The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1885-09-18
Witohcraft in the swede Settlement in
Belgrade.

II will hardly he credited that at this late
day and age az the world, that the witchcraft
Of the darker ages could he revived amidst
our enlightened people. But snch In never
theless the fact. Not only In the Belgrade
Swcde settlement, hut instituted by order Oi
the Clergyman for u trial for witchcraft to BE-
held last Sunday, after the service AMI ser.
mon In The forenoon Of that day. In the Swede
Lutheran church Of that vicinity The facts
are that u Mrs. John Solamon has been sick
for the past three years. Sire was attended
for the first two Of those years by reputable
physicians of good standing In the communi-
~. but the present year she, with the advice
Of her friends, hearing Of the wltchcraft rem.
cdy In Sweden. wrote or had her husband
write, To parties In sweden Ia obtain informa-
ton In reference Ia the wichcraft remedy.
heceiving encouraging information In re-
Spouse To such Inquiries, she, or her husband,
sent lock OF her hair and fragment of her
clothing. as requested, together with the
amount oi money called for by the Professor
or witchcraft doctor. In response thereto they
received the information that her sickness
was brought on nv the manipulation or an
old woman witch In the community. The In
formation was received by letter from Swed-
en- stating that the old woman by whom Mrs
Solamon hal been bewitched, and who had In
iiicted this sickness upon her, was an old
woman who frequently came To their house.
They then set Ia work Ia find who that old
woman could he, and soon came To the con-
cltision that an aunt To both Mrs. SolamOn and
her husband. by the name Of Mrs. Johnson,
living In Hebron, Nlcollet county, who had
| frequently visited them, must be the one. Mrs
Johnson IL u woman Of responsibility and good
| reputation In the community where she has
| lived many years. Thereupon they hogan to
talk IL openly and publicly that Mrs. Johnson
| was the one who had bewitched Mrs. SOlamon
| ana caused her long sickness. They received
| the further information from the witchcraft
| doctor In Sweden that Mrs. solomon could on
ly he cured by bringing thc accused, Mrs.
| Johnson, publicly before the sick woman, and
| accuse her, and slap her on her mouth until
her mouth would bleed. and then Mrs. Soda
mon W MIld get we'll Then they made u com.
| plant Ia the Swe,ie preacher, A. Anderson
who us a Judge ordered her to he brought up
for trial, which trial took place after the ser.
mon and service In the Swede church last
Sunday, at the house Of John Solamon, In the
presence Of his sick wife, she being the ilrs,
witness the preacher acting M judge and tn,
dcacons as jury. The preacher had summon
| ed large crowd of witnesses before they left
the church, made up Of nearly all the Peter
sou family, well known To the police fraterni
| ~ nr Blue Earth and Nicollet counties Mrs
Selam0n testified that thirteen years ago
| while riding In u wagon together, Mrs. John
son touched her hack and u tickiei when sh'
touched Il, Aud about three ago, Just he for,
Mrs Soamon WAS taken sick, Mrs johnson
| was visiting at her house, AMI while there an.
saw her take holt of the quilt on the bed, anl
soon after was taken sick, and while lyinl
sick in that same bed, ana ever since she fell
that tickling In her back. Charles Lind, mn
other witness, stated that he was well pOstr,
in witchcrait diseases, and knows that Mrs
Snlamons disease was> caused by wiiohcraft
Mrs John Peterson stated that she also wa,
posted in witchcrafI diseases aud she hat
seen the witches send the craft OF ana seen Il
| tiy ia the air, ana strike the persons who were
soon after taken sick, the same way IA Mrs
Solamon WIS. Mrs Gustafson, and several 9th
ers, testified Ia about the same thing Others
we're present who did not believe in witchcrait
hut were not allowed to testify, AMI were over
ruled by the preacher judge and the whole
crowd. The accused was not present AT tn,
trial, but was found guilty, but AT last ne
counts sentenc" hadnni been passed upon her
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