The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1891-03-26
MODERN WITCHCRAFT.
Pennsylvania People Who Sttll
Cling to Old Rites.
Tho Headquarters OF n superstitious Scot
Who Believe in Witch Doctors and
Have Some Very Peculiar
Practices.

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: The village Of Bobtown
is the headquarters of this superstitious
sect, but prominent disciples are found
scattered about the district in confu-
sion. They seemingly live in world
Of thought peculiarly their own and
frequently congregate at the house OF
some congenial spirit proven in the
faith and talk over matters pertaining
to their strange belief. They are ex-
tremely chGry Of admitting strangers
into their household and under no cir
cumstances will they divulgc aught Of
their peculiar belief and practices.
From what can be CLEANED about
them it 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 a doctor" CT one who is invested
with the secret power to remove the
"spell' from the victim after the un-
holy eye of the witch has ''lookcd upon"
a 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 a little child lay sick for
several weeks and the child's parents
sole.nnly believed that it was victim
of wiach's bane. The suspected
witch was believed to be a resident of
Logan. One dreary night in Novem-
ber the witch doctor of this place was
sent for and after lengthy pow-wow
the spell which the witch had wrought
yielded to the secret power of the
| healer This particular case was
heralded broadcast and at once de-
veloped a veritable host of believers,
and their number has increased many
| fold since.
Another similar case of recent occur
rente has created no end of comment
among the neighborhood gossipers. In
this instance the enchanted one was a
young married woman, whose case baf-
| fled the cunning of the witch doctor.
| His saving power failed to remove the
spell of the sorceress, 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
! cd guarding against becoming be-
| witched 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 transpired the
| hoe 10 ho,r 4,,11rv
restored and the husband has laid away
his beads.
Perhaps the most serious case result
ing from this strange hallucination per-
tanning to witchcraft in this neighbor-
hood is that Of a young married woman
whose reason has been dethroned. In
consequence of her adherence to the be-
liet and the silly practices that were
performed in her presence she has be-
come hopelessly insane.
The time-worn silver bullet story stfll
holds mastery over the minds Of these
deluded creatures. A certain mans
maiden aunt, who was . member Of the
household, was suspected Of being .
bad witch, possessing the occult power
Of Transforming herself into any ani-
| I4d1 Ullttt hCl SbkAACAOuo A0hC@
suggest. It is the firm belief among
the deluded associates that she en-
chanted scores Of persons and wrought
much mischief. During these supposed
periodical transformstsons she was re
quently absent for dsys a$ time, when
she was believed 10 exist IN animal
form.
The nephew had Devised naHy wsgs
of Kidding himself OF his witch aunt,
but she was sufficiently cunning 10 hus-
trate all his plans. Finally, u II said
he consulted witch doctor, who ad-
vised him to shoot her with silver
bullet while she YVES 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. Az
any rate, the suspected aunt has not
since returned in the human form, and
the consequence of tho distressing case
is that the nephew's wife has become
| hopeleSSly insane.