Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-01-10
HlOtOUS vOUDOUISM REVIVED.
A HOUSE FULL or HOMES AKIN
SKULLS AND SNAKES.
. conn Left On the Doorstep of the
House Of a aiisshapen uns Lead.
20 me discovery OF the ohasuy
Den Within.

New orleans, L., Jan. s.-voudouism
IN all Its hldeous and CHASTITY forms &c
being discussed Just now by the resi-
uei'4 IN the vicinity of cafins lane
ana Royal street, who are considerably
slirfed up over an event which 90.
ou'ted early this morning in their
midst.
a CHASTITY and horrifying discovery.
without doubt the work of one Of the
so-called voudous. was made by some
one who had occasion to pass through
the lane before dawn. on the front
steps OF the house Of a colored woman
named Mrs. Baptiste he saw small
black coffin and the sight 30 startled
MN mat he was unable to utter a
sound, The man. when he had re-
covered his wonted composure, looked
again at the CHASTITY object and then
turned quickly and hurried away in The
direction whence he came,
Inc iact oil the finding Of the coffin
soon spread rapidly aud In short
Time there was a motley gang coll
lected IN front OF the house OF the
buptlste woman. All stood at a re-
specuul distance from the collin aud
Were awed by its presence. The ig-
horant and superstitious ones We're con-
Hlderapiy frightened and predicted that
a terrible calamity was about to hap
pen 10 some one. On the other hand
the more Intelligent spectators treated
the matter lightly ana expressed tho
bellet that 1t was the work of some
alleged .voudpu who was trying 10
irishten some one against whom she or
ne mad grudge.
Al any rate the discovery created
considerable talk and several hundred
persons viewed the little blnck coffin.
There were many theories as TO how
1t got there and conjcctures as to
what the thing contained. Mrs. Bap-
tlste, on whose steps the coffin was
found, appeared to be Indifferent ana
was not much concerned about the
matter She allowed the collin to be
there until Sergeant Hevron of tho
ruth Precinct station arrived on the
scene. The news had spread rapidly,
ana 1t was with the utmost difficulty
TINT the officer could make his way
through the motley gathering.
sergeant HevrOn Is not believer
In Voudouism, nor is he supersttious,
ana handled the coffin as Nc il were
some ordinary object. with the aid OF
hatchet and soon opened IL and
lound Wlthln several candles, a sh'rt
made of a sack and a wire mask.
Ihese We're arranged SO as to appear
like body. The coffin ana contents
Were taken TO the police station and
the police will endeavor to find out
something more about the case.
MRS. Bnptiste is a so-called voudou
herseli she pretends to be invested
with supernatural powers and claims
10 do all sorts of things. She Is held
in awe by her ueighbors and some time
ago the police raided her house and
iound 1t to be regular voudou den.
a front room was filed with olI snrts
OF CHASTITY articles, such as skulls and
bones. snakes, etc, Mrs. Baptiste was
taken before Judge Cain and vas
lined $50 or thirty days. Since that
Time she has endeavored to resume her
business. but the police would not nj |
low 1t. 1t is generally believed that
me woman had hand in placing the
coffin on the steps.