The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-06-06
VOUDOOISM.
Orgies at a Voudoo Dance in New
Orleans, Conducted by
Voudoo Doctor.
Well Dressed White and Colored
Women and Negro Men the
Participants.

NEW YORK, May 30.-A New Orleans
special says: A case in the recorders
court yesterday morning established the
fact that voudooism and its disgusting
rites still have foothold in Louisiana.
1t was generally supposed voudooism was
extinct. Careful inquiry by the city press,
covering a series of years, had failed to
discover genuine case of voudoo ism,
and it was believed this relic of Africa
and slavery had finally disappeared with
the death, some years ago, of Marie Lee
veaux, the vondoo queen.
Judicial proceedings to-day, however,
show ths voudoo fetishism has
its votarits, and that they are not con-
fined to the negroes. For some time past
there has been, at stated periods, promis-
cuous gatherings of whites and blacks in a
house on st. Anthony street, far removed
from the hustle of the city. Although in
u retired locality the assemblsges became
so noisy they disturbed the neighbors and
attracted to the vicinity large crowds of
men and boys.
As the house was retired from the street
and the doors and windows were kept
tightly closed, those who gathered from
curiosity we're unable to discover what
was going on inside. At last the place be-
came a nuisance to the neighborhood and
the police were Informed. Steps were
taken at once to discover the secret of the
house and the cause of the disturbance
therein.
To this end the place was closely
watched. A number of black and white
women and several negro men we're seen
to enter the enclosure yesterday
and disappear within the house.
Shortly afterward the noises of which the
neiphbors had complained were heard. AT
this iuncture a patrol wagon filed with
police drove up, the house was surrounded
go as to prevent the escape of the occu-
pants, and without warning the police en-
tered. strange and disgusting sight
met their eyes. In circle formed by
eight white and six negro women and
seven negro men was a half-breed
Indian and negro, named Alexan
der, dressed in sllken tights. He
was performing the typical voudOC
dance, muttering at the same time
weird nominations, the refrain of
which was taken up by the men and
women surrounding in chorus, at times
rising to great volume of sound. The
negro men were lying on the floor partly
clad. while the women had also laid aside
the chief part of their ordinary wearing
81 ha fu a. n.
ed in the antics of Alexander that the en-
trance of the police was complete sur
prise.
Captain Donnelly, in command of the
police, ordered the arrest Ct ell in the
house. The women protested violently
against this,on expressing the sentiments
of all when she exclaimed:
"lhis ia scandalous; the arresting of q
woman for trying to get cured"
Finding that the police were inexorable
they then begged for time to make their
toilets, which was granted. When they
robed for the street it was found that
nearly all the white women were well
dressed and apparently were respectable
people. They were Mortified to learn that
they were to be taken to the police station
when they volunteered an explanation Of
their presence in such an assembly and in
such scant attire.
alexander" they said, twas a voudoc
doctor. He had made many wonderful
cures, and they had full confidence in hi
powers to relieve their sufferings by hi
{ incap tations. They stoutly insisted the!
had experienced benefit from his treat
( ment and were confident he would effect
thorough cure"
The women we're evidentl,
4 sincere in their statements. The,
| were of all ages ranging from six
, teen to fifty and several of them were de
q cidedly handsome. The entire party wer
arraigned in court where men and womel
were fined So to IS each for taking par
. in the immoral show, while the voudo
! doctor wss required to pay $26 for tn
! same offense.