St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1892-01-28
WTTCHCRAFT.

WM
Witchcraft is at the present time be-
ieved in by a majority of the citizens
d the United States. The larger
lumber of immigrants from the con-
Einent of Europe are more or less in
Ear of such powers. To these must
De added no inconsiderable proper
lion of persons ofEnglish and Scotch
d escent for a strong vein of supersti-
lion is discernible in many Irish,
FOLKLORE" diffused in nursery tales
hnd neighborhood gossip, has en-
4wined itself strongly about the hb-
FRS of spontaneous subconscious men
tal imagery. Among the more ig-
horant members of the Catholic
church of every nationality the be-
Set produces a mysterious dread,
j gainst which men and women cross
themselves and resort to various rites
Supposed to be eficacious.
Where colonies ofimmigrants have
Remained isolated, retaining the use
of their language, the influence
Of w~itchcraft is more easily traced.
EThe interior of Pennsylvania af-
tfords better illustrations OF this and
on a larger scale than any other state.
1t has been but two years since suit
was brought by a man against his
mother, in one of the counties of
Pennsylvania, to recove damages
for dog which he charged her with
having killed by witchcraft and he
not only brought suit, but obtained
Judgment from a justice ofthe peace.
Various witnesses testified as to
their experiences in witchcraft, and
only one said he had never had a
friend or relative who was bew1tched.
In divers villages in Pennsylvania,
III some Of them in Dunkard settlement,
are women who are supposed to be
witches. Some are shrewd enough
not to apply their arts for strangers,
but to those whom they know. AS
y stated in an article in the New York
H Sun years ago, they will sell charms
+ to ward off lightning from buildings,
Il dry up the wells of the enemies of
81 applicants, force cows to give bloody
milk, cause sickness in the family,
destroy beauty, separate man and
wife and reunite estranged lovers.
In theiinterior parts of the South
ern states, where a large proportion
of the white population cannot read,
and there is little admixture of So
q ciety, there are "witch-dOctOrs"
who, assuming that all disease is
caused by witches, secure thriving
practice in counteract1ng their 1nHu-
ence. The Philadelphia Times, on
the authority of a reputable cores
pondent, who gives many facts to
sustain his representation, says:
"For generations the poor whites
have believed in witches, and the be-
lief is deep-seated and incurable."
The African population brought
this belief from the Dark Continent,
and it EXISTS 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
so suits instituted by persons against
those who they claimed had be-
witched them; but under existing
laws the accused could not be prose
cuted except where money had been
obtained under false pretenses, or
overt acts ofcrime had been suggested
or committed.
During pedestrian tours in New
England, in various parts of the
West and in every Southern state, ]
have frequently stayed for the night
at the houses of poor farmers, labor
ers, fishermen and trappers. In such
Journeys l have invariably listened
to the tales Of the neighborhood
stimulating them by suggestion, ane
have found the belief in witchcraft
cropping out in the oldest towns II
New England, sometimes within the
very shadow of the buildings where
a learned ministry has existed from
the settlement of the country, anC
public schools have furnished means
of education to all classes. Tht
horseshoes seen in nearly every coun
ty, and of ten in every township, upo1
the houses ofpersons suggested the ole
horseshoe beneath which Lord Mel
son, who had long kept it nailed to
the mast of the Victory, received hi
death wound at Trafalgar.-Rev
DIR. ]. M. Buckley in January Century