Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-10-22
wITCHCRAFT IN ITALY.
The Death of this Superstition which Pr
vaiis Among The Italians.

The Death of this Superstition which Pre-
walls Among the Italians.
The depths OF childish superstition in
which the Italian p0pulance is still sunk,
btcause Of the lack Of schools which the
government has not yet found means TO
supply, are illustrated by the following
description in the London Saturday Re
view of / street scene in Milan. The ac
count is a translation from La Secolo, a
Milan newspaper and is headed: "A
medieval scene:'' We seem to dream.
Ore morning here in Milan, something
occurred which is true in every detail,
even in the most startling and terrible.
In Via Ripa Porta Ticinese, No. 81, in a
modest room on the fourth story dwell a
journeylnan varnlsher named Malaterra
Franciosi with his wife Virginia, glove
maker, and two children, one of whom
had been i'll for month with some obsti-
nate and strange disorder. A female
neighbor who pretended to some knowl-
edge of medicine declared that the child
was bewitched, that it was needless to
have recourse to physicians; the only
means of cure would be to discover the
witch who had done the mischief, and
that this done the cure would be immedi
ate. The woman after much entreaty,
taught them how to do it. 1t was to take
the clothes of the child, put them in a pot
of water and heat it. The instant it
would begin to boil, the witch would be
forced by an irresistible, diabolical
power to appear, and thus he compelled
to make herself known. This was done,
and the Frapciosi awaited In anxiety the
result By chance, just as the pot began
to boil, a certain Angela Micheletti, who
was ON the way with a pair Of wooden
shoes to have them mended, came in. She
was friend of the Franciosi, and called
to inquire as to the health of the child.
Seeing her, Franciosi cried out, Give it
to the witch!" Mrs Micheletti. thinking
her friend was mad, tried to calm her; but
the other, raging, roared loudly, help!
The witch!'
In an instant all the neighborhood was
out in q crowd, and attacked Mrs. Mitchell
ETH, seeking to tear her to pieces. The
poor woman fled, pursued by the raging
crowd, which cried, Give it to the
wltch! The poor woman, more dead
than alive, took refuge in a church, and
the crowd, rushed in, crying out and seek
ing to tear her to pieces. The wretched
woman, kneeling at the altar, raised her
hands IN suppllcation, sobbing, trembling.
begging for mercy. In vain. The wild
Cat of the throng pulled out her hair.
treated her disgracefully, and beat her
without mercy. Tne priest ran at the
cry, and tried to shield her, but in vain.
and was near being trampted on himself
by the impet1ous crowd. With every
abuse, the poor victim was dragged to the
house of the Franciosi, and hurried up
stairs. In vain she protested her inno-
cense. She only received curses and blows.
Finally, the delegate Omodie. with the aid
of policemen, succeeded in dispensing the
crowd, when Mrs. Franciosi perceiving
too late her objectionable folly, threw her.
self at the knees of her friend, begging her
forgiveness, declaring that another. WON
an counseled her, and that what she had
done was for love of Ler child. In the
afternoon the poor woman, accompanied
by her husband and Mr.. Omodel, was
taken home in a brogham and put to bed
The sad memory of this savage medieval
scene will long be remembered in the
Porta Tcinese. the woman who had torn
the hair from the head OF Mrs Micheietti
burned it, uttering incantations, and tLen