The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-09-08
.RE HAS A DOUBLE VOICE
Queer Case of a Colored Boy in
South Carolina.
He Has a Voice in His Stomach
Doctors Call it a Case Of Natural
ventriloquism. The Super
stitous Say That He is
Possessed OF n Devil.

conscious yentriloquism-u phenomenon
Which scientific men believe was respon-
sible for most of the cases in which per
cons once were supposed to be possessed
of devils-has caused much consterna-
ton among the superstitious and great
interest among the scientific i'll Orange
burg, S. G. Tho history of tho case is
told hy William L. Buckley Of Claflin
university, Orangcburg, in Tho Appeal
The phenomenon appears in a 49,
yearold cplored boy, the son of poor
and illiteratc parents. He was taken i'll
about Il month ago with violent pains
i'm his stomach. The doctor was called
and treated him for week or more,
bat the boy grew no better. After ho
had beon i'll about nine days his parents
began to hear strange noises, apparently
i'm his stomach. They wcro inarticulate
and faint at first, but daily grew strou-
ger, They described them as like the
Growing of a cock, the barking of dog
end the lowing Of COW. In II few days
hmtelliSiblo sounds, expressions in hu-
man speech, were heard. \ voice, sound
isng rs from tho boys stomach, said,
go Lord, want to get out, " "l'm so
tired, v I'm hungry" and "You hurt
me. !" Tho doctor was puzzled, and re-
lated the circumstance to other doctors.
The people in the village, especially
the negroes, became much excited over
the phenomenon, and tho boys home
was thrOnged daily with curious visit
ors. Tho voice would answer questions
put Co it, The boy avcrrod that lie could
not control the voice, and that it was,
in effect, a thing apart from his own
consciousness. The voice said its name
was Josephine. The superstitious col
ored folks became terribly wrought up
over the case, especially rs they treated
the voice ne an oracle, and the voice
6eemod very willing to accept tho part.
All manner of questions on religious
and personal topics were asked, and the
answers we've taken ms having d super
natural Importance
The doctors thought it couldn't be
case of vcntriloquism, because the boy
seemed really unable to control the
voice and the sounds camo without his
vohtion. Tho boys parents asserted
that the voice prophesicd and foletold
all manner of things that came to pass
Moro than one superstitious person went
to bed and doctorcd himself because tho
uncanuy voice had predicted, directly
or indirectly, his early death. Mr. Bulk
10y visited tho hoy, and gives this &C
Sount of his experience with him:
i visited tho boys home and asked
min TO tell me his name. Ho did so
Ifrom his mouth). 1 then said, Talk
from your stomach. He replied. I
can't Well, then, make Josephine
talk. And he, to my great astonish-
nent, said, Talk, Josephine Tho voice
eaid, 1 won't do it.. Dat you want
come candy;' NO, don't. Thus kept
up fusillado Of questions to notice the
effect. The response always came in n
decidedly different voice from his, but
the remarkable feature is that he makes
so many absolutely distinct tones in his
stomach OF bottom of bis chest, with
out the least motion Of the face OF !ips.
his throat, however, moves. put my
hand there to make the test His father
CLAIMED that Josephine could talk while
George was eating, when In was sleep
ing or simultaneously with him. "
Medical men have gone from all parts
Of the state and surrounding states to
FSNs''C ''AS S'@'S- cAO k4iI sIClulI, III. al.
=. Hydrick, thus sums up tho case:
AT first it was q case of unconscious
vcntriloquism. The boy did not know
his gift The noise surprised and fright
ened him. But now he knows his power
and can speak or keep silent mt will.
You will notice if any one holds his ear
to his stomach he will make tho sounds,
but II the Investigator places his car to
the boys larynx or holds it he will re-
frain from speaking" The theory of
owl spirits taking possession of men
and women Is very old and common to
practically every people. The old sorcor-
ers and witch doctors used ventriloquism
TO carry cut their impostures and nirac-
ulous cures, but onco III awhile case
of natural and unconscious ventrilo-
quism occurred and helped ont the stu
alton all around. Most of the people
Tound Orangehurg arc illiterato and be-
1ieTe strongly that tho boy is possessed
of devil. Not few are expecting the
end of the world very soon, while all
are expecting something interesting.
She Was Tired of Making Up.
! Lizzie and Ferdinand Schioss IF Sf