The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-07-30
wITCHCRAFF IN NEW JERSEY.
A Singular Case in the Recorders
Court at Paterson.


From the New York Times.
Paterson. y. J., July 2i-Recorder Stew
art to-day had a rather interesting case
before him. The complainant was Mrs
Josephine Kievet, d bright young married
woman, residing at 145 East Holsman
street. She accused Miss Susan Hook,
who resides next door to her, with circu-
lating reports about the neighborhood that
she was a witch, and INDUCED in the
practice of witchcraft. The Hooks, Mrs.
Kievet alleges, have circulated this report
broadcast. and she appeared before the
recorder to-day TO see If there was not
some means to have the woman compelled
10 desist in circulating the reports.
Miss Hook was summoned before the
recorder. She was accompanied by her
mother and a sister. The Hooks We're
accompanied by a number of friends.
When Miss Susan Hook was put on the
stand and informed by the recorder that
Mrs. Kievet had complained Of her circu-
lating reports about her being a witch,
the judge was astonished by Miss Hook
responding Your honor, / will stop talk
ing about her if she will remove the spell
Of witchcraft about me-"
Miss Hook said that she was possessed
of spirits caused by the influence of Mrs.
tNltNEls ana was unable TO sleep nights.
The young woman said that whenever she
dropped into a slumber Mrs. Kievet was
continually lowering about her in her Wis
ion a spirit. Miss Hook told the record
er that she had several times asked Mrs.
Nievet to remove the spell of witchcraft
from her, but Mrs. kievet did not do any
thing for her
The recorder asked her what she wanted
Mrs. Kievet to do.
Miss Hook looked at the recorder a mo-
ment IN establishment, and then said:
why, she could help me If she wanted
to. L asked her as she had placed a spell
on me, to bless me in the name Of the
Spirit and Holy Ghost"
Recorder Stewart saw that the woman
was laboring under a Authorization, and
tried to inform her that there was no
such thing as witchcraft, as it was only
a superstition which was in vogue many
hundred years ago.
The recorder then turned to Miss Hooks
sister, married woman, and asked her
if she believed that her sister was be-
witched. He was almost foored by the
answer, for the woman responded to the
question by saying: Yes, 1 do. Mrs.
Kievet has placed a spell on my sister,
and she refuses to remove it. and the
spell is breaking down my sisters health.
She cannot sleep nights, and we are hay
ing considerable trouble at home looking
after her. Unless this spell is removed
| from her, I viii have to have her taken
| care of, as we are all worn out looking
| out for her welfare"
Recorder Stewart said to the woman:
Don't you know that if Mrs. Kievet had
compiled with your sisters request to
dispel the spirit, she would be practically
admitting to you the power of witchcraft
| and was a Witch?"
Miss Hook said that Mrs. Kievet did not
want to remove the spell, as she knew she
would get well if she did so, and therefore
/ kept the spell about her The recorder
could not make Miss Hook or her family
believe that witchcraft was only a super
| stition The girls mother then volun-
| teered to say: But the Bible says what
! has been will be-" The recorder tried to
argue with the women on the absurdity
| of their belief but Miss Hooks sister
/ grew indignant and vehement, and said
! Il am willing to swear before God and
| heaven that Mrs. Kievet has done some
| thing to her, no matter what happens to
me. All we want is for Mrs Kievet to
undo what she has done to my sister, so
that she can get Wen"
Albert Taboer q neighbor of the Hooks
and one of their party in court was call
ed to the stand by the recorder, and ask
ed if he also believed in witchcraft He
| hesitated for a moment and then said that
he believed that Miss Hook had been be-
witched. He said that he had been called
in to sit up with the woman nights, and
from the way she acted he firmly believed
that the girl was bewitched.
Judge Stewart could not help laughing
at this, and finally said: you people are
simply driving the woman insane by Civ
ing away to her hallueination. l am sur
prised that you, healthy strong and IN
telligent should encourage her in her de-
lusion."
The only response he received was an in
vitation to go to the house to sit up with
the young woman and see for himself
that she is bewitched. The girls sister
told the recorder that if he intended to
come over to the house he had better not
let Mrs. Kievet know when he was COM
ing. as she would exercise her power
The recorder tried to persuade Miss
Hook to have Il friendly talk with Mrs
Kievet, but she refused to do so, as she
feared that the woman was a witch. The
recorder told the Hooks that he would
send some one to dispell the witch, and
everything would be all right
1t is evident that Miss Hook is border
ing on insanity, and that her hallucina-
ton has taken form of being bewitched
| by Mrs Kievet. 1t appears that last De-
| cember Miss Hook was very i'll, and Mrs
Kievet was asked to come in and help
take care of her. This she did. When
| Miss Hook became couvalescent she had
| this hallucination. The girls actions have
| no doubt also led her family to believe
that she is bewitched. The reports have
annoyed Mrs. Kievet so that she applied
to the recorder TO see if there was some
| way to stop the report without prosecnt-
| ing the Hooks. 1t is probable that a COM
mission will be appointed to examine
/ into the sanity of Miss Hook She is "a
/ years old, and has wasted away almost
/ to a skeleton the cause Of which the
/ family claim is the spell held over her by
/ Mrs. Kieyet.
/ spIinters Killed More Men Than shot
From the San Francisco Examiner.
The recent war between Japan and
| China has taught the officers of the