The Morning herald., 1875-09-29
VIRGINIA YOCDOUISM.
Some Of the Beliefs and Customs of
the Negroes Of the South.

A correspondent of the New York Ili-
bune from Richmond, Virginia, gives the
following:
Not long ago police officer of this city,
whose beat includes the approach to the
famous Mayo's Bridge, saw negro woman
steal from the shadow of neighboring
building and glide quickly out on the
bridge. Reaching point where the cur
rent Of the river beneath was swift and
strong, she drew bundle from under her
shawl and threw it into the water The
woman stated, in explanation and defense,
that ler d .ughter was subject to "fits," and
that believing her "tricked" Il. e. bewitch-
ed she had applied for relief to doctor
OF her own color. He-a Voudou curer of
great repnte-had directed her to take
some OF the girls hair, the parings of her
nails, and some of her clothing, freshly
soiled from wearing-make these things
into bundle and throw them after sunset
into the river as far from the shore as she
could. This done, he assured her, the
charm with which an enemy had bewitched
her daughter would be removed and her
recovery be certain. The investigation re-
suited in acquittal from all suspicion of in
fanticide, and full corroboration of the
mothers story.
One often hears this mystery Of Voudou
spoken of as spectre of the past, ard is
horritied when, az in this instance, it rises
to confront him at the breakfast table
through the medium ola paragraph copied
from some Southern newspaper. There is
no doubt that it still lives and Eflourishe..
while not few men and women in the
Southern States support themselves by
their practice as Voudou Doctors. If an
ignorant negro is smitten with disease
which he cannot comprehend he often i'm.
aglnes himself the victim of witchcraft.
and having no faith in white folks phy.
&c" for such ailnent must apply to one Of
these quacks. A physician residing near1
this city was invited by such one to wit
ness his mode Of procedure with drops.
cal patient for whom the physician N
question had occasionally charitably pre-.
scribed. Curiosity led him to attend the
seance-having previously informed the
auack that since the case was in such
hands, ne relinquished all connection with
it. On the coverlet of the bed in which
the sick man lay was spread quantity Of
bones, feathers and other trash. The |
cfaraltan went through with series of 80. |
called conjurations, burned feathers, hair
and tiny fragments Of wood in a charcoal |
furnace, and mumbled yibberish past the
physician's comprehension. He then pro.
cceded to rip open the pillows and holsters
and took from them come queer conplom.
erations Of feathers. These he said had
caused all the trouble. sprinkling
whltewash powder over them he burnt
them in his furnace. A black, offensive
smoke was produced and he announced
tliumphantly that the evil influence was
destroyed and that the patient would surely
gel. well. He died not many days later,
believing IN common with all his friends
ana relatives, that the conjurations of the
trick DOCTOR had failed to save him onlv
because resorted to too late.
That the ignorant negroes poison each
other few people acquainted with the lower
grades Of the race can doubt. Indeed,
coloIed "doctar' is now serving out term
in tho Virginia Penitentiary under sen.
tence for poisoning a negro woman Manu-
Of them have knowledge Of the pSS,sai3
Of every tree and plant, leaf aad rsaf
found in their native fields and fort,ES:
From these they dhtil healing balns "a