Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1879-08-05
"THRMYSTERY OF THE WIZARD
CLIP.n

. Fl
We have received from the publishers,
Messrs. Kelly, Piet & Co. of Baltimore.
copy Of n book with the above title. It is
work of local interest to our people. as it
deals with events which are said to have oc-
CURED 10 our own neighbofhood more than
three quarters of century ago. The author
is the Rev. Joseph NJ. Finotti, who died at
Central City, Colorado, Jan. 1l.h, 1870
He has endeavored to gather together in his
work all of the evidence to prove tho
"spiritual manifestations and clippings" that
occurred ct the house of one Adam Living
stop, who removed from Pennsylvania in or
shout the year ITO to a farm in Jefferson
coanty. near Middlewsy. We make the fol-
lowing extract from "the history of Wizard
Clip, as told by Mrs. Anastasia MoSherry,
OF Berkeley county, to her children
This Dir. Livingston was farmer, who
lived in Pennsylvania he was Lutheran,
most honest industrious map, who owned
diminish in variety of ways, his barn was
burnt, his horses aud cattle died. Els losses
continuing, he left Penna and came to Vir-
GINA, Jefferson county, and settled in Smith
field, sometimes called Leetowu, where he
had as much troubls IS before: horses and
cottle died, his clothes cut to pieces.
They were often alarmed by strange noises
in the houss-like horses galloppipg around
--rgaio, their clothes burning. their money
taken away, and a great variety of strange
doiugs-until at last they resolved TO get some
one to come aud LAY THE DEVIL.
They tried conjarors and preachers, but to
no purpose.
j. last Mr.. L. bad dream no thought
he vas climbing high mountain. aud had
great difficulty to get up, had TO labor hard,
catching to roots and bushes, but when he
had reached tho top, he saw a Minister
dressed in roles, as he termed it.. After
looking at the Minister for sometime, be
beard Voice saying:
This 10 the man who can relieve you"
His wife heard him grooming in his sleep,
and awoke-h him. Whereupon, he told her
bis dream, and said he did not know of
Minister who core robes, but would enquire
early in the morning.
Accordingly he started End travelled to
Shepherd.own, where he vas told by some
one that it was Catholic Priest he was look.
ing for, as Priests only dressed in roJes, and
wss directed to go to Dir. Richard McSherry,
near LeetoEn, where no nigh, iud ono.
Lasesi in tho evening of tho samo day, Mrs.
McSherry saw him coming up to her house
she met him at tho gate, and when he told
her what he wanted, to-wit, "to see the
Priest" she told him, thcro vas none at her
house then, sbns there acou1a be church in
Shepherd,own next Sunday-there he could
SEQ one.
Mr. and Mrs. MuSberry trent to church,
next Sunday-and there they found Mr..
Livingston.
AS tho Psics. appeared at the Altar. Mr.,
L. was very much overcome, wePt bitterly,
aud exclaimed This is the man / saw in
my dream, he is the one to relieve me-"
When Mass sTas over. he went in to talk
to the Priest aud told him lis sad story: but
the Priest (the Rev. Denis CahilD only
laughed at him, and told him it was only his
neighbors plagueing him, and that he must
go home and watch for them. Richard Nc.
Sherry aud Mr. Menghini were present, and
wero much moved by the old mans tears,
which made them listen to his sad story and
tried to comfort him.
After much lureins], and great deal of
persuasion Mr.. Cahill went to Mr. Living
ston's, accompanied by Mr. McSherry and
HIr Menghini, and they both questioned the
family. Finding they all told tho same story,
hIr. @. spriuk killed. tho house with Holy Water:
and before they left, sum of money that
had been taken away was lying on the door
sill.
So after be had Mass in the house, tho
work Of destruction censed.
We also copy the following letters from
John Il. Pet, Esq, of Baltimore, and Bishop
Kaip, Of West Va:
BALTIMORE, May II, 1878.
Dear ISir,............N hen my father
aud mother left the McSherry farm, in Sep
teuber, 1910, and went to the Barrens,
Perryville, Perry county, No they took with
them an old red flannel or worstcd vest, that
WIS cut all over in the shape of half moons,
said to have been done at the house of Dir.
Livingston by the Evil Spirit. When
we returned to Virginia in 1871 (ApriD, my
mother gave the old vest to the Sisters of the
Visitation who were then residing aud had
an academy ut Kaskaskis, in Illinois. They
we're driven out Of Kaskaslia by the great
food of 1874 aud my two sisters, who were
then at Ksskaskis, az scholars, went with the
Sisters to ST. Louis. 1 have always under
stood that the vest was lost in that removal,
or Intentionally thrown away by the Sisters.
Ihors seen the old Uest and handled az often
Ireader, please note thisl. This is abou: al
I can say of what know about tho matter.
have often heard my mother say that the
Jesuits at McSherrystown IConewago]. Pa.
had some of tho clothes and other relics Of
the CLIP affair; and my impression is that
sho got the old vest frcm them. My father
died hero April, 1875.
Respectfully yours.
JOHN 8. Plat.