Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-17
WITCHCRAFT STILL LIVES.
superstitious Folks In Pennsylvania Observe
the Old Rites.

A Logan, Pa, correspondent Of the Philadel-
phia Press says that belief in withcraft has
developed in that city and township to an
alarming extent. He continues: The village of
Bobtown is the headquarters o. this supersti-
tious sect, but prominent disciples are found
scattered about the district in profusion. They
seemingly live in world Of thought peculiarly
their own and frequently congregate ut the
home OF some congenial spirit proven in the
faith and talk over matters pertaining to their
strange belize. They are extremely chary Of
admitting strangers into their household and
under no circumstances will they divulge 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 a resident of Milroy and the
other Of this village. Logan is also favored in
the possession Of a doctor" or one who is in
vested with the secret power to remove the
spell from the victim after the unholy eye of
the witch has Cooked upon" subject
Many are the weird stories related Of the
Vaccinations Of tire witches and the relieving
power OF the "doctor" to cure the magic SPELL
About three months ago a little child Law sick
for several weeks and the child's parents SOL
EMMY believed that it was victim of witch's
bane. The inspected witch was believed to be
resident Of Logan. One dreary night in No.
vember the witch doctor of this place was sent
Aoi anu ditef Y ltuktuy pOW-WOW tne spell
which the witch had wrought yielded to the
secret power Of the healer. This particular
case was heralded broadcast and at once devel-
oped veritable host OF believers. and their
number has increased many fold since.
Another similar case Of recent occurrence
has created no end Of comment among the
neighborhood gossipers. In this instance the
enchanted one was a young married woman,
whose case baff1ed the cunning of the witch
doctor His saving power failed to remove the
spell OF the sorceress, but he advised the hus-
band to send his wife away which he did, and
to wear certain beads around his neck for the
express purpose Of guarding against becoming
bewitched himself. These beads were furnished
by the doctor and are supposed to possess
virtues potent in resisting the powers Of sor-
Gerry. Since the foregoing incidents transpired
the woman has returned TO her home fully re-
stored and the husband has laid away his beads
Perhaps the most serious case resulting from
this strange hallucination pertaining to witch
craft in this neighborhood il that Of young
married woman whose reason has been de-
throned. In consequence Of her adherence to
the belief, and the silly practices that were per-
formed in her presence, she has become hope
lessly insane.
The time-worn silver bullet story still holds
mastery over the minds of these deluded
creatures. A certain mans maiden aunt who
was a member OF the household, was suspec ted
of being bad witch, possessing the occult
power Of transforming herself into any animal
that her caprieious fancy might suggest. 1t is
the firm belief among the deluded associates
that she enchanted scores of persons and
wrought much mischief. During these sup
posed periodical Transformations she was fire.
quently absent for days at a time, when she
WAS believed to exist in the animal form.
The nephew had devised many ways Of rid
ding himself OF his witch aunt. but she was SUI
ficiently cunning to Illustrate all his plans
Finally, it is said. he consulted witch doctor
who advised him to shoot her with a silver hull
let while she was detected in the form of an
animal He had not long to wait for an oppor-
tunity, as the troublesome aunt transformed
herself into deer soon afterward The deer
or his aunt, as the case may be, was shot with
the silver bullet and eaten, thus terminating
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 dis
tressing is that the nephew's wife has be-
come hOpelessly insane.