The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-06-04
MODERN WITCHCRAFT.
Pennsylvania People Who Still
Cling to Old Rites.
Tho Headquarters OF a Superstitlous Sect
Who Belioyo In Witch Doctors and
Have Some Very Peculiar
Practices.

a Logan Pa) correspondent Of
Philadelphia paper says that belief In
witchcraft has developed in that city
and township to an alarming extent
He continues: Tho village of Dobtown
is the headquarters of this superstitious
sect, but prominent disciples arc found
scattered about the district in confu-
sion. They seemingly live In world
of thought peculiarly their own and
frequently congregate mt the house of
some congenial spirit proven in the
faith md talk over matters pertaining
to their strange belief. They are ex-
tremely chary of admitting strangers
into their household and under no cir
cumstances will they divulge aught Of
their peculiar belief and practices.
From what can be CLEANED about
them 1t seems that there are two witches
in this part of the globe, one resident
of Milroy and the other of this village.
Logan is also favored in the possession
of q doctor" or one who is invested
with the secret power to remove the
'spell' from the victim after the I'M
holy eye of the witch has Cooked upon"
n subject.
Many are the weird stories related Of
the Vaccinations of the witches and
the relieving power of the doctor to
cure the magic spell. About three
months ago II little child lay sick for
several weeks and the child's parents
solcmnly believed that it was victim
of n witch's banc. The suspected
witch was believed to be a resident of
Logan. One dreary night in Novem-
Der the witch doctor of this place was
sent for ana after q lengthy pow-wow
the spell which the witch had wrought
yielded to the secret power of the
healer. This particular case was
hcraldcd broadcast and at once de-
velopcd Il vcritable host of believers,
and their number has increased many
fold since.
Another similar case of recent occur
renee has created no end of comment
among the ncighborhood gossipcrs. In
this instance the enchanted one WINS q
young married woman, whose case baf-
fed the cunning of the witch doctor.
His saving power failed to remove the
spell of the sorccrcss. but he advised the
husband to send his wife away, which
he did, and to wear certain beads
around his neck for the express purpose
of guarding against becoming be-
witchcd himself. These beads were
furnished by the doctor" and are sup
posed to possess virtues potent in re-
sisting the powers of sorcery. Since
the foregoing incidents transpircd the
woman has returned to her home fully
restored and the husband has laid away
his beads.
Perhaps the most serious case result
Ing from this; strange hallucination per-
tanning to witchcrait in this neighbor-
hood is that OF young married woman
whose reason has been dcthroned In
consequence of her adherence to the be-
lief and the silly practices that were
performed in her presence She has be-
come hopclcssly insane.
The timcworn silver bullet story still
holds mastery over the minds of these
deludcd creatures. y certain mans
maiden aunt, who was Il member OF the
household, was suspected of being
bad witch, possessing the occult power
Of transforming herself into any ami
NAL that her capricious fancy might
suggest 1t is the firm belief among
the dcluded associates that she en-
chanted scores of persons and wrought
much mischief. During these supposed
periodical transforma tons She was fire.
Qucntly absent for days at a time, when
she was believed to exist in animal
form.
The nephew had devised many ways
of Kidding himself OF his witch aunt,
but She was sufficiently cunning to fru.s-
tratc all his plans. Finally, it is said,
he consulted witch doctor, who adj
vised him to shoot her with silver
bullet while she was detected in the
form of an animal. He had not long to
wait for an opportunity as the trouble
some aunt transformed herself into
deer soon aftcrward. The deer, or his
aunt, as the case may be, was shot with
the silver bullet and eaten, thus termi-
mating the career OF one bad witch. At
any rate, the suspected aunt has not
since returned In the human form, and
the consequence of the distressing case
is that the ncphcw's wife has become
hopelcssly insane.
Flowers mt Funerals.
Societies for the abolition Of flowers