The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1889-08-03
SELLING ANGELS WINGS.

A dispatch to the Louisville Courier
Journal from Savannah, Ga, of July
18th, says:
Liberty county is greatly excited
over the proceedings cf man calling
himself Dupont Bell, who claims tc
be the new Messiah, and halls from
Circleville, Ohio. He is a tall, sallow
individual, with long black hair, and
has succeeded in working the negroes
Of that section up to such a point
that the white people are afraid Of
serious trouble.
Senator Bardwell, who lives at
Hinesville, is kept informed as to the
latest developments in the case. "This
man Bell" said he, appeared sudden
ly in Liberty county six weeks ago.
He proclaimed himself to be the Son
of God, and the negroes at once went
mad over him. They deserted their
fields to follow him and listen to his
rantings, and now things are so bad
that it is impossible to get hands on
the plantations near Riceborough, and
some of the crops are being ruined.
The negroes kneel before him and
struggle with each other for the privi-
lege of kissing his feet. He has told
them that the Judgment day will be
here on the 10Th of. August. He says
that the white people have enioyed
their paradise on earth for the last
eighteen centuries, and now it will be
the black mans turn. On the eager
ly looked for 10Th every white man
will be turned black and every black
man will become white. This pros
pect cannot be cheering to Bell, whose
skin is white. He says his body was
born thirty years ago in Ohio, but his
soul has lived since the world began.
On the 23rd Of June he was arrested
on "a charge of vagrancy, but it was
impossible to hold him on such a
charge, as he had quantity of money
in his possession. His schemes for
raising money are varied and peculiar.
The last effort of his genius was to de-
clare that he had sent to his august
father for a consignment of wings,
which the negroes will need on and
after the 10th of August. There was
a corner on wings when his requisition
reached heaven, and the Almighty
was only able to send him 800 pairs.
These he claimed would be delivered
on the Judgment day." and in the
meanwhile he would sell them at S.
pair. Every pair has been bought
and paid for. and now the lucky ones
are practicing the flying motions. He
thinks his Father may be able to send
him few more pairs before the great
day. There is scheme on foot to get
Bell away from his followers, arrest
him quietly, and have him sent on the
fast train to Savannah to be locked
up. That is as far as | can see the
only way to get rid of the man. He
may cause serious trouble any day."
This pitiable ignorance and credulity
Of the lowland negroes of Georgia was
before illustrated by an incident which
occurred soon after the war. A bal
loonist, dressed in tights and colors,
made an ascension from the city Of
The balloon drifted about
twenty miles, and came down in a rice
field where gang of negroes were at
work. They saw it descending when it
was still hundred feet or so from the
ground, and thinking that Christ was
to earth, stood trembling
with wonder and fear. AS the bal
loon lit and the aeronaut stepped from
Che car, one old negro (who had been
raised in the family of a prominent
politician, and had caught on to the
policy of politeness and fattery,) J step
ped forward, pulled off his hat, and
oowing humbly said: GOOD mornin',
Mars Jesus; how did you leave your
D.ov