Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1892-07-08
NOVEL WAY TO MURDER
HOW AFRICANS SURPRISE
THEIR VICTIMS.
Clad In LeOpards skins They Lazy In wait
10 Destroy Their Fellow Crea-
tures-They Believe in the
Mystical Seven.

This stimulation Of lycanthrophy is
known here by the name of .Kuyon."
which has been translated into krov-
boy English as the man tiger Ill
though the practice is not wholly con.
fined to men. The Krovboy English
name is misnomer rs it is we'll
known that no tigers exist in Africa
but it is also a well known fact that
there are maneating leopards In
one month, in district comprising
some twenty square miles more than
twenty people were killed by the
leopards. At first the writer was very
skeptical as to the power OF this ami
NAL to carry off human beings, but
that power has been fully substanti-
ated. II is also well known fact
human beings disguised in leopard
skins have simulated the ways
OF those animals, and. like
them. lay in wait to destroy
their fellow creatures, Several male.
factors have been convicted and exc
cu.ed by the authorities for this crime
and when brought to trial the skin
and different articles employed have
been produced in Host cases. The
man or woman who ASSUMES this part
must kill seven Cd magical humber
among tho natves) living animals in
Guiding the human species. dogs
fowls. deer etc. After this he can
render himself invisible and be invul-
nerable. Tho fl st thing he must pos
sess is d complete leopard skim and
then in the darkness OF night he must
make the small tomahawk he carries
and the spikes used on the Hands
These ave made out Of gun that has
killed seven people. tempered with
piOod IreSn1y urawu from nimSelf. Az
full moon he must hold vigil alone
by tho banks OF n broad stream. and
watch steadily the reflections OF the
moons image in the water, during
which time the novitiate is supposed
to see wonderful visions and obtain
supernatural strength.
Then lying in wait for his prey
after the manner of the leopards. he
pounces upon the unwary victim,
tearing open his throat and drinking
his life blood. The lycanthrope then
proceeds TO dismember the body
Of his victim, pulling off by main
force thumbs big toes and flesh oe-
tween the eyes, and then tearing open
the still ouivering body to obtain the
heart. The latter is eaten. When
the body is Amounted with the fat
about the entrails it is supposed to
confor invisiblity.
Strangers and women passing alone
on the road are the usual victims,
states Goldthwaite's Geographical
Magazine. The writer was present
in Mayumba with Mr.. Evans when
native of Gamma was traced aud
caught in the bush after su,picions
had been aroused owing to the slaugh-
ter OF two other Gamma men. AS the
Europeans had no jurisdiction and the
native chiefs of Mayumba decided
they could not Interfere the man was
sent on to his own people, and was
afterward executed there for similar
offense shortly after his arrival.
Here in the interior IN order to
prevent the spread Of the kuyon. the
skin Of every leopard killed is cut into
narrow strips and divided among the
elders of the place. Quite recently.
however. l was in a native village and
saw the leopard skin spikes followed
to receive the fingers. A small.
wedge shaped tomahawk was at.
tached thereto through hole in the
wooden handle. which was plentifully
bedaubed with blood. The kuyon's
disguise had been found secreted in
a hollow tree. and was present at his
confession and death. 1t was wo.
man named Aroonda about 40 years
old. She confessed to the murder of
three mon and one woman. and re-
GREETED that she had not been able to
| find more victims to make up the
magic total of seven. She was of
fragile appearance. and 1t seemed
physically impossible that she
had done the deed imputed to and con-
fessed by her. From her appearance,
and because OF the wild expression Of
her Dyes fully believe she was in
sane. but this when preached was
secuted by the Judge as she had sue
cessfully carried on her household and
4 IlcT WcTC
sold into slavery. the natives having
the idea that the offspring Of Kuyon
sooner or lator attain the same in
stinct The husband and family were
unani T Gus in desiring the removal OF
tho children to such a distance that
they would DO unable to return TO the
town. and it was only by continued
intercession that they were not exc
cuted along with tho mother
Each Kuyon plans individually his
| schemes and career and in an exper.
fence of over twenty years here in
Africa | have known only two cases
both OF which wers in Gaboon. whore
two or more persons engaged In con
cert to perform their ferocious and ne
farious murders and under no circum.
stances should 1t be considered an as
sociation OF members of secret So
ciety.
| May not grinding sense OF wrong
received without means OF paying tbs