The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-07-10
BEWITCHED, THEY SAY.
Mrs. Quinn and Her Sister Think a
Spell Was Cast on Them.

Moving Tables, Nodding Heads and
Cold Chills-Mrs. Quinn Now in An
Insane Asylum-Denial That Nine.
Sevilla Is Spiritualists.
From the New York Sun.
John Quinn, aged 3 years, aud his g.
months old sister, Annie, the children of
a coachman living at AL East Fourteenth
street, were committed to the care of the
Gerry society in the Yorkviile police
court yesterday because their mother
had become insane. Mrs Quinn's sister,
Sarah Vinnard, said that Mrs. Quinn had
been bewitched by Nine, Sevilla of 204
East Fifteenth street She said that
Nine. Sevills was spiritualistic medium
and had cast spell upon her also. Upon
behalf of Nine. SeviIla it was denied that
she was medium or interested in spirit
uallsm in any way
Sarah Vinnard became nurse of Nine.
Sevilla's daughter several months ago,
according to the story Sarah told in
court. Nine Sevilla proved her powers
by making tables move and producing
other spiritualistic manifestations. She
also exercised strange influence over
Sarah, and against her will made her do
everything that she commanded. While
Sarah. was Nine. Sevilla's nurse, Mrs.
Quinn was her laundress. Both sisters
continued TO work in their respective
capacities until June q, when they stop
ped working for Nine. Sevilla because she
didn't pay them the money then due-S20
to Sarah and S2S to Mrs. Quinn.
Instead Of paying them, Sarah said
Nine. Sevilla cast spiritualistic spells
over them by making mystic signs with
her fingers, which caused Mrs. Quinn to
have cold chills and to nod her head in
cessantly Sarah also felt uncomfortable.
When they fruitlessly dunned her on June
%, Nine. Sevilla again made weird signs,
and neither sister could sleep after that,
while both had chills. Mrs. Quinn's nod
ding increased in intensity, and the furni-
ture in their rooms moved without being
touched. Nine. Sevilla called on the sis
tiers on Monday to pay s. on account, as,
despite their chills, the sisters had begun
a suit against her. Before she went she
Offset this by making more signs which
| caused more chills, and knocked both sis
tiers off their chairs. Mrs. Quinn stuck
to the floor for some time as if she We're
glued there. That night, Mrs Quinn, to
| escape the evil spirits which were tor
menting her, tried to throw herself and
baby out of the window
Nine. Sevilla called again on Wednes-
day and performed more lamentations.
As a result, Mrs. Quinn finally became
| insane, ana she was so violent all through
the following night that it was all four or
five of the ueighbors could do to restrain
| her. She was removed on Thursday to
| Bellevue hospital where she was declared
to be beyond temporary treatment. She
was accordingly transferred to the Black
wells Island asylum yesterday. This
| left her two children with no one to take
| care of them, as their father is employed
fort hos afrasan ut Inn vtaIf
Nine Sevilla is professional musician
| She was singing at Eldorado last evening
| and could not be seen. Her husband was
seen at 204 East Fifteenth street. He
| strenuously denied that his wife was q
! spiritualist, or that she was in any way
| interested in mesmerism or hypnotism.
| Both of these women" he said, have
worked for us at different times. My
| wife always treated them well, giving
them clothing and other things when
| they were in need When Mrs. Quinn
| left us we owed her s9S. Her charge that
we owe her money is true. l cheerfully
| acknowledge it. Times have been none
| too easy during the past winter, and as
money was scarce with US we could not
pay her at once. She rushed into court
| with the case and got judgment against
me. l have since been paying her IS a
week on account.
About ten days ago Mrs. Quinn and
| her sister came here in great excitement,
and demanded TO see my wife. They
told her that something was the matter
with them, they didn't know just what,
| but they believed they were in the power
! of spirits. Mrs. Quinn insisted that she
saw her dead mother every night and
| begged my wife to go home with her
| and see If she could do anything for the
| children, who were also acting queerly.
| didn't want my wife to go, but she in
| sisted on going and went When she
| came back she was almost crying. With
I tears in her eyes, she told me of the mis-
rable condition of the Quinn household.
She SAID that the children seemed Aazed,
and waved their heads up and doWWin a
most remarkable manner. She had been
unable TO do much for them, she said, but
had tried her best to comfort the little
ones.
ION Monday last word came that Mrs.
Quinn wanted to see my wife again.
begged her not to go, but she would
as the children might be sick, SO 1 waived
my objections. That evening when my
wife came back she was pale and weak
She almost fell in faint when she got
into the house When she had recovered
sufficiently she told me that when she
reached the home of Mrs. Quinn a num-
Der of women ran up to her and accused
here of having cast a spell over Mrs.
QulDl. IuSY DSIdulS NlOkCnb anu III " as
with difficulty that she got away from
them. When she finally got out into the
street a man approached her and called
her a witch. She finally escaped from
Mrs. Quinn's neighbors and came home
That's all l know about the matter.
Il want to say right now, though, that
my wife is not interested in such things
as spiritualism and knows absolutely
nothing about it. She never made tables
move in her life and doesn't know any
thing about magic Why these women
should want to accuse my wife of such
things, do not know. She was very
good to them always, and if she could
pay them all she owes them right now,
she would do it. We only owe them
money because we have to-"
It was reported that Father Breslin Of
the Church of the Immaculate Concep-
ton, in East Fourteenth street, had
tried.to dispel Mrs. Quinn's decisions by
prayer. Father Breslin denied last night
that he performed any ceremony TO rid
Mrs Quinn of spirit. ..
II could not do any such thing without
special permission from the archbishop"
he said. Il was sent for by the Quinns,
and gave them some good advice and
tried to console them as best could. Mrs.
Quinn is suffering from mcsmerismI think.
Who mesmerized her l do not know, but
cannot make myself believe that hers is
an ordinary case of insanity. II is GER
tainly queer case"