The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-12-29
NEGRO SUPERSTITION.

THE vooDoo CASE OF FAIRFAx Doucr Asa .~r
HIS DUskr LovEs-rHE SENTENCE Is FOE
FOURTEEN YEARS
special to the Courier-Journal from
Lexington, Kentucky, the 18th inst, gives
the facts in a strange case of voodooism:
Inc case 1.-THE Commonwealth VS.. Fairfax
douglass for killing Willis Price, some ac
count of which was telegraphed the Courier
journal last night, came up for argument
To- day. The case Is a very curious one. and
Illustrating as IL does in a strong point of
vie" the peculiar superstition of the neeroes
known as Voodooism, will at
.fac. general attention. The plea of
the defendant that he is not only not guiltv
of murder, but that what he did was ,n saiy
defense, is based on the prevalence among
MS race OF the superstition referred to- Fairfax
douglass Is negro man of unmixed blood
and apparently about twenty-five years old
nis lace IS not wanting In intelligence, nor
Is tnere anything sinister or maleyolent
about its expression. He seems TO have
borne fair character among his acouaint-
auces, and to have been regarded
as at least ofaverage industry and Standing.
win MS female acqusintances he appears
10 nave been decidedly favorite-with one
OF them too much favorite for her or his
peace ana happiness. Last summer, accord
ing TO the evidence laid before the
jury, he engaged himself to girl
naneo Jennie meade, and in due
line was 10 nave been married TO her.
Another dusky maiden, however. one Lot
Tie Iaylor, upon whose susceptibilities his
manly charms had made too deep an impress
sion, was resolved that the nuptials should
never come off If sheco prevent il. She
was anxious to win him for herself, but
determined if that could not be done
that her rival should not have him.
In this state of mind she sought out one
Willis Price. whom she believed capable of
aiding her in the execution of her purpose
ms Willis Price, who seems to have been
an Ooi man, or whatever it is called, en-
tered into her plans. In the presence of one
OF the witnesses who testified in the case. he
furnished her with bottle ofpeculiar shape.
containing liquid of some sort, at the bot
tom OF which there were
SOME RUSTY PINS OR NEEDLES,
For this he was paid two dollars. 1t was to
be administered in a cake Ito the recusanr
lover; and the conjurer. promised that the
effect would be either to attach him to Lottie
Taylor, or SIX him" so that he could not
marry Jennie Meade. Unluckily for the
conjnror, the fact of his undertaking to six
him" came to Douglass knowledge,
Douglass, so he says and so his law
yers commended, fully creditiDg the powers
OF Price to accomplish what he protested
himself capable of, believed himself in peril
of his life or of serious bodily harm through
charms and Vaccinations. In self-defense,
therefore, he sought the conjuror out, and
finding him at Morgan's hemp factory, con-
versing with several other negroes, struck
him over the head again and again with a
base ball bat; nor did he desist until he
was seized and held by three of the
bystanders. Price died in consequences
OF the beating, some days afterward
Amongosher things, the jury were instructed
by the court that if they were of opinion
that the prisoner believed his life endan-
gered, or that he was in serious bodily peril
from Prices Vaccinations, and that what
he did was with the purpose of self-protec-
ton, they should not find him guilty of
murder. The jury, on the conclusion of the
arguments of the counsel, retired to its
room, and, after an absence of some time,
returned verdict of guilty of manslaughter
against the prisoner, Fairfax Douglass, fix
ing the penalty at fourteen years in the PEN
itentiary.