The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-09-15
VERY MYSTERIOUS VOICES
They Come From the Stomach of a
Lad.
Doctors Say He is Natural VentriIo.
quist, but Negroes Claim That He
is Possessed" An interest
ting Phenomenon. Medical
Men Studying It,


A remarkable case of natural and un
conscious ventriloquism-ap phenomenon
which scientific men believe was respou-
sible for most of the cases in which per
SONS once We're supposed to be possessed
of dovils-has caused much consterna
tion among the superstitious and great
interest among the scientific in Orange
burg, S. c. The history Of the case is
told by William l., Buckley of Clafin
university, Orangeburg, in Tho Appeal
The phenomenon appears in a l3-yeur-
old colored hoy, tho sun Of poor and il
literatc parents. He was taken i'll about
O month ago with violent pains in his
stomach. The doctor was called and
treated him for week or mora, but the
boy, grew no better. After he had been
i'll about nine days. his parents began to
hear strange noises, apparently in his
stomach They wore inar;iculuto and
faint at first, but daily grew stronger.
They described them as like the growing
of cock, the barking of dog and the
lowing of a COW. In u few days intel
ligible sounds, expressions in human
speech, were heard a voice, sounding
las from the boys stomach, said: 80
Lord, l want to get out "I'm so
tired. " I'm hungry" and You hurt
me. The doctor was puzzled, and re-
lated the circumstances to other doctors.
The people i'll the village, especially tho
negroes, became much excited over the
phenomenon, and the boys home was
thronged daily with curious visitors
The voice would answer questions put
to it. The boy averred that he could not
control the vaico and that it was in eff
feet a thing apart from his own con
sciousness. The voice said its lame was
Josephine The superstitious colored
folks Became terribly wrought up over
the case, especially us they treated the
voice MS an oracle. and the voice seemed
very willing to accept the part All
manner of questions on religious and
personal topics We're asked. and the an
swers were taken as having super
natural Importance.
The doctors thought it couldn't be IA
case of ventriloquism because tho boy
voice, and the sounds came without his
volition The boys parents asserted
that the voice prophesied and foretold
all manner of things that came to pass.
More than one superstitious person went
to bed and doctored himself because the
nncanny voice had predicted, directly or
indirectly, his early death. Mr.. Buckley
vis!ted the boy and gives this account of
his experience with him:
II visited the boys home and asked
him to tell Inc his name. He did so
(from his nouth). then said, Talk
from your stomach. He replied, L
can't. Well, then, make Josephine
talk And he, to my great astonish-
ment, said, Talk, Josephine. The
voice said. l won do it.. Don't YOU
want some candy No; / don't. Thus
kept up a fusiilude of questions to no
sice the effect. The response ALWAYS
came i'll n decidedly different voice from
his, but the remarkable feature is that
he makes SO many absolutely distinct
tones i'll his stomach, OF bottom of his
chest, without the least motion of the
face or lips. His throat, however
moves. put my hand there to make
the test His father claimed that ,Jo
sephine' could talk while George was
eating, when he was sleeping or stimuli
taneously with him. -
Medical men have gone from all parts
OF the state and surrounding states TO
study the case. One physician DR.. ].
;. Hydrick, thus sums up the case:
AT first il was a case of unconscious
yentmloquism. The boy did not know
mis- gift The noise surprised and fright
ened him. But now no knows his power
and can speak or keep silent at will.
You will notice if any one holds his ear
to his stomach he Will make the sounds.
but if the investigator places his ear TO
the boys larynx or holds it he will re-
Grain from speaking - The theory of
evil spirits taking possession of men and
women ~ very old and common to prac-
tically every people The old sorcerers
and witch doctors used ventrilounism to
carry out their impostures and miracu-
lous cures, but once in awhile a case of
natural and unconscious ventrilouuism
occurred and helped out the situation
all around. Most of the people round
Orangeburg are illiterate and believe
strongly that the boy is possessed of a
devil. Not few are expecting the end
OF the world very soon, while all are
expecting something interesting.
At Loggerheads No Longer.
1