The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-04-11
NJ ROOM FOR WITCHES.


People In Nebraska Threaten to Hang u
Suspected One.
OMAHA, Neb., April lO.-A very remark
able case of belief In %witchcraft develored
At Jansen, Nab., a small town in tho cen.
trail part Of tho state, yesterday. Most OF
the inhabitants Of the town are Germans
and Ru~ssiaus-aimple folks who have
brought with them many Of the habits and
superstitions of the old world %peasantry.
Many of them understand but little Eng
lish and talk even less. but in the main
they are industrious. we'll meaning people.
Among them livea John Pruder. q mild
hammered. elderly German. lilo lives WIN
his wife and granddaughter in n handle
cottage Of rhree rooms. The only one OF
the three who understands English Is little
Friedn, n girl of nine, aud this child has
been the involuntary cause of the unusual
train OF circumstances.
just before the holidays F.ieda was
taken i'll and confined to her bed, and until
ten days ago was the victim OF a most mys-
~terious ailment. She was subject to spasms
in which her fingers were cramped until the
nails were buried in her palms and the toes
were turned under her feet. She lost sight.
hearing and speech. and her little figure
was raoked with u variety of contortions.
She was entirely helpless for hours and
days, and for one period of eight weeks lie
was sustained by pouring milk down her
throat. At other times she imagined she
saw visions. Sometimes they would take
tho form of an angel. then q rabbit, and
aGain q woman in a white skirt.
The little girls strange case naturally
became known to the whole community.
and after it had batfled several doctors one
| of the supsrstitious old women suggested
that Frieda had been bewitched. In sup
port of her theory she urged that the inside
Of the bed upon which the child rested be
examined.
Acting upon this strange suggestion the
Pruders opened the tick from tim to time
and there, curious enough, they found the
feathers matted into curious shapes. Once
1t was q wreath. At other times there were
flowers, a pigeon aud balls. These were
also seen BY reliable witnesses. In on OF
the balls we're pellets resembling peas. The
superstitious neiRhbor suggested that these
feather objects be burned, saying that the
witch would be the first person to visit the
house after the burning. The first caller
happened to be a Mrs. Miller, who came to
borrow a pair Of spectaoles OF to recover q
pair she had left behind. Her husband had
at one time made q vain attempt to sell
Pruder a piece Of property. and they readi-
ly accepted the conclusion that Mrs.
Miller was bewitching the child in revenge.
The story OF witohoraft soon became a
topic of everyday conversation among
t belie, saaap's rb pe0p ohildt saa Of i0u the town town
became affected and too fright at their
shadows and dreaded to 90 out after dark.
Yesterday an old faith-cure doctor from
Missouri was called to treat the child. After
going through II peculiar method OF rubbing
the little sufferers body he reported hor to
be much better. Two hundred citizens de-
clared that the whole affair was the result
of witchcraft. duplicating Mrs. Miller and
the doctor, both of whom a mob forced to
leave town, lynchinR being the alternative.
The celebrated Thompson's glove fitting COR