The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1886-06-30
WITCHES AND DEVILS.
Queer Stories and Ideas of Early Times
Concerning Evil Spirits.

(From the Boston Commercial Buuetin.l
The earliest letter in the Mather
papers that alludes to the delusion of
witchcraft is "The testimony Of VIII
liam Nors and his wife," relating GER
tain events that occurred at his house
in 1879, which were believed to be the
result of witchcraft. This testimony
was inclosed in letter from the Rev.
Joshua Moodey to the Rev. Increase
Maher. s'The last thing heard of,
says the venerable divine, ''was the
carrying away of several axes III the
night Notwithstanding they were laid
up, yea, lockt up very safe, as the
owner thought, at least, which was
done this spring." The tramp had
evidently not yet been invented foE the
benefit of the careless.
1t seems that Master MorS and his
wife had but just retired for the night
when they were reused by the violent
falling of "Stokes & Stons" on the
root. On opening the door to discover
the cause Of these nocturnal disturb
anccs both he and his wife We're
driven back by a vollev of stones
hurled against them. The pair dis
creetly returned to bed, locking the
door carefully behind them, but at
about midnight were again awakened
by the loud grunting of a hog which
the master OF the house was at some
trouble to drive out of doors. The
powers of darkness did not contlne
their pranks to the night, but continued
their performances in broad daylight.
Household goods, hung in the chimney
for safe keeping, leaped from their
hooks and took possession Of the chairs,
and other articles fled from their accus-
toned places ard fell rafting down
the chimney. Among other articles,
he saws: "a basket in the chamber
com doun the chimney. tocke it up
myseife and laide it before me; it was
sudinly taken away know not how
and com doun the chimny again. l
then took a brick and put into it and
said it should carry that if it did goo
us5 againe. 1t was taken away | know
not Cow and com doun the chimny and
the brick after it."
The godly man was sorely plagued
by the continual falling Of stones on
the roof and eEen of lighted tirew ood
down the chimney. Swine invaded
his house and it was impossible for
him and his hired boy to keep the cat
tie fastened in the barn. Pots, kettles
and &ndirons performed a witches
dance agopnd the kitchen, and neither
sheets nor blankets would stay upon
the bed. Chairs gould then perform
q polite obeisance and then violently
kicked the master and mistress of the
house. Finally the writer concludes
ssA mate of a ship coming often to me
and said he was much grieyed for us,
and said the boye was the Cause OF OIL
NV trubble and my wife was much
Roneed and was no wich, and if |
rculd Let him have the boy but bon
Day he would warent no more trueel.
being persuaded to ii he comet he
mex day st the break of day andhed
boy was with him until night an IT
had not any trubel since.
The second letter vouching tor sun
dry Nitch-like occurrences was writ
ten at Hadley in 1888, and by no less
worthy thaG the Rev. John Russell,
the kindly protector Of the rcgicidcs,
Gofe and NNhalley. According to the
accounts it seems that Sn aged man
named Nicholas DisboroW, oi Hart
ford, had at her mothers death, taken
charge of his little granddaughter.
This little girl at the tender age OF
eioht fell into a pond and was drowned.
Her father, John AQdrosse, with
whom she had not lived for years,
Immediately set to his father-in-law,
Dis5orow, for the personal effects OF
Mistress Ambrose and of his daush-
ter. Disborow, disguised with his
worthless son-in-law, refused, and
straightway 'sbegan TO be visited with
strange providence, stones and dirt
being thrown at him, at first small
pieces. This providence becomes
amazing; things being thrown at him
and his boy, night and day, in house
and field; sometimes in open places,
where one might see 6 quarter OF a
mile about and no appearance OF hand
or person to throw them. The things
were stones, dirt, brickbats, cobs OF
Indian corn.''
Rather substantial effects, these, OF
ghostly influence. Not even the
hearthstone was safe from the witch
sped missiles, it appears, for the mar
rator goes on to say: ''When in the
house, and doors shut, they would
come down the chimney, and fall upon
them, and upon others that were in
the house. One stone that hit
him on the arm putt him to some little
pain. Another on the leg drew little
blood which appeared through his
stocking.'' Thus it continued till No
vember, about which time said Dis
boroW's barn was burnt; ''no man
knew how, but very strangely; and
considerably to his loss" This strange
pelting with missiles rom unknown
hands continued until Disborow sent
to Ambrose the garments in dispute.
The reverend doctor marvels greatly
that, although "Stones Il brickba4t>
about pound waight that fell down
bv them, yet they received no consiG-
erable hurt SIT was q strange II
awful Providence" he decides. "More
than natural, which occasioned great
thoughts of hart; whether the ehild's
death was merely casual, or, &c.
But how, or what the cause of the
motions was, the Lord only knows"
This same fall Of 1858 seems to have
been especially blessed Or cursed with
all manner Of witch work, for late III
Aronsf of that wear the Rev. John