The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-01-26
TRIED 4 UITCBCRAFr CASE
Msmssrs or the Methodist Church Expelled
at Snisn.. O.

Salem. o., Jan. 25.-Three members OF
Harris Methodist Episcopal Church. in the
northern part OF Salem township. were tried
to-day by tho church for accusing another
member of witchcrnft, and we're summarily
expelled from fellowship The defendants re-
fused to appear for trial. but they were repre-
sented by ministerial counsel. who gave notice
OF an appeal TO tho quarterly Conference.
The persons implicated In this affair are
members Of the Loop family There are four
Loop sisters raised in a little frame farmhouse
not n quarter OF mile from Harris church.
Miss Sadie Loon remained single and keeps
house for her father in the old house.
The three other sisters were respectively
married TO Howard Hughes. Norman Bleam.
and Jacob Culp. All live within a milo OF the
church. OF the three Culp IL the most pros
porous He is native OF Germany. and is the
one who has been accused OF possessing an
evil eve and Of practising witchcratt.
In April. 1893. Mrs. Loop became III. and her
sickness did not yield to the treatment of the
regular local ply sicians. Miss Sadie Loop and
Mrs. Fannie Hughes then consulted Peter
Burns OF Salem. known as the Pow
Wow" Doctor. He told them their
mother was bewitched by near rela-
tive. and advised them to consult DE-"
Andrew Hofr OF Alliance. He confirmed with
emphasis what they had already said and
added that the suspected witch was mem
Der OF their church. This person was identi-
fled by the sisters ms their brother rim law.
shelton, their class leader and the other
church members. Then their mother died
Miss Sadie Loop. accusing her Of immortality
and ialsehood in circulating the story that
Jacob Cnlp was wizard and practised Witch
held In Salem. on May % 1898. and convicted.
Church troubles and family discussions ioi-
A few weeks after carp dam broke and the
carp escaped: Then stone wall OF q mill fell
the doings OF the man from Germany Miss
Sadie Loop published a statement n tho local
eS h Har hS p 5Ss cioTs
had two OF the church trustees. John Aiken
and Homer Il; shelton, sign charges against
Bleam. Each Of them were charged with i'm
morality in circulating the stories Of witch
craft and with being disobedient to the discip-
The trial was held to-day in the little church
on the, New Lisbon road, four miles from town.
The Rev. DR.. G. 7. kinRsbury. n superanpu-
II. W: bowers. a young WashinetonvliIe ply
e en The Rev, $. y ESnnedS was rrcsSsu:
the Rev. II. N. Shlpmnn OF Alliance represented
them. Jacob Gull was there. He sat In the
the result S1TH :" fa from MOVING machine Inst
fall. when he broke his arm. 1t had nor been
properly set and fortnight ago ii had to To
broken and reset, He said that lie guessed it
was the work OF tho powwow Doctor"
In the cases of Howard and Hughes and
Norman the charge OF immortality was with
the church They refused to return to the
church and he reconciled to Mr. Culp until
Sadie Loop was taken back. Then Irs. Fam
ME Hughes was tred on the charge Of immor-
a lily. the specifications being that she had been
guilty OF falsehood in saying that Jacob Iulp
was a witch. Homer Is Shelton Testified
strongly against her. The jury consulted
about and returned verdict of guilty as to
Bleam and Mr.. and Mrs. Hughes. Dr. Kings
bury arose and soemniy pronounced each OF
the convicted persons expelled from the
church.