The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-08-20
NITCHCRAFT.
The Evil Eye Of Cross Street-A
German Doctor Casting Out Devils.
From the Cincinnati Commercially

From the Cincinnati Commercially
We are unexpectedly called upon to
make a record of display of supersti-
tion in the city of Cincinnati in this
years of 1875, that almost equals the
Salem days. Up in the Northern part
of the city, in n section cnt up Irregular
ly by small, narrow streets, in the midst
of breweries, sausage and kraut factor-
les, is Cross street. Along Cross street,
and on the small streets around there,
has been something of a stir lately,
caused by alleged developments of dia-
blerie and withcraft, and the casting out
process of a German Doctor named
Schilling, who lives on Belts street.
| At No. 81 Cross street an insant son
of a Mrs. Schoettle has lain sick for a
long time, since lasl March, in fact. At
No. AZ son of Mrs. Matheis, sixteen
years of age, has been an invalid for
eight years past. On the same street a
Mrs. Mueller and her daughter have
been long sick. To-day all these people
think they ale well, and they and their
friends attribute their illness TO the
Vaccinations of witch, an old woman
in the neighborhood; and their cure to
the casting-out process of doctor
Schilling, of Belts street. They are hap
Ply in this belief, and the people around
are all agog over the matter.
They had tried regular physicians,
who failed to cure them, and having
heard at last of some mysterious power
possessed by Schilling, they called on
him. He came 10 them, he saw the de-
wills, and he conquered. The worst case
was the boy Mathies, who had been con-
fined eight years to the house. The
witch (said to be an old woman living
near by, whose name they are afraid to
gIve) seemed to have been most deter
mined in her efforts against this boy.
Having called several times on his
patients, and examined them as they lay
in bed, Sehilling announced positively
that they were under spell, and thai
certain articles must be taken out of the
beds from under them, where they had
been placed by witchcraft, through the
influence of the old woman. The beds
were examined, and in them we're found
strange things, feathers sewed together
in circles, stones, pieces of chalk. oiled
silk and other substances entirely for
eign to an honest German feather bed,
such as you find over the canal.
These things brought forth, the Doc
tor advised them to be put in a pot, with
salt water, and boiled. and after that to
he burned. His orders were obeyed,
and the invalids very soon recovered
The boiling process was commenced at
) p. NJ. of Wednesday. Five minutes
later the old witch fell down in her house,
near by, in a fit. She is not expected to
recover now.
Our reporter gathered these and ma
ny other particulars from people OF
Cross street, who seem to have complete
faith in the whole thing, and to hold
Schilling in great awe.
Schilling was interviewed, and with
out blush told the story of his power
over witches and what he had accom-
plished in these cases. He says that
there are witches who possess the bodies
of people to their ruin, if not prostrated
by arts like his. BLOOD of hounds
must be driven ont with blood of hounds.
l am invested with power from God and
the magii, says this remarkable Doctor.
He says he cures by a sympathetic IN
fluence where his roots and herbs fail.
Where the influence fails there he knows
is a devil, and then he must proceed to
cast it out. He says he preserves his
power over the Satanic influence by fast
ing and prayer; that he eats only little
fish on Wednesday,, and on Thursday
and Friday nothing but little corn.
He states that the Cross street witch
was one of the most stubborn cases be
ever encountered. She met him one
day and glowered upon him, endeavor-
ing to transfx him with the evil eve.
But he was too much for her He call
ed on the Trinity. made the cross, and
passed on safe. He had managed, before
his grand coup du bouiHie, to bring the
Matheis boy around, 30 he could walk
out. He accompanied him one da,
when the witch met them. She smiled
upon the boy with an affectation of
kindness, and said, 80 son, you are good
and sound againw The boy went home
upder the baleful spell of her terrible
eye and was very sick again.
But the Doctor thinks he has got that
witch foored this time. She'll never
come to him again, he fully believes.
Such are the prominent circumstances
of an affair that was yesterday being
gravely discussed by hundreds of Ger
man-speaking people. They know that
the sick people have been cured; at least
they think they know it, and many oil
them place confidence in the whole story
with all its absurd and ridiculous fea.
lures.
a sailor named Greenwood has related