during the trial was discreet, and his
answers to the interrogations of the
court evinced sagacity and intelligence