The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1874-02-20
An Old Superstition.

Among the horrible supcrstition~ which
still exist in some parts Of the world, that
of the vampire is one of the worst. y re-
cent lawsuit in Germany has shown that
this weird belief still exists. notwith-iand-
ing tn boosted enlightcnmento Of this nine
tenth century.
On the 9Th of February. 1870. there died
al kantZyno. "A village IN Western Prussia.
Of consumption. respectable gentleman
named Francis Won Pollock. siXty-threc
years Of age. a few days after his funeral
his eldest son. Auton. was taken sick and
died on the 18th OF the same month. Ac-
cording TO the physician, his disease was
what j. known as a ''galloping consump-
ton" Almost at the same time this
mans wife and young daughter We're
taken sick: a second son and a brOTher-in-
law felt very unwcll. and all these persons
complained of feeling indescribable anxiety
and oppression.
The slpcrStiti0us notion was now adopt
ed by the family. that the dead father wa.
a So-callcd vampire, and that they must all
die il help were not AT once obtained.
vampire Is supposed to be- a body which
continues TO live in the grave. rising there
from bv night 10 suck the precious life
blood from living persons. especially IT.
own relatives and thus Ia nourl-h Itself
sons attacked il j. said. sometimes feel
themselves in dream caught by the neck
and almost Strangled; or unable 20 keep
on the fearful vi-tant who lies on their
breast. they decline very rapidly. and after
death become them selves vampires. and
so on without end. until by some forcible
measures. the fearful terror j. dispelled.
(. .,conlng To this superstition. which
prevails in Poland and Western Prussia.
the ability to become vampire i given
with the so-,alled Fortunatus' cap. which
IN all ages and among all people has
been regarded as an emblem OF prosperity.
Such vampire candidates are said 10 be
somewhat tIictatorial and avariciouS. The
principal sign. it j. believed. j. TO be found
IN the corpse. The face retains it, color !:
the blood flows freely the stiffness and
oticn~iyencSs of dead bodies are entirely
absent. a. though the person were IN a
trance.
There are various methods adopted fg
these superstitious people for destroying
the vampire some mild. Others more Sc
we're. One j. To turn the dead body IN the
coffin with the face downwards. Another
i 10 drive wooden stake through the
breast. and further. 10 cut of the head and
Law il. face downwards. between the legs.
While the body is thus horribly treated.
the people declare that groans are heard
and wild laughter from the mouth OF the
vampire. In some cases the dead body i
burned TO ashes.
Aficr Auton Won POblocki's death. and
his mother and sister were taken sick, the
family determined to resort 70 the severest
measures of relief. the execution of which
devolved on the second son. Joseph, who
was now the head of the family. The
head of the dead brother was cut of and
laid between his feet. as already described.
The same operation was to be performed
on the father on the night before the
sons funeral. Joseph Won Poblocks
with this view. went the day be
fore TO the grave-ligger OF the place. and
offered him round sum OF money. II he
would dig the grave for his brother 50
near 10 the fathers, that they could. with
out much trouble. break through the SEP
arating earth and open the collie OF the
supposed vampire. The grave-liggercon-
scnted 10 do this, but first consulted the
pastor of the village church. The worthy
clergyman forbade his taking any part IN
such a Dissertation and ordered him to dig
the grave n usual. He also set a watch
on the night before the funeral. The
Waterman was. however. careless, and the
men were not disturbed until they had ac-
complished their purpose. Joseph and his
assistants were tried for their act Of desc
Grafton. and were found guilty by the dis
trict court. This sentence was reversedb by
the Court of Appeals, but the verdict was
set aside by the Superior Court. and the
case sent back 10 be tried again by the trl.
bunal of the district. The trial was pro-
tracted through two wears. but all the par
ties Were finally acquitted. on the INSULT
Gent ground that they meant no wrong
III we now ask for the origin Of TIN.
strange and horrible superstition. We shall
probably find itin the ancient doctrine that
the souls of the dead pass into the bodies
OF other animals doctrine still held by
the iIindoos. There Is bat in south
America which sometimes sucks the blood
Of other animals. and ii this species one,
nNistnd In Eurnn.. m may hlNn mINnn ri.l