The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-08-14
RITES ARE HIDE0US
Barbarous Rites Observed by Yves!
Indian Natives
Blacks Who Believe In TIRE Foe~rcy
Of Charms and Hcodoos 10 Bring
Destruction UpOa Their
Enernies-

made me somewhat familiar with
obesh, kind of witchcraft which sht
negro brought with him from his In
tive land, says n writer n the B-ocs'
lyn Citizen There are obeaersa ard
ooeahwonen, but the former are the
most common. They s-e generally
well known 20 their rsixhSorS, nous
OF whom, however, would dare 70 -ive
the obeahnen away 10 the authorities
The rites of obeah differ according 70
the tribe from which the person who
practices il comes \ common enchant
raent is 70 gather herbs and boil them
snd scatter the herbs and sprinkle ths
water near or on the dwelling of the
person to be obeahed- Another prae>
tice is to bury certain things in Tho
earth or lay sticks in a particular po-
sition, mastering nominations over
them ! know 1t is fact that Al
Obeahman. If properly paid for it, will
not only lay obeah" 70 destroy per
son, but poison the person IL necessary
20 carry out his contract with the party
who employs him For il is TO bs IN.
dsrStoOd that the obeahman works for
fee and reward, aud viii not exercise
his art without il. Not far from my
residence, n q beautiful valley, was .
thrown up sugar estate. Three Eng
hshmen in succession hired the placs
aud died very soon afterward. When
the property was abandoned after tho
abolition Of slavery the former slaves
squatted upon 1t and finally came "a
look upon IL Is their own. They want
ed no one to interfere, and when thu
white man leased the place and went
10 live in the great house and began to
exercise the rights Of tenant and t.
prevent the negro from encroaching 10
was resolved 10 remove him The
obeahman was consulted Ho pre-
pared slow but sure poison to remove
the white man. The negroes APP
peared to submit 70 the tenants de-
mands, and he flattered himself that
everything was going TO be pleasant.
But the black cook. who SO cheerfully
and ably prepared his food, and tina
servants who laughed a. his jokes and
were so watchful for chance 20 servo
him. were in league with the obeahman.
When the tenant was taken sick thu
negro came TO the house with stcalthy
step and subdued voice and asked after
Bucra's health with many exclama-
tiOns of sorrow at the answer that he
was no better The negreSs came and
offered her aid around tho house, and
sympathized with BuclSra's wife and
family, and other words OF condolencs
mixed with strangely Rarbled verses %
hymns and Of Scripture. When death
came the negroes and negresses at
tended the funeral In a body and man.
tested every sign Of sorrow. II this
family didn't speedily remove the next
thing was the sudden sickness OF q
child That invariably induced the oc-
eupants OF the pesthouse 20 move away
Hs soon as possible a negro Of wealth.
and influence, and one of the best men.
white or black. / ever met, told me tho
facts above narrated, adding that the
might sweep the valley Of
all the negroes In e, but they never
could get at the guilty parties % pun
ish them
A negro who was very Industrious
smassed some wealth and put up ion;
himself q pretty cottage on the side a
4 gully, down which pure mountain
stream rap 1t was as sweet littla
spot as ever l saw. The foundations
were good and the house stood upon
pillars formed OK the trunks Of hugs
trr6s. This man offended one Of hh
and DO employed an obeah.
man 10 destroy him. One night Ia
storm the house with svery thing in IL
wGs swept into the stream, which had
become . roaring torrent Every blaol<
man, woman and child stood aghast,
and whispered; "Obsah.- This one and
that said how they had seen o man
laying obeah- near the house. Surs
enough. a hole was found containing 70
ing, some human hair and few bones
ar6 tho neigh bors all said that wa4
y hat had done H. some time after
ward when tho place was examined
there were undOubtsd sgns that ths
posts on which the house had stood had
been sa-n almost through, ~ that ths
Hrst whirling rainstorm from TIA
might drive IL into the gully.
! rode with the colored man already
mentioned % see the wrock As 40
walked our horses through a glade
near the stream. n tall. fine-looxinF,
IyeIl-dFcssed negro crossed the path.
IIis face was positively handsorne, and
> pleasant smile spread over IL as hs
bowed and said: Good morning" 4
the szlute, Eut my ool0-~5
companion inpaticutly jcrked asids
his horse and said. 'Chpt" This Il -
Term among the negroes Of contempt
md adherence
who IS that ! asked
a priest q tie devil" NJ friend
"A MokamDedan27 I ssI<ed- for Tiers
al beea slaves who were NohAz1ns-
LAaA whose descendants profs-sed "A
UilO~ that faith IA AZ sgnorant tsshi1a-
NO, Ga no'' ny friend sd. No
,aziH1edEu negroes don't 80 o5oah-'
The inference / drew was that -
.rsns gentleman whoa I Esd jet
zen vas an obeah-z-r- AID =. sus>
,sc:ed ca-se of tas wrecked dwelling.
b tL.s way. oz-i,ted - say hat i n
.aruensd that q t..s night ~hsn ti-a
cue WA bc-us away Into tEs guly
10 living .oal = a. within its vs.lA TIA
.rrer and hls wife having tss prc-ious
az gone up tie raountai-s - T.sit
az-ried 6auzhtrr and ten OBTAINED
" tie threatening st0-z1-
A Mo.hsrs Easzr<l Frfss.
ssr>o.ok here. COX. ere.Aiz1sd "A. oli
%, 70 her brood IL catch any 4
-.-e-.-, ---esk go - 49,. @fS-f.f