Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1884-08-07
A BE WITCHED BLACKSNt1S'
ACCOUNT OF THE srNeULARpor
OF A MAINE MAN va
EadoWing with Extu
strength People Whom n. oRag,
-AstOniShing Mannheim. ea,As,

fT4aa
said to New York 81. ranoe, Y
one John Downs, of Auburn Nc Us
possessed of cXtraordinary ~ p
" Downs" said the reporters me- l'a
is known rs the bewitched bIaaI'
When | left Maine, fifteen yosr, aN-le
had just become aware that The so {
of his power was involuntary ana 4 So0s
in great distress of mind over IL ' -. u, 2
consequences, having Just had , f ~
demonstration of what might oocd r'-',
its presence. He was not n mart, Pa
strong man himself, but by ,oo $50
others hesseemed to endow tbc,,
extraordinary strength. This +, Y
power he was able not only to co,t
human beings, but he could infna,
mails with it. | remember once .o.,.
team stalled In a road leading ia Anr
They were attached to heavy lo,S
the forewheels of the wagon ran H.,
deep rut, and the horses were mall
pull them out. The driver va, 4
to remove portion at his
when Downs CHANGED IN
driving by. He stopped. and t,r
the driver to leave the load as II
alighted. He rubbed each horse a, =
head and neck, and almost insan,ly /
they became nervous and restless I'm,
told the driver to start them m
did so, and the horses hauled tbo 4,
out of the rut with the creates, =.
and went off at such a gait that tb,
yer found difficulty in controlling M.
BOYS who were barely able to m h
heavy sledge hammers in Downs IA.
smith shop had only to receive them,.
from the bewitched blacksmith ,o.s
to swing them with the ease Of Ola
can himself. This singular >rs.
given TO others would remain IN h,
from ten minutes to half an hotr ana
passing away left the subject weak
depressed. and sometimes quite an p
this reason Downs finally refused
make subjects of any one. He "a.
possessed, also, of great mcSmcrepqz
and with this he furnished no eM
amusemenf to his friends. Even L
he'had some one running on tbe nai
foolish of errands, or perlomin, h
sorto of odd monkey shines. On orpn
casion stern, dignitied and auf
feared clergyman of the place dafd
blacksmith to- place him under the r.5
encerof his, alleged mystic spell. hR
minutes time Downs had dcSmtrhah
clergyman to, tobacconist's a lok "A
tancc away. for clay pipe and En-
cents wortlb of tobacco, with uhm
returned as meeklv as the most obcdt
GRAND boy.
downs finally ceased exercising
power also, and had not subjcSG Il
one to,it for more than a year Cas
Woodward, q well-known business ia
of Auburn, and great friend Of b
bewitched blacksmith's, the twOhng
been in the army together, rctureiha
from o. long absence from town sSa
that time Downs went to his pI3g
business to, sae him. He sh00k ha
with him heartily, and threw enc 4
about Woodward neck. This msa
Thursday forenoon. Soon after Diva
went out Woodward began to dance
sing and manifest an eXubermo
spirits that astonished his a@oaaf
He boarded with a man namcdbs
Blake. Blake thought that W0odE
singular as IT. seemed, was celebrating
returnahome. Blake learned that y
ward had been around town snas
things generally. When he rctorlal
his boarding house Blake got him
to bed, andlsaat for physician. ff
called ito sec. Woodward, and he ad5.A
ed many of them by telling nuns
faraily and business secrets Of a5
which he had had no possible nsf
becoming. acquainted with. lh
sician said Woodward was suiieHS
hysteria, and advised that he be ~
with strong mustard water =
undertook. the task. lie had y.
Woodward but a short time
her was seized with a straDg
vous twibahirg and 1ontractloh
muscles. At the same time N'@
came to his senses. Blake tooE
singing and dancing, and acted ~
ward had been doing. for two Ga5s
side that, he became possesscGa
wonderful strength, and it reoaIs
strong men to manage him. i9L
added the still mors remark 1@
of telling what thesinteniions,ol i
of his. attendants was, and yhs9 Z
thinking about. making 1t ImPo's
them, to use strategic measures ~
with him.
at was net uaEil Wood"aia -
stonad to his senses that i. VS.
that Downs had been TO see hlIL
then at once believed thas De - =
under the strange inhueres: % n
witched blacksmith. and tha, :.
been transmitted to Blake, -
at once sent fpr. to see lt De -
remove the SPELL he ha1 -nspI'
visited Blake at once, abd
him soon restored him - ME-
tho first tine. in his life. IS DE- a.