Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-02-14
THE DREADED NIGHT DOCTOR.
A Bug-a-BoO which TerrOriEes M any Ig-
nOrant People.
From the Washington St0r.

tnelf narrowing tales can realize the
deep.rooted belief in the existence of
might doctors" among the more ignorant
and superstitiOus class Of c0lored people.
Noodoo1sm, the hidden art OF coniuring
and might doctors" are all found among
the articles of faith of many Of this class.
They will not listen TO arguments intend
ed to disabuse them Of such ridiculous
ideas, for thelr own or their friends i'm
aglned experiences are proof enough to
them. Every now and then a case in the
Pollce Court show how some scamp has
taken advantage of their cTedullty to rob
them OF their hard earned money by pre-
tending to practice vOOdoOIsm upon them,
or SHOWS that a police officer was desper-
ately resisted at the dead OF night simply
because the man to be arrested as a sus-
piciOus character believed the officer 10 be
might doctor" For the benefit OF the
uhinformed, it may be stated that a night
doctor is man who is believed 10 kidnap
unWary eolored people in the dark, clap
ping plaster over their mouths and
noses and carries them of to dissecting
rooms. where they are laid upon the able
and dissected for 5he benefit OF science
before the blood hes become cold in their
veins.
A BELIEVER IN MIGHT DOCTORS.
A reporter, learning mat there was
believer in night doctors in oue OF the de-
partments, hunted him up the other day.
lie found him about to unload a truck of
Dre wood in one of the corridors of the
department. lie was stopped and blunt
ly asked:
do you know anything about night
doct0rs?"
The colored man dropped the stick like
flash and seemed very much frightened
as he suspiciously glanced at his Ques-
TONER.
''Wha' fur you ak me SIGH queshuns?"
he exclaimed.
The reporter explained that he was a
sort OF detective, anxious to get some in
formation about the rascals who prey
upon unotending cOlored people.
"Ef you is 'tector, wnar's your signW
he suspiciOusly asked.
The assurance that the questiOner was
private detective, and did not need a
badge, did not prove entirely satisfactory,
but 1t was broad daylight, and the cOlOred
man regained his equanimity Imewhat,
but kept on his g1ard. Leaning on his
pile Of wood, he said in low voice:
" Now | don't know eff you 10 a 'tectOr,
or eff you is one of 'em yO'sei. Ell you is
one of 'em, mind don't say you is, but ef
you is, TO- Gods sake lem me pass. l
nevah done no hahn to nobody, and
want 10 keep clar of dem folks you is
taIkin' bout"
PLENTY OF THEM AROUND.
After more assurances aud questions
as to whether there really were such peo-
pie, he said, cOntdentisllY:
''Of cOse dey is slap doctors, plenty o
'em. I'm skeered mos to def. cum dahk.
My ole woman won't lem me go outen de
house in de night, and deed dUan want
ter. Dey is bOfe oOlOred and white, and
dey go in drOves, mostly fO' In row. Eff
dey catch you, it's good bye"
Did you ever meet one % asked the re-
porter.
''Dsed did, boss, wunst. I'll never Civ
and OATS why L stay under kiver in de
night"
THRILLING EXPERIENCE.
ssTen me about it," urged the reporter.
"Well, you know whar de monument
(mOnument) is? An you know dat bit o.
road wat goes down by de water? Well
was drivIn' de wagon in de dark lon dat
road. Dey was a boy in de wagon wild me.
| got down often de wagon TO DIX de grit,
and | was shore somebody was following
me. / turned round quick an l seed a
man fiopOn his back In de long grass.
didn't let on | seed him, but got in de
wagon an driv' along. 'spiciOned dey
was sumpin' fOlleTin' us, an L got out
agin, teudin' TO fix de grit agin. l kind o.
turned my eyes over my shoulder, and
seed he'd mos ketched us. on, LOrdp |
hOllored, an landed in de wagon, an
dashed dat ole horse and driv' of as fas' as
he could run am got away"
Are you satisfied he was one Of them? p
asked the reporter.
81 amt sa' SIZED muffin bout it" he eX-
claimed, Indignantly. ~ know he was
one o. 'em, an he mighty nigh tux me-"
CHASED ROME BY ONE.
'sDOes your wife believe in night doc
tors ?" asked the reporter.
''Belive in 'em! Why she's been RUINED
by 'em, an she seed 'em ketch a man. One
mawnin' fore light she was lOukin out en-
de winder, and she seed 'em knock a lad
der from en- under a man, an when he
come down dey jes' clapped him into a
wagon an driv of, maxim no noise. She
tole me bout dat long ago, and jes' de I'D
der day was wonderin' Of she'd tell de
same story, so, SEE /, pears like l hearn
some body tell about night doctors knock
in ladder from en- under a man an pack
in him off, Dat was me- says she, and
den she tOle de same tale Exactly. Den |
knowed she was tellin' de trufe. Dey
ruined her once, but dat was betOr' / was
married, and | dOau know de sahcum-
stances. She was out In service den. an
dev ruined her clean to her own do, and
TUX out OF sahvice den, am married
her."
.sYou say that there are coloFed doctors
as we'll as whiteW
YES, dey is bofe kinds, an dey get $40
or $50 fur every one dey ketch. l dnRn'
blame de white folks so much ef dats deere
biEness. but for NV own cOlOrl I'D jes'
like TO kill 'em. But den-yOu can't hahn
'em?"
why motif" asked the reporter.
NOW you know jes ~ well as / do dat
dey is sheeted from head to tOes. ShOOtin'
'em is no good, an dey turn de edge o. a
razzer jes like a stone wall. No. indeed,
de oniest way Is b. keep clar O 'em. Oats
wat Pm doin' to de best kin"
AN ODD STORY.
"Do you know any one else who ever
met them ?" asked the reporter.
"Dey Is man In dis huildin' wot tOle
me-now mind doRn know no more bout
dis wOt Pm tellin' dan dis yer stick ~
wood 'cepen wOt be done tOle me. He |
said he seed 'em ketch little girl. an dey |
put sumpin' nudder yer pointing to the |
front and back OF his head j aud den dey |
put band roun' her body 10 keep de |
cirklashum from mOvin', and den dey |
strung her up. an she was laughin' all de |
time. kind o. cOnjured like. In 'bout FIVE |
minutes de blood allDrunned out o. her feet |
into 4 bucket, an den she was toted Off 70 |
de 'seetln' ROOM"