The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-23
SPIRITS TELL A TALE.
Ghosts Of Witches Relate Their Wrongs
on Earth.

was N the Line OF the proposed Road
She Was Condemned in Order to Get
Her Out of the Way-Elmer Downs
Says he Was Whipped and Banished
for Bedeviling Neighbor's Horse.
Salem CIass) Letter in the Cincinnati
Enquirer
At a recent seance the spirits or persons
who had in the flesh been condemned for
witchcreaft in the good old days. appeared
and talked, the shade of Sarah Horn being
the first to speak. as follows:
Regarding many horrid features Of the
scandal history is silent. and even the
murky pool of common rumor refuses to
yield the most offensive rottenness at the
bottom of this witchcraft persecution. ne
movement was inaugurated by ignorant
zealots in the name of religion. and so
prosecuted for a few years, but erelong,
designing men and women Joined the
congregation wholly for the purpose Of
gain through this wicked persecution, and
these united in the act of murder in the
name of religion for whatever 1t might
profit them in the accumulation of ma
terial wealth. 1 will give thee a few facts
which are nowhere recorded.
"Elkanah Forbes possessed a pretty
piece of land next to the estate OF Elijah
Allen. 1t had been cleared in the early
time, and after several years of seeding
was put in grass. Its gently rolling sur
face of some forty acres, covered with soft
verdue, through the suns rays sent cheer
full glints, attracted everybody's eyes, as
far as the vision could reach. and Eli
Jah, being next neighbor to it. was at
tracted to it more than anybody else
He made overtures to purchase, but FL
kanah refused to sell, and then Elijah
craved IL more than ever.
Elkanah did not belong to the congrega-
tion but Elijah was one of it's stanchest
supporters. While he occupied a front
pew, and made long and eloquent prayers
Elkanah was in an obscure seat, and ST
lent. He would not have been there at
all had it not happened that a parish
law made absence a misdemeanor, pun
ishable by fine for first offense, whip
ping for second. and Imprisonment for
any subsequent delinquency. In spite of
his piety and prayerful disposition Elijah
could not help hankering for the beautiful
meadow, and so one day he poisoned one
Of his best oxen. and accused Elkanah
OF causing its death by wicked spells.
THE accusation made a good deal of ex-
element, for, while Elkanah was not a
pious man, he was a good neighbor and
gave literally to the poor. Worldly people
respected him more than they did Elijah,
and were forward in declarations that he
was not a wizard and would wrong no
man. But it was testified against him
that he was seen upon Aliens premises
just before the OK died. and that the ami
NAL sickened Immediately after he left
and died three hours thereafter in great
agony. Elkanah was not permitted to
testify that his call was upon Eliah's in
vitation, and Elijah omitted to mention
it.
THE poor man was tortured until he
made confession and then was hanged
and the coveted field was sold to Elijah
Allen at a low figure on account of his
zeal and liberalty in behalf of the congre-
cation. He lived but a few weeks to en-
joy its possession, and in the spirit life
is working out a heavy usury upon that
piOus purchase.
II was well known in Salem more than
$40 years ago, and for a long period en-
joyed the friendship of all the people
there. The Vicissitudes of life fioated me
into the business of nursing the sick, in
which 1 enjoyed a goodly measure Of sue
cess for more than thirty years, and by
the kindness of the Salemites l acquired
and enjoyed a little property. As a mem
duty TO give something to the minister
every year and pay tithes 20 the elder
and matters went along smoothly until
my little home was found to be in the
way of new railroad some of the people
wanted to cut through that part of the
settlement. 1t wasn't much of a house
and the garden was small and poorly
fenced but IL was my home and seemed
part of my very life, so l refused to give
up. Then it was threatened that the
house should be moved onto a lot where
the ground was much lower and very
damp most of the year and that l would
be compelled to submit and pay the cost
of removal. Such was the decision of the
elders, whose action was always legal
no matter how unjust it might be
procured a large supply of provisions
and shut myself up in the house, having
previously forbidden any interference
with the property. Nobody came near the
place with i'll intent, and after some two
weeks l ventured forth.
People avoided me- even those with
whom / had been on the most friendly
terms, and the children ran at my APP
proach. one little girl cried out, There's
the old WITCH and then scudded away at
her best speed. So, for standing up for nv
door rights, is seemed that 1 had lost
caste and become adhorent But that was
not the worst OF it. l met a young woman
4
nesses, and she told me somethine that
chilled my heart. l had been accused and
condemned as a witch. A child that | had
tenderly cared for a few weeks before had
been attacked with spasms on the day I
had shut myself into my little home, and
in a few hours died. The father of the
child had also sickened, and was yet dan
gerously III. One of the persons interested
In the new road connected me with these
calamities, and the elders Immediately
took the matter in hand and l was con-
Gemned as a worker of spells, and at
that moment liable to be taken charge of |
by an officer. l lost no time in getting to
my abode and there sat all night, think
ing whatever 1 ought to do to foil these
bad people. I would not have injured
hair of the dear child with whose death |
1 was charged for any consideration, for /
l had loved her as if she had been my
own, but it had been testified that was |
heard to confess hate for the little one,
and It's parents had wished for their de- |
ceased.
Next day there were rappings at my
doors and windows, and loud commands |
to open in the name of the law, but re- |
manned concealed and gave no signs /
that aught was heard. I had at length |
decided to fee from my own roof and |