Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1885-07-08
OUR CANNIBAL NEIGHBORS.
Degraded Condition of the Republic of
Hayti-The DevOuring of Human Flesh
Common Practice


nowadays writes a correspondent to
the Boston Herald, it is usually in 6
cOngratulatory tone, of curse from
which the world is now pretty well
freed; Something which, perhaps, ex-
lists IN some PARKWAY coral island in
the Pacific, inhabited by handful OF
savages, and out of the track of com
merce, or among unvisited wilds in
the interior of Africa. 1t is, therefore,
with horror that we learn that the
fiendish practice still fourishes almost
at our doors, on great island within
few days sail, and in constant COM
munication with Boston by steam
and sailing packets. This benighted
region is the republic of Hayti; q
country surrounded by civilized COM
munities, possessing ga government
modelled on that ofF'rance, with presi-
dent, senate, and house of representa-,
tives; with secretaries of state, pre-
fects, judges, and all eparaphernalia
of courts Of justice and of police; with
press more or less free, and an arch
bishop, bishops, and clergy nearly all
Frenchmen." In this connection
Hayti must not be confounded with
it's sister republic of Santo Domingo,
inhabited by Spanish-speaking negroes
and occupying the larger part of the
island. SantO Domingo is said to be
far more enlightened than Hayti.
Sir Spenser ST. John, now British
minister to Mexico, was twelve years,
beginning with 1868, minister resident
and consul general from Great Britain
to Hayti. In his recently-published
book, called "Hayti; or, the Black
Republic" he has q chapter on
Vaudoux Worship and Cannibalism, :"
and his testimony is so strong and
direct that the horrible facts which he
exposes can hardly be refuted. Canni-
| balism in Hayti is an accompaniment
of the barbarous Vaudoux worship
brought from Africa, and existing, it
is said, to some extent among our
| Southern negroes in this country. The
evil is so wide spread in Hayti that
the government has never dared to
grapple with it, with the exception of
| the administrations of President Gef-
frard and Boisrond-Canal, and it is
probable that they, in some measure,
owe their fall to this action. The EN-
peror Soulouque was firm believer in
the Vaudoux, the mulatto Gen. Their
| longe was one Of it's high priests, and
late prime minister was said to be q
chief priest of the sect. A believer in
| Vaudouxism is, however, not neces-
sariiy tainted with cannibalism, there
| being two sects who follow the wor-
ship, one consisting of those who only
delight in the blood and flesh of white
cocks and spotless white goats at their
| l. 10
ing those who are not only devoted to
these, but on great occasions call for
the flesh and blood of the 'goat with
| out HORNS" or human victims.
At dinner Sir Spenser heard the
archbishop of Port-au-Prince give an
account Of the occurrences at Vau-
doux ceremony held the preceding
week in the district of Archahaye, in
1869. A French priest in charge Of
the district had curiosity to witness
the ceremonies, and he persuaded some
| of his parishioners to take him to the
| forest where a meeting was being held.
They were very unwilling, saying that
| if discovered he and they would be
killed, but hepromised faithfully that,
wha tever happened he would not speak
| a. word. So he was taken with them,
disguised as peasant. After theusual
ceremonies of killing a white cock and
| whitegoat, those present being marked
with the blood, the priest said that
presently an athletic young negro came
and knelt before the priestess Of the
occasion and said, 80, mamma, |
have a favor to ask" "What is it,
my son? ''Give us, to complete the
sacrifice, the goat without horns.'
She gave sign of assent; the crowd in
the shed separated, and there was
child sitting with it's feet bound. In an
instant arope, already passed through
a block, was frightened, the child's feet
flew up toward the roof, and the priest
approached it with knife. The loud
shrek given by the victim aroused the
Frenchman to the truth Of what was
going on. He shouted 80, spare the
child" and would have darted for
ward, but he was seized by his friends
around him and literally carried from
the spot. He got safely back to the
town and tried to rouse the police,
but they would do nothing until the
morning, when they accompanied him
to the scene. They found the remains
of the feast, and near the shed was the
boiled skull of the child. The author
tiles we're exceedingly incensed with
the priest for his interference, and un-
der pretense that they could not an
swer for his safety, shipped him off to
Port-au-Prince, where he made his re-
port to the archbishop.
Sir Spenser says that, in general,
when Incidents relating to Vaudoux
worship are spoken of in society, the
Haytien gentlemen endeavor to turn
the conversation, or they say you
have been imposed on, or the events
have been exaggerated. He tells in
detail, however, the story OF
a trial which he witnessed in
criminal court, detailed
account of which is given in
the official journal of the day. It oc-
Cured during the presidency of Gen.
Geffrard, whom the author calls the
most enlighted ruler since the days OF
President Boyer. Aman named Congo
Pelle lived a couple of miles to the
voC+ Of port on Pripoa in the viii aoa of