The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-09-04
Superstition and Terror.

Superstition and Terror.
CHARLESTON S. c., Sept. 3-Through some
supersttious notion. all of the townclocks, which
stopped at the first shock on Tuesday night at
six minutes to 10 o'clock, have been permitted to
stand at that hour. Not single clock has been
started, and nearly every tower in the city has a
clock in it. Some of the inhabitants believe
that il the clocks were put in operation
again another shock would occur. In
the hotels the globes on the west side
of the chandeliers were displaced. In nearly
every one of the private residences the same
results followed Tuesday nights shocks. Scarce
ly any of the globes were broken, however; they
were jostled from their positions. and hung by
the wires which surround and hold them. The
scientists explain this action by saying that 1t
was the rebounding motion OF the earthquake.
The deaths from injuries by the earthquake, mp
to 10 o'clock tonight, increase the list to nifty
two, from thirty-six. the number OF dead last
night Most of these are colored people.
There never was until within the past few
days An opportunity Of noticing a public exhi-
btion of superstition and fear to the degree that
has existed among all classes of the colored peo
pie since the tremendous shock of Tuesday
night They fed from their houses, and as they
ran hither and thither through binding clouds
of pulverized mortar, which was shaken from
houses. and arose again from the streets, they
lamentations Of terrified distress. AS usual
with them in their funeral devotions,
the name Jesus was most frequently used,
and, as If supplcating God face to face, they
shreked out in the very helplessness and depth
of despair such sentences as. 'Do, my master,
Jesus, have mercy on me-" "Oh, sweet Jesus,
me; oh, save, let me live through this night,
dear God, my Savior" "Help me up once more,
thou blessed Christ, my master" and other tear
full applications which intensified the horror of
cifr and far
demoraizing the whites, who were also rushing
blindly hither and thither. AS usual, the faces
of the white men and white women in the time
of danger were sights of sudden JOY in the
gloom to many poor wandering colored boy or
girl, who endeavored to stop the whites and sup
plcated that they would remain with them un-
til the judgment was done. In many an in
stance trembling girl sunk down on her knees
and seized with frantic energy the folds OF some
white ladys dress, and failing to express her
terror in words. with scarcely moving lips, be-
tokened that she wanted only the moral support
of friend in the hour Of distress and agony.
Immediately after the first shock there was An
exhibition of joy, and the voices of congratus
lation were heard on every side, and all mingled
with words of thanksgiving to the divine Provi-
dence. People chung to each other like brothers
and sisters There were no strangers
there They all knew each other as part
escaped terrible fate Some, with tears of re-
pentance and joy in their eyes, embraced each
other Women fell on each others necks, and,
with hearts too full to speak, rocked to and fro
in the happy embrace, devouty tn anking God
in silence for His blessing in the dreadful hour.
Not so with the trembling aud demoralized
colored people. After the hard of Providence
had been apparently removed. they began
to prophesy. and to recall all they
knew in their confused way of Bible
scenes and Bible history. "Its the night of
Sodom and Gomorrah," shouted one in frenzy
of apparent delight; 1.-THE city of st. Michael is
down to the ground" yelled another; 81 told You
So" cried third; "Aha, how about my wife's
of Horeb to split" said another; pray, my
white people, why don't you prayW said anoth-
er. For fully FIVE minutes, in the fear
full excitement the eolored people never
ceased to utter what might be considered
a torrent of prophetic interpretations and unin
telligible prayers In the dismal gloom a lady
cried OUT Get to the Green. get to the Green
and almost in twinkline the colored people
made a rush for that haven of safety. 1t
seemed as if all Charleston was already
there Women hurried along, dragging their
little charges by their hands, in all kinds of
night apparel. 1t was only, however when the
older class Of the colored people arrived that a
characteristic scene took place. They ran about
in the crowd with cries of Down your face,
down on your KEGS, miserable sinners: pray to
God, my sister, my brother, pray, pray, pray!
don't l tell you the night is come" Prayer
meetings were organized, and the singing and
screaming were kept up till daylight
On Marion so uare the sights and scenes
baff1ed description. The colored people were
unrestrained, and committed all manner of riot
Gus and frenzied exploits. Reports of their
actions as they took place would, per-
haps, be considered blasphemous The
first object, and one that interested
everybody's attention, was. an assemblage
of colored boys, about half dozen
in number, who had fallen to the ground in a
paroxysm of religious frenzy. They were grow
cling with their faces down in the grass. and
were singing a hymn IN loud voice. The hymn
was '"The Angels a-Rappin' at the Door" and the
refrain. sung rapidly. was ooh, tell old Noah to
repeated over and over again. until they were
quite tired and crazed from utter exhaustion. In
few minutes they were fast asleep.