, 1879-04-22

Formidable will tho Communists become.
ToDY's W1TCH0RAFT.
Tho experiences Of TonY ALLEN, Of which
some account was given In orr local columns
lact week, are not Mt the presout time likely
to result In anything more sorioua That writ
do lanatco f',quirendo from tho County
Court and n possible vortict Of insanity
and yet his statements aro Of prooiacly tho
kind upon which thousands Of porsonB havc
In former times boen convicted Of WITCH
craft.
,rogT il colorod decorative artist in tho
whitewaahtng line, ind few years ago was
obliged to spend sorno tinse In tho Poniten-
tiorY. IN bis curious letter to Aid. BALLARD
| he says: During my confinement tho
| State Of Illinois introduced mnn named
| JOHNSON with Ills family Us q regulation to
| praotoe somp witohcratt arts on tho inmates
OF said institution. E. . They still hare
tAoir witc!craft on mo, and therefore como
to you to Investigate and hayo mo released
from this Internal power of wi.chcraft,"
! Aud, in m interview with our reporter, l,e
stated that ono night, as he lay in his coll,
| voices oame to him as If In tho sar1e apart
mont, tho stono walls seemed to disappear
aud he behold his prosecutors face 10 face;
TINT .hoy at ono tima made him chop of ono
Of his fingers, and that they whispered in his
ear 10 that he couldn't work, md had power
to stop him from doing anything.
Hexe wo have witchcraft pssze anl simple
diabolical persecution through tho agency
Of u person presumed to DO In leaguo with
SATAN, wllose identity Is establiahod by tho
arpnrition or spectre OF that poreon, who In
tho witch; and If this woro the year Of
grace 1910 we should no doubt hayo tho
JouNsoNs arrested aud examined for witch.
marks, Tour would ewoar to tho domoniacal
allliosions mud to tho apparitions, tho Court
would admit the "spoctral testimony" Just
as did tho Salam Judges in Massachusetts
aud Sir MATTHEW Hale III Suffolk, mud wo
should hive the Jolist Mound converted into
Witch lIll, with q fruitful galtows at tho
top.
II Is o,,r1ons to note tho frequency OF this
appearance of spocsreB to tho afflicted oncs,
md In tho anoient .imo It was no doubt
reckonod providential means OF detecting
witches. 1Ir. STounHTox, Lioutonant-G Gov
ornor, mud at tho head of tho Court for trying
witchea at Salon, in said by HUTCHINSON to
hayo 'takcn up this uotlon that, although
Tho Devil might appear In tho slnpo Of a
guilty person, yet no would never ba ror-
mittod to assume tho shape Of m innocent
person" md these apparitions were, in fact,
next to open confession, taken by tho
Alagistratos {though most Of The olorgy
thought otherwiso) aa tho strongest pos
siblo proof Of guilt. "some Of tho
most religious women who woso aconaod, "
says HuTou1NsoN, "when they saw the np-
I poaranco Of distress aud torturs in tho girls,
. mud hoard their golumn declarations that
7 tloy aaw tho shapes or apcotres of tho ac'
D cuBcd affecting Them, persuaded themselves
n thoy wero Witches" And again, speaking OF
). the afflicted children In tho house Of Mr.
: rAna1s: "Thoy otioh out upon tho 1ndiar
Z woman III appearing to them, piuohng,
: pricling, and tormaating them, mud fell iuto
0 tits."
l. Tut TonY has good company In his bodily
It nt1liotionH, oven to tho extent OF cutting of
Il his flngor. Judge 6xwAL1, whose diary has
i heon recently published, aays. undor date Of
i April II, lG02: "Went to Salem, whore, ir
It tho meoting-houso, the persona nccuacd oi
!. witchcruft weso examined; was d very grea
!. assembly; twaa awful TO eco how tho nj
IL iIictctl persons wora agitatad." In DRAKEt
}. Anaah " lYitchorVE, speaking Of "sunar,
Ap'aritions Of 6ptan unto, md Assaults q
IL Buaslry Times and Places upon, the porso'
j. OF Many, wife Of ANTONIO HonrADo, dwell
It ing near tho Salmon Falls" It ia aaid thu
I H.. Il a..