The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-12-03
s voUpooEp ONCE TOO OFTEN.
A Merry Fakir Comes to Grief by His
Swindlin2.

& Merry akT (OEQSS 10 1EACt ny ais
Swindlin2.
4 white man who claims 10 be q hoodoo
Doctor of unlinited ability, and who calls
himself sDr" johnson, and sails undsr the
alas "Sam DeLeon," has been swindling
the superstitous negroes who live on the
wa.ers road, naar Deiter's store, for a
long time.
into trouble yesterday on account OF Rob
srt Fletcher, one OF his negro patients, AMI
ali on account of the stra lge aud weird
manner in which he cures all the ills that
flesh Is heir TO.
johnson. alias DeLeon, has big clientele
among the negroes on Waters road, and his
remedies, which were guaranteed to cure
ANYTHING and everything, were bought up
Nv the Wholesale. johnson gave glowing
accounts Of the wonderful curative powers
of his hoodoo physic, and his unsuspecting
natients were charmed, as 1t were, by tine
graceful Ell ogizing of his remedies, which
he usually sold at so cents and 70 cents.
The hoodoo doctor met his Waterloo when
he succeeded in inducing Robert Fletcher
70 hand over rs cents for small dried I'd
herb. enveloped in strip OF fiery red
flannel, Johnson met Fletcher in his house
and talked ''root medic ne'' and hoodoolSm
80 gliby to him that Fletcher finally agreed
told Fletcher that before his charm
would act that it was necessary for him to
hand him over the price of it. This done,
the doctor" proceeded to business.
He made number of hideous gyrations,
walked around the room, and, sta Iding up
in an erect position, he lifted his rig 1t hand
in the direction of the sky and commenced
TO revclve on his feet pointing wi his in
dex finger as he revolved to the north,
south, west and east. He then rolled his
ewes around, looked out OF the door, and
said:
"Gim'me piece of red flannel"
Fletcher produced the flannel. and the
doctor took from his pocket a small rule and
measured off six inches of 1t. He then
placed his hands In the shape of an arch
over his head, allowed them to slowly de-
scend. and as they reached the red flannel
he cut and measured another piece, but this
time only took four inches.
The negro was somewhat awe-stricken at
the strange spectacle, and ne regarded the
doctor" as sort Of semi-devil. That was
lust what the doctor" wanted. The "doc-
tcr' then took two small pieces of some
hard substance having the appearance of
dried herbs, and wrapping them up in the
two pieces Of red flannel, gave them to the
negro.
Johnson called it ''The King of the World"
and said the ha substance enclosed In the
red flannel was load % stone, but that it
was 800 times stronger tnan anything"
An ther remedy he called 1.-The Queen OF
the World" and the two conblned, he
said, would exert a powerful infiue ice over
everything, and effected marvellous cures.
The hoodoo gave the negroes a lengthy
statement concerning himself, and told
them that his ability was such that the
doctors in Savannah had compelled him to
leave the city, and consequently he had to
practice among the colored people.
Fletcher waited patiently for the remedies
to assert their powers, but they didn't work.
Yesterday the bamboozled negro came to
wn and swore out a warrant in Justice
ering Russell, Jr.'s, court for Jonnson's
prehension on the charge of cheating aud
indli z.
Fletcher was SO excited in making
his statement that the magistrate
made him kiss the Bi lie twice to be
sure that his statement was true.
Johnson was brought to Justice Russells
Office by Constable Robe, son aud he made
an earnest appeal to the prosecutor to drop
the case. He was very nervous, and talked
about a pistol and a lot OF other
things. His face was n-tanned,
aud he was dressed we'll
for man who travels on foot in the coun-
try. He said he was from New Y ork, bat
with oil his pleading Fletcher was not in
NHhou w ulOP LAo NISSSs III. OOuuSOAl
went to Jail.
johnson lives With negro named Will
Jams on the Waters road, and when the
constable appeared at bis house he told HIM
forthwith tnat he wanted to give him good
luck, and asked the Constable how much
cash be had in his pocket.
Ten dollars" said tn constable, and the
eyes Of tae neticine fake sparkiei with de-
lglt for he thought he han caugbt another
victim. TGe constable WASN'T going TO be
i'o.ed however. johnson prop 'ssd that
the constable give him SIS and he would
nix han W all figdt." Robertson
4emarrad, aod then told the
msuspec;ing doctor that he bad a warrant
Tor him. The doctors w fell He esaed
TO be allowed to so in.o another room to
get some clotha7, bat tho constable did not
El'o him chance to make an escape by
Inc Feer door. Johns N showed Justice
russell bis stock of medicine ana hoodoo
chaTlns, aud the sight of them nearly took
Tue magistrates breath away.