Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1893-12-09
AWFUL TORTURE.


Girl in n Pennsylvania Town.
SCRANTON, Dec. 3.-In this enlight
ened age it seems almost incredible
that an ignorant witch doctress'
should be able to successfully practice
her black arts among intelligent peo,
pie, but here and there cases come TO
light where superstition seems to reign
supreme and its subjects willingly sub.
init to the most cruel and barbarous
practices
The little mining hamlet Of Dixville,
Kingston township, was recently the
scene of n brutal outrage perpetrated
under the guise of medical treatment
by an ignorant, strolling Arab woman.
The subject little girl OF years,
was made tho victim of terrible torture
for days and will probably die.
John Moore, coal miner, keeps a
small hotel at Dixville. He mas accu-
mulated n little Of this worlds goods
and is spoken of by his neighbors and
acquaintanccs as "a good fellow in his
way" harmless, honest and industri-
Gus. John, although only about 45
years of age, is the father of fourteen
children, nine of whom are living and
residing at the tavern or immediate vi
cinity. Mrs. Moore is kind hearted
woman who loves her family and has
always faithfully co-operated with her
husband in everything contributing to
their comfort and happiness.
Unfortunately, however, both Mr.. and
Mrs. Moore are firm believers in mys.
terious charms and witchcraft. Little
Anna, girl of eight summers, has
been afflicted with epilepsy for some
time and the disease has stubbornly
resisted medical treatment. In fact
the parents lost faith in medical science
almost entirely and, hearing of the
miracles performed through the laying
on of hands, charms, incantations ahd
other humbugs, were thus prepared sor
she advent of "a strolling Arab woman,
VINO walked into the hotel one morning
recently and attempted to sell few
small articles.
Although she could talk but little
English, she managed TO impress Moore
and his wife that she possessed marvel
ous curative powers. Little Anna had
| just been suffering from one Of her epi-
septic spasms and her parents availed
| themselves of the opportunity to place
/ tltll hduRhl III Int udnuS OI lIlc
witch Doctor" who claimed to be able
TO cast out the devils, which she said,
were affecting the child. Preparatory
] to her barbarous treatment of the suf-
fering child the woman shaved the top
Of her head, and then taking heated
wire burned burrows in the scalp, pene-
! trating to the bone, in the form of a
cross. Then taking from her pack sew
eral specimens of fruit, which she said
were peas from Jerusalem. she pressed
them into the burrows and bound up
! the head.
BY this time the child's sufferings
we're intense, but the heartless woman
persisted in her acts of cruelty, and the
ieluded parents offered no objections
to continuation of the torture Large
places were burned by the woman on
the back of each little hand, and the
arms above the elbow were also treated
n the same cruel fashion, after which
the heartless woman stood over the
child, who was writhing in agony, and
uttered what were supposed to be
potent incantations for several min
utes, accompanying them with wild
gesticuiations.
The parents were informed that their
| daughter might not improve very much
! in month, but that the .'evil spirits"
would have to vacate before the treat
ment was over The woman remained
over night at the hotel, where she was
as tenderly cared for as if she had been
a royal princess, and when the morning
J iawned Mr.. and Mrs. Moore were told
that further heroic treatment would be
necessary to put TO rout the indwelling
demons and force the child from its
spells. The heartless wretch then
pierced the tongue of the suffering
ehild several times with hot wire
and INDUCED in more carnations.
The parents and older children
looked on with great interest and,
blinded by superstitious ignorance.
thought they noticed an improvement
in the sick childs condition. The
physical endurance of the little sufferer
was truly wonderful or she could never
have survived the torture.
Finally after the Arab woman had
been at the house for several days
going on and a physician visited the
scene. Knowing that she would be
immediately arrested and punished for
her work, the woman suddenly de-
camped and has not been heard of
since.
Strange as it may seem the Moore
family are mourning the departure Of
the witch Doctor" and cursing the
people who interfered. The neighbors
say that if the woman is caught and
brought back here she will be fayed
alive.