The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1875-05-28
n THE OLD.TIME SPIRITS.


NANCY, magic, and spiritualism. In thi
circle there were Q) Elizabeth Paris
the minister's daughter, aged nine years
who first had leading part in The sub
sequent excitements, bct was early re
moved from them by her father; q
Abigail Williams, Paris niece, living
in his house, aged eleven; C3) Ann Pu.
nam, aged twelve, daughter of the par
ish clerk and recorder, a prominent mar
at the Farms; "a Mary Walcott
seventeen, daughter of Jonathan Wal
Cott, Mr.. Paris next-door neighbor
(5) Mercy Lewis, seventeen; (6) Eliza
beth Hubbard, seventeen, niece Of DR..
Griggs, the village physician, and res.
dent in his family; C7-S) Elizabeth
Booth, Susannah Sheldon, each eigh-
teen, belonging to families living near
at hand; (9) Mary Warren, aged twenty,
servant in the family Of John Proctor,
who was brought to the scaffold by the
girls; and q0) Sarah Churchill, SER
want in the family of George Jacobs, Sr.
Her employer also became their victim.
With these ten other persons were
drawn to act. There were John Indian
and Tituba, two slaves of Mr.. Parisr',
who probably were brought to the colo
ny from the Barbados, and besides
these, one or two others; but the girls,
with the slaves, formed the circle, and
were the leading characters in theevents
which have been a horror and mystery
ever since they transpired. In those
events these girls were bold and even
vicious in their bearing, and evinced an
utter absence of compunction or COM
miseration; except in one or two IL
stances, displaying complete disregard
of the agony and destruction which
they brought upon others.
In the course of the winter they be-
came expert in the arts they were learn
ing. Gradually they came to exhibit
their attainments to beholders. At first
these exhibitions consisted in creeping
into holes, and under benches and
chairs; putting themselves into odd and
unnatural postures, making wild ges-
tures, and uttering incoherent and unin-
telligible sounds. Then they were
seized with spasms, dropped insensible
to the floor, or writhed in agony, pre-
tending to suffer tortures, with loud and
piercing outcries. Naturally they began
to draw upon themselves general atten-
tion. Soon they came to be styled" the
afflicted children" In the early stages
no explanation of their condition was SO
much as suggested by any one; but as
soon as DIR. Griggs was called in, and
had examined them, he declared them ,
In those days, and prior to
those days, physicians frequently dis
posed of difficult cases which came be-
fore them by such resort. The pro-
fession must bear its fair share of re-
sponsibiity for succeeding occurrences.
At once people were excited and
alarmed. They Aocked to the minister's
house from all quarters. The girls
varied and expanded their manifesto
lions, beginning to disturb prayer-meet-
ings and services on the Lords day. At
this some persons expressed disapproba
lion, and, though no accusations had as
yet been made by the children, these
persons, as the sequal shows, were i'm
marked. Families to which
the girls belonged began to fast and to
pray. Neighbors came in with the min
ister, and suppicated God to deliver
Them from Satin. In the intervals OF
service the afflicted would break out
with their cries, though not during the /
prayer.
In due time The Rev. Mr.. Paris had
Ehe ministers of the region together at
his house. They spent the day with
zach other-the children performing be-
iore them-and were all astounded.
Forthwith they corroborated Dr.
Gregg's opinion as to the ailment of the
afflicted" saying that the devil had
operations on a grander I
scale and with bolder front than ever
before in any country. This judgment
Of theirs was spread abroad, and public
opinion becoming fixed, men and wo-
men left fields, houses, and labors, TO
witness this awful unfolding of demoni-
nc power.
AS it was an established doctrine of
theology, philosophy and law, that the
devil could not operate upon mortals OF
mortal affairs, except through human
beings in connection with HIM. e.,
through witches-the question speedily ,
lrose: "Who bewitched these girls p
The girls held back from mentioning ,
names. Public excitement deepened.
But the inquiry, "Who is it that be-
you ~ was urgently pressed up
Oh them, and without, much delay they
began to indicate individuals. One
lfter another they cried out: "Good m
'Osburnl' ''Titubal" On February 90,
therefore, Edward Putnam, Thomas