The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1890-09-11
VOUD0OISM IN FLORIDA.
A STRANGE TALE FROM THE LAND OF
FLORIDA. ~. e.
"hitc ana Black People FlookiDg to the
Hut of II Negro Voudoo Doctor who
Claims that ho Can DO any Thing no T..
Paid for.

Claims that ho Can DO any Thing ho Is
Paid for.
SAVANNAH, Sept. 4-Maxwcu =
hamlet in Florida seven miles south Of
Baldwin, on the Florida Central and
Peninsula Railroad, is becoming ia
nous Judging from the numerous DIS
Sengers for that place the past month
or TWO. The town has store and three
houses, and the surrounding country is
sparSely settled. Ordinarily not more
than three or four passengers Il week
would make up its quota, but when
the number increased to scycntv-(iye.
ana then to one hundred and fifty, the
persons under whose notice the increase
came begun an investigation. Your
correspondent made flying trip to
Maxwell yesterday, and interviewed
Dr. Llsha Wilkinson, the great magic
nealcr and YOudOo Of the negroes for
hundredS Of miles around.
Inc reporter arrived at Maxwell at
night, and had to ride a mule back two
miles through the deep pine forests be-
lore reaching the doctors habitation.
Oh inc way camp OF some fifteen or
more colored people was passed, who.
the guide said, had come from North
crn Georgia to consult the doctor
They were all ranged around A bio tirr
holding. an excited consultation. and
examining big sheet of paper that
one or them held. AS the rcportcr an
preached they ran off into the woods
and nothing could induce them to CON,
verse with him. The guide said thnt
this was the usual custom, the paprr
being some kind Of magic voudoo or
spell the doctor had given to them, and
| they thought that if strangers sawit if
would lose its force and power. The
party approached the house and the
newspaper man went in. a short,
stout man, with one eye bandaged. ap.
proacheu him, saying, 81 was expecting
you, and shook him by the hand. This
upset the reporter, and for a moment
ne stood still looking ut the celebrated
DOCTOR. Ills rugged, tanned face was
one OF shrewd determination, and his
small gray eyes twinkled with unusual
force. ~ SlOuch hat was over his gray
white hair, while Il rough flannel shirt
Jean trousers without suSpendcrs. and
big brog~>completed his costume.
"DocN,- ~Sald the reporter ave got
rheumatism the worst way in nv back
What can you do for me-" The doctor
ln0tloned for him to bare his back. He
dld So. The doctor then ran his omen
nand over the bare flesh in circles and
then did the same, using his index iin-
ger alone. An uncomfortable feeling
soon manifested itself, and it seemed
us ii Inat llnGcr Was u piece Of hOt-irOn
lie stopped shortly and abruptly told
lhe reporter to resume his clothinr
Iaklng up i small square Of pastcboard
ruled into f( nr squares, with the mum.
DerS ], TO- is, 81 in them, he gave that
10 the reporter and told him TO read
those of backward every night as he
rcClrcd lor week, and after that the
rheumatism would never be felt again
lhG reporter expressed his gratitude,
ana then had long conversation with
the "hcalcr'
lie said that this power to cure bv
touch any disease, wound or hurt was
| bestowed upon him when Il young man
by an utter stranger, and that he has
practlccd 1t for sixty years. 81 can
| cure uropSy, rheumatism, cancer. etc,
! by looking ut the PATIENTS. sometimes
not even touching them" said he. 81
can't say what this power is, but do all
| | can to cure them, and succeed when
lots OF doctors have given up the lob.
can make absent and separated
| couples return to each other, make a
woman love You, and find stolen and
lost property. | knew to-day that you
were coming The reporter soon found
out that the old fellow would not give
any real details Of his work, and so
sought out some Of his ncighborS.
"What do the niggcrS say about
nina? repeated one OF the oldest set
tiers. 'WhY they come hundreds Of
miles just to sec him on all sorts of
business. | have known them TO come
from the CarolinaS. Georgia, Alabama,
and from all parts of this State. They
camp out when they come here and
won have anything to do with white
iolKS. I'VE seen manya queer proceed
ing IN their camps while here. dancing
around the lire, 'vOudoo' practice, and
.ii liiaC SorI OF lnummcry. They think
the world Of him, and they will uo
without their last dollar to pav him y
nlE sum. GOu see, he dOsCn't charge
them anything. Oh. no, lie knows a
lrlck worth two Of that. lie tells them
10 'compllmcnt' him. and they strive to
sec VINO VIII give him the largest and
most expensive compliments in the
way OF money. I've known him totaN,
III from 500 TO 800 Il day for davs tn
gethcr. They go to him for fctiShcs t,
make some woman look upon them
ior Spells to injnrc an enemy. or ever
TO XII some one. lie will look on on,
or them when brought before him ant
tell nm TO go back home, and that h,
will be well when he gets there.
i5ut the whites are helping 'Cufrc
TO hll this frauds Golfers. lie gets from
ll1ty to two hundred letters Il week
many OF them enclosing money, asking
ior advlcr. He cannot read line AN,
| theSe letters are Simplv oncnoL th,
money taken out. and the letters burn
ca. lie has never been known to an
sWer letter of any kind, even by
proxy. lie assures his dupcs that h,
can treat them as well when thev ar,
ut home us when near him.
-, "Whit" women from New York
Chicago, Cincinnati and other place,
visited him here last winter, and thi,
summer hundreds of white ladies from
towns within 200 miles have ron,
through the mummerics that he some.
times practices. lie is worth man,
thousands Of dollars gained in this way
lie has no bank, but burics his none,