The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1891-09-19
IS HE A HOODOO :?
WESLEY JENNINGS WONDERFUL
CONTROL OVER ANIMALS
AyD INSECTS.
M SUMMONS A SWARM oN nEEs 10
THE 81. CLAIR KITCHEN I'm
ORDER 10 DISCIPLINE
THE GIRLS.


CONSERVATION has prevailed among
the employees in the kitchen at the St.
Clair during the past two days ON ac-
count Of the presence in their midst Of
hoodoo whom they claim has SUI
pernatural control over fowls, animals
and insects.
Everybody knows Wesley Jennings
because he has been employed about
the hotel ever since it was built, and
has generally had charge Of the cult
nary department. On Wednesday,
shortly before noon, some Of the col
ored girls were considerably annoyed
about two or three bees that insisted
in lighting on the dessert that they
were preparing. Belle, one of the girls,
said that whenever she was stung by a
bee that it made her deathly sick, and
for that reason She was afraid Of them.
Jennings, thinking that the girls
We're excited, and wasting time during
busy hour, said
/" You, Belle, get srusslin' or I'll
done bring down de bees and have you
stung all over"
IN do it suah, sah,n answered
Belle, and she started about her work,
but the other girls began laughing and
ridiculing Jennings, which made him
very indignant. " You can JUS laugh
all you please said Wesley, " but you
can't allus jus tell how dis we're thing
will turn out. rs done gone out and
called a swarm Of bees many time. "
There was more laughter, and it,
began to look to the head cook as if
the guests Of the hotel would not get
any dinner at ALL His copper-colored
face flushed up little, and he went to
the kitchen door, whistled a few pc
culiar notes and made some very funny
gesticulations with his arms.
Me JUS set You niggers crazy" re-
marked Jennings as he returned to his
work over the hot range.
Strange as it may seem, in less than
five minutes the kitchen just swarmed
with bees. They literally covered every
article of food that was in sight. and
gathered over the clothing of all the
people in the place, but did not sting
any of them with the exception of
Belle. On the latter they left stings
wherever the flesh was exposed, and
not until Jennings saw that the girl
was being dangerously injured did he
pay any attention to the agony that
she was in.
He then went into the yard, again
whistled and gesticulated with his
arms, and inside Of three minutes there
was not single bee in the kitchen or
anywhere in sight.
1t was some time before it was found
that Belle had been very painfully
stung and that her body was swelling
very rapidly. She lapsed into uncon-
seriousness and had to be taken to her
home. DR.. Henshaw was summoned,
and found that her condition was quite
critical, but it is thought that with
careful treatment she will pull through.
Those who have known Jennings say
that he has performed many equally as
strange things, and they are at a loss
to account for the wonderful control
that he seems to have, especially over
insects. Two years ago, while in a
grocery store, he made boast that he
could bring an army Of ants into the
store at any time he chose. A wager
was put up that he could not do it, and
in less than ten minutes he had the |
sugar barrels and all other sweet things
in the place covered with ants.
W