The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-10-03
AWFUL RITES.
Atrooious Prsatices of tho Can-
nibaas of Hayti.
In Tholr vooaoo worship They Sacrifice
Human yifo and Feast Upon tho
Flesh of Innocent
Chtldren.

A Haytian refugee lately spoke of
voodoo alteration and of human sncri-
fees in Hayti, not far from Port au
Prince. Another witness to tho same
thing has appeared, says a New York
report. Maurice Feldmann, Hum
garian mechanic employed in machine
shops ut German, eight miles from
Port au Prince, learned some time ago
that there was to be n human sacrifice
not far from where he lived at $3.50
O'Clock in the afternoon. It was to be
conducted by the papaloi or voodoo
priest of German. Accompanied by his
assistant, named Schmidt, Feldmann
made off in the direction in which he
had heard that the sacrifice was to be
performed. The expedition was not
devoid of danger, for the negroes, feel
ing undoubtedly that their butchery of
children would arouse the wrath and
opposition of the white inhabitants of
the island, were exceedingly careful to
carry out the atrocities in the scclusion
of unfrequented groves. The two men
were armed with heavy rcvolvers and
were careful in tho selection of their
route. When they reached their dcs-
tination they climbed iuto the branches
of u tall tree, from which they could
plainly see all that was going on below
without being seen. From their posi-
ton they witnessed the voodoo sacrifice.
The ceremony was begun by the burn
ing of aromatic plants around sleep
ing child two or three years old, which
had been put to sleep by herbs. Tho
papaloi stepped up to the infant and
severed the head from the body with
one stroke of Il sharp knife, and passed
the head to all present. While the
head was being passed the papaloi cut
up the body, which was thrown into Il
large iron pot with some red peas, rice
and other native vegetables. During
the cooking the negroes danced round
the fire. This bamboula dance is a
native negro dance of the most revolt
ing sort, consisting mostly of contor-
tions of the hips and abdomen. The
end is reached when the participants
become SO excited and exhausted that
they throw themselves on the ground,
where they wallow over each other and
howl.
When the dancers had recovered
they gathered for the feast and de-
voured every particle of the child
Having finished, they gathered the
bones in n hole in the ground, buried
them and erected n wooden cross over
the grave. After the two observers
had given the cannibals time enough
to reach their homes they climbed
down and went back to German. The
Uaytian negroes do not always seek
seclusion for their cannibalisa, as they
did on this occasion. On March IS,
1890, Emile Huttinot, acting consul of
Franco ut San Domingo, stopped in IL
small restaurant on the north road,
only half n mile from Port au Prince.
AT this resort every Sunday the negroes
hold n voodoo dance. Mr.. Huttinot
called for soup, but when it was served
he found in the soup the hand of q
child. He Immediately rode into town
and notified the police, who searched
the restaurant and found child's en-
tire body in the cooking pot. The wom-
an who kept the place was arrested,
but suffered only three days imprison-
.ment for her offcnsc.
a gentleman from Hayti said that no
knew personally q woman named
Ulyssc living at La Crois dies Bouquets,
ten miles from Port au Prince, whose
seven children were eaten at voodoo
dances during her absence by their own
grandmother and the ncighbors.
That such cannibalism is we'll known
to the authorities is shown by this quo
tation from the official organ of tho
Haytian republic:
Official not3co No. 9, ooa.-Fro m the commits
sary OF tho government ut the civil courts to
the judges OF tho poace Of tho precinct: In my
official notice Of November 25, No. $40, 1 asked
you to order the cessation of all voodoo dances
and superstitious practices which attest the
belief in gross and absurd religion. also
added that counted on you to suppress these
things, which you know arc condemned by
moral sense and punishable by law. Having
learned to-day that the voodoo dances, which
had for time been stopped, have recon-
T.cnccd,. order you to strictly enforce the
law against al who abandon themselves to
these practices. II tAis way you will did in
establishing the true principles OF civilization
on this island.
Among other reports which have
reached here concerning vocdooism,
human sacrifice and cannibalism is one
which says that it is Il well-known fact
in Port au Prince that it is unsafe for u
person not DESTROYS of becoming an
thropophagous to buy ''lamb chops in
the public markets.
a Maa-Eatcr,