Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-09-22
CURIOUS MURDERS IN AFRICA
How Magician Killed a Dozen Women
at Lagos
London Standard

The last arriving mail steamer at Liver
pool from Africa brought particulars of
the trial and sentence of the native AdeO-
shun for the murder of numerous women
at Lagos, on the West African coast. The
killing of at least a dozen females was
laid to the account of Adeoshun, but at
the trial, which took place on July 9. he
was charged with the willful murder of
three women, Mrs. Catherine Clegg, Mrs,
Selma Cole, and her sister.
The exact number of skeletons found in
the bush was twelve, and of these three
were identified as the females named, all
OF whom were natives, and occupied re-
spectacle positions in Lagos, two of them
being the wives of native merchants. A
large number of witnesses were examined,
the testimony of one female showing the
modus operandi of the prisoner. This
witness, whose name was IdoWn, had a
very narrow escape of being one of Adeo-
shun's victims. ldOwn went to AdeO-
shun's house. He had numerous ''charms"
spread on the floor, among them being a
small mud idol and several walls filled
with powder. Adeoshun had a pistol,
which be fired at the idol. He then took
something out of the idol, and together
with shilling dropped it into vessel
containing water, making the shilling
into two shillings.
This was the great power his ''charms"
possessed of making articles double their
original value. He urged Idown to bring
him cloth and beads for that purpose, but
she said she was not a trader. After this
he wanted her to mask her face, and on
her refusing blew some of the powder
from the wal to the wind, and IdOwn be-
came somewhat stupefied. She went
home and returned to AdeOshun's
house with sum of 910, tC-
gether with a quantity of beads and
cloth. AdeOshun told her to buy two fowls,
two bottles of rum, one yard of white
Croydon cloth, and two Kola nuts, and
meet him at IkOyi road. Ikoyi read is
near to the place where the skeletons
were found. 1t was 4 O'Clock in the morn
ing when the meeting was to take place.
IdOwn was to tell nobody of the matter,
or the charms would not act, and the
cloth was to be tied round her face. The
appointment was fortunately not kept,
and three days afterward the prisoner
was arrested. The statement of IdOwn
c0rrObOrates for the most part the sup
pes u plan which the prisoner adopted in
carrying out his fendish object, viz: to
blipSfold the women, place fowl in each
haH get them to kneel down, and then
despatch-them with some heavy weapon.
Adeoshun denied the charge of murder,
maintained digHiied demeanor in adj
dressing the jury, and told them he was
DOld ana intrepid, having nOJnlng 10 lear.
The jury, however, brought in verdict
of guilty in all three instances, and asked
that the prisoner be executed in public if
sentenced to be hanged. The prisoner
was sentenced to death.
AdeOshun was a native of Porto NavO,
and years ago was sold by the authorities
to the King of DahOmey, one of whose
executiOners he Immediately became. The
King of that place was, and no doubt is
still, blOOdthirsty ruler, having frequent
and fearful human sacrifices. Escaping
to Lagos, AdeOshun set up as cOhjurOr,
a fetish priest, medicine man and worker
of charms, in which capacity his victims
visited him, and through which they lost
their lives.