The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-10-24
Voodoofsm =, the snnth

LUMPKINs, Ca, October ia case o.
VoOdooism, or ''conjurin,' has been the
sensation here for several weeks. II
appears that Clara Lewis, a bright
mulatto about 20 years old, was taken
suddenly ill while going from Mrs.
Harrell's to where she lived. She felt a
pain in her ankle, and the part affected
sWelled to such an extent that she could
not walk home. DR.. T. B. Miller was
called in and pronounced it a case of
articular rheumatism. The case
attracted the attention OF a common
railroad hand, who ''spected it was a
case of cOnjuring." Other wise ones
were consulted, and the result was that
''Conjure doctress" named Cotton was
sent for. She came. Before she arrived
at the house she had got the full history
OF the case from the man who was sent
for her. Arriving at the house, she
threw up her hands and cried out:
Great God! What trouble dere is in
dis house! Deep trouble! 1 smell
doctors truck"
She sent all the bystanders out, and
proceeded to manipulate the Glrl. Pre-
serving in her mind the circumstances
of the case, she told the astonished girl
that she was conjured by a railroad
niger on certain night, out of revenge
for slight she had given him. She
told the girl that the man had dropped
"a trick" at her gate where she would
have to walk over it in going home. The
result of this, repeating many things
which the girl knew to be so, the doc
tress soon had her in her power. She |
got some silver with which to procure a |
peculiar kind Of medicine, and getting |
the girl to promise not to take any |
more doctors truck" departed. DR.. !
Miller called, and learning the situa /
ton withdrew in disgust. The girl |
soon became very sick from the lotions
the old woman had given her, and was
thought to be dying. The family again
sent for the old witch, but sitter care.
July questioning the driver as to her
symptoms turned what she had learned
lpon the poor driver to mystify him,
md steadfa tly refused to come.
"Why2"
lease dis am a case of conjurin', an
ny set time ant come. II de aiIment
5 it?"
In the stomach, +" said the driver.
Oar, now, see dat! 1 amt a coming
LII de set time; den III be dar aud cure
err
With this the driver left. She came
ack after few days. When she came
D the door she waved her hand maiesti
allyi and the crowd of negroes fell back
awe. She went in and began her
lanlpulations. She gave some meoi-
me. and then called for a skillet of
arm water. Into this she put the
WOODEN ankle. Then she traced ;
lines with her finger through
re water, and mumbled out some
range lamentations. !
Oar, now See dat?''
With this exclam atom she exhibited
the atfrighted girl and the rest OF tine
egroes two little, live, Wriggling, black
'orplons, OF the sort commonly called
round lizards or ground puppies. They
e commonly found under decayed
~ IN camp places, are damp and
lex, and look quite hideous.
She claimed to have exercised them
ON the SWOLLEN foot of the patient.
hen she exhorted the strange little
eatures to the bewildered bystanders
n triumph was complete. She has 4
'en sent for again. and is now here =
ought the giIl is still sick.
There IS much method in this old n
practice. Thus, it takes silver !
oney to get the truck" But one o.
'se Is given at long intervals. and that m
lIy ov her own hands. She does not
rrY 1t about in saddle-bags. When q th
'se Is given she has to return home
tn some silver to secure another N
pply. Again, her expenses are ali "
Id. She only comes when she is
gently sent for, and her lodging, as a
after or course, is provided. The only So
tlay 70 be seen In the strange practice
IN toe labor of procuring the herbs
d the live lizards.
der art OF toretelling is very simpIe. az
e manltests no interest in a case until
gets at some facts upon which to Law
5Iounoauon Tor a case Of "conjuring.h
roitly picked out OF the unsnsnactino
lver the fact that the girl had met The
lroad negro at the gate and had
ended him. With these facts She
trapped the patient The exhibition
the lizards completed the triumpb of
DerstitiOn.
Inc manner of conjunng is in this
Sc: The conjurer watches for his -
tim, and having procured a spell puts
mere the victim may step over it, as
lue ground, IL path, or under a
orStep. The formula for fixing up q
oeL' may be three jaybird5s tail
thers, some snake bones, and a inf -
ournt negro hair, wrapped in a greasy =
olen rag, and tied with a cotton -
ing. a spell for bringing a '.pdkerfuJ -
uble" may be varied from the above
substituting for the snake bones a Al
q man nnger bone. But this will be