Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-11-30
NEGRO SUPERSTITION.
4 Witch Doctors Curse and What 1t
Caused

Eureka. Ga, Nov. 27.-There has pre-
vailed for the last week or so the in
tpnScSt excitement among the cOlored
population Of this part of the country
over the alleged ''conjuring" of Il man
named Jessup by Daddy" Yerkes, an
old negro who has the reputation of
being Il witch doctor and of possessing
Il dangerous knowledge of the black
arts.
The StOrW is that JeSSup ard Daddy
YerleS owned in common Il small cot
ton field which Jessup worked on the
understanding that he was to have
twO-thirds of the product of the whole
tract. 1t seems that throughout the
summer Daddy Yerkes has borrowed
from the other on the strength of what
his share of the crop would be worth,
but neither of the men has kept any
account of the sums that the old man
drew. When Jessup sold the crop last
month he gave his partner so small Il
sum that the old fellow grew very
much incensed, and ended by claiming
his third of the amount for which the
crop was sold. JesSup refused this,
upon which the witch doctor cursed
him. He then fixed his eyes upon
JesSups right arm, calling upon some
one or something in an African dialect
to smite it with the black disease
This scene took place in the presence
of some twenty negroes who, believ-
ing in Yerkes' magical powers, begged
Jessup to waive the rights of the case
and give the old man what he demand
ed.
But JeSSup, hale, StalWart nulattO
of 30, laughed at the others fears, and
declined to give up the money. But
in day or two it turned cut that
Jessup's right arm did begin to pain
him and grow purple and to swell, the
veins becoming hard and taut as whip
cords. By another day it was quite
black with coagulated blood, all circul-
lation of the blood being entirely at
Il StandStill in it. Doctors from this
place were called in, and soon saw
that the limb was rapidly gangrening
and removed it promptly. But Jessup
died in a few hours.
The negroes insisted that Daddy
Yerkes had killed the man. The physi-
clans, while refusing to accept the
theory that it was done by curse,
considered that perhaps he might in
some way have administered some of
the poison that he was popularity sup
posed to distill from plants and herbs
of the locality. A post-mortem eX-
animation was held, when it was dis
covered that Il blood clot had formed
in the aorta, the large artery leading
UP from the heart, and had crowded
into the smaller artery leading under
the collar bone to the arm, and so cut
off from that member it's supply OF
blood.
1t was a most singular death, but
there was 10 evidence that the old con
jurer had had anything to do with it
so the authorities declined to move in
the matter, but the darkeys are con
WINGED that Daddy Yerkes caused it all
and SO loud have been their murmurs
that the old man has gone to the
county Jail and begged to be protected
He swears that he will curse the whole
of the negro community with some
fearful plague if interfered with, and
this threat, it is thought, will protect
him even more efectually from vic
lence than any constable. He does MOI
deny the charge of having done JessuI
to death, and, while not admitting thai
he really killed him, says that from the
incident the rest may judge of his abili
ties of ayenging himself.