St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-02-05
WITCHCRAFT.
A Majority of the Citizens of the
United States Believe in 1t.

United States Believe in 1t.
Witchcraft is at the present time be-
lieved in by majority of the citizens of
the United States. The larger number
OF immigrants from the continent of
Europe are more or less in fear of such
powers, says the Century magazine. To
these must be added no inconsiderable
proportion of persons of English and
Scotch descent, for strong vein of
superstition is diScernible In many Irish,
Scotch and some English, whose
"folk-lOre," diffused in nursery tales
and neighborhOOd gossip, has entwlned
itself strongly about the fibers of spon-
taneouS SubcOnsciouS mental imagery.
Among the more ignorant members of
the Catholic church of every nationality
the belief produces mysterious dread,
against which men and women cross
themselves, and resort to various rites
opposed to be efficacious.
Where colonies of immigrants have
remained isolated, retaining the use of
their own language, the influence of
witchcraft is more easily traced. The
interior of Pennsylvania affords better
Illustrations of this, and on a larger
scale, than any other state. 1t has been
but two or three years since suit was
brought by a man against his mother, in
one of the counties of Pennsylvania, to re-
cover damages for dog which he
charged her with having killed by
witchcraft; and he not only brought
suit, but obtained judgment from n JUS
tice of tile peace. Various witnesses
testified as to their experiences in WITCH
craft. and only one said that lie never
had friend or relative who was be-
witched.
In divers villages in Pennsylvania,
some of them in the Dunkard settle
ment, are women who are supposed to
be witches. Some of them are Shrewd
enough not to apply their arts for
strangers. but to those whom they know.
as stated in an article in the New York
Sun some years ago. They will sell
charms to ward:off lightning from build
ings, dry up the wells of the enemies
of applicants, force cows to give bloody
milk, cause sickness in the family, de-
StrOy beauty, separate man and wife
and reunite estranged lovers.
In the interior parts of the Southern
states. where large proportion of the
white population cannot read, and there
is little admlXture Of society, there are
''witchdoctors," who, assuming that all
disease is caused by witches, secure
thriving practice in counteracting their
influence. The Philadelphia Times, OH
the authority of a reputable correspond
ent, who gives many facts to sustain his
representations, says: For generations
the POOR whites have believed in
witches, and the belief is deep-seated
and incurable."
The African population brought this
belief from the dark continent, and it
persists among them to this day, though
the PROGRESS of religion and education
is doing something to check it.
have recently noted in various parts
of the United States more than fifty
SUITS instituted by persons against those
who they claimed had bewitched them;
but under existing laws the accused
could not be prosecuted except where
money had been obtained under false
pretenSeS. or overt acts of crime had
been suggested or comm tilted ~ > "a