Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-05-17
A 5 SWELL CASE
In Which Emily NOey, Nat Randall and
One Alexander, a yeuaou Doctor,
Figure ConspicuoGsIy.
The s0dus 0perandi oil COpiGratiOu as
The Pseudo Doctor Explained 1t to
the Susceptible Emily

The trial OF 3 rather u1usu1l voudou case
occupied Justice F.emiDg's Court for sn
| hour or more yesterday morning. A colored
Womsn named Emily Noey wss put on trial
| for circu lsting slanderoUs stories concerning
| Nat Randall, greatly 10 the injury of the
latter, who is a Jealous member of DR.. jays
church. The woman accused him of "hurt-
| ing" her husband by means of numerous
contriyancss familiar to votaries of the
black art, known in colored rcientifc circles
| as "hoodooism." Her story was that her hus-
band had been ill for three years and at
| regular intervals swelled up TO an enormous
| size. At such times his mind wandered and
he spoke OF things 80 horrible in their nature
| as to frees her blood. She was advised 10
| call in DR.. Alexander, a celebrated youdou
| doctor, to his aid, and learned from him that
her husband had an enemy who mad The power
of making him swell up at any time he so
| desired. He did this by me2ns of a bottle
Of indicated water, which he warmed before
the fire, the suffsrings of his victim depend
ing entirely upon the length OF time the
| bottle wac allowed 10 remain 5efors the FIRE.
| AT ight be placed the bottle under he part
| of the floor upon which the Ted OF his victim
stood. This was necessary 10 keep the charm
in action, and il the bottle could be destroyed
the power Of her hushsnd's enemy to DO him
evil would vanish. This, however, was only
worked, and all these agencies must be dis.
covered and defeated before the cure would
be complete. One other method was to bore
a hole in tree and plug up in it some OF
the hair of the victim. The cavity was
| closed with a wooden plug, and the tighter
the plug the more fearful the headache with
which the unfortunate sufferer would be
afflicted. Tangled twine and horse
hair had also been buried about
the domicile of her husband, 30 the doctor
told Emily, and she must dig for these things
and throw them into the river. This was
the substance OF Euily's statement. She
added that "Df." Alexander was right, be-
cause she found the plugged tree, the tangled
hoTsehair snd twire, and had seen the i'm
print of the bottle in the fresh earth under
her house. The doctor" was present as a
witness fer the defendant, aud at the couclu-
sion Of the trial he was warned that if be
continued to impose upon the creauiiy Of
the ignorant he would be sent 10 a place
from which all his Wanted powders could
not relesss hiu. He admitted he had taken
81 from the woman as pay for his services in
discovering her husbands tormentor, and
others present said he made his living in tn at
way. 1t was plain that be exercises no weak
influence among the class present in court as
witnesses IN the case. Emily Noey, the de.
PENDANT, own. a nice house and lot on
the corner Of Seventh and Gholson streets
aud had an honest intelligent face. Nat
| Randall, ~be considered ais reputation al
stake on account of the stories circnlSted by
her, declared he was guiltless of the charges,
which was, Of course, allowed by the Court
who considered them too absurd 10 be enter
tanned for moment. The case ended in
smoke, and horseshoe magnet, developed
in flannel bag, which the youdou doctor
used to aid him in HE incantaiions, wag & ed
away with the archives of the court.