The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-02
PENALTY OF WITCHcRAFT.
ROW DEMONS ARE BANNED IN
BOHEMIA.

Two That Were More Than "A Match
for ExecutiOners-GuiIt or limo
cenee Determined ny the Poisoned
ChaIice-TriaIS in Persia by Poison
rs Witnessed by an American Tou-
rIst.
From the Cincinnati Enquirer.
One Of the visitors at the Mercantile
Library yesterday was Mr. ]. Harley
shaw. Recently he returned from a jour
ney around the world. which consumed
more than four years. and his notes on
men and things i'm many places rarely
visited by travellers are intensely inter-
esting. He found superstition rife among
nearly every people. and even belief in
witchcraft Widespread.
Among instances Of this latter heresy ne
mentions a peculiar custom I'm the Erzge-
birge lore mountains) upon the line which
divides Saxony from Bohemia. There ev-
cry murderer and suicide is bewitched,
according to the popular notion. before
he commits the terrible crime. and in
cases of both the public executioner is re-
quired by law to ban the evil spirits. This
ceremony, as Mr.. Shaw describes it. is
grotesque and unique.
He witnessed such parts of the banning
of suicides demon as are open to the
public and the remaining ceremonies
We're described by the guide. The exc
Cutioner, who holds his office by inherit
ance. is regarded with the utmost awe
by the miners and their families, ana
whenever he visits that district is treated
to the best it affords. Ontiring efforts TO
please him are made by all with whom ne
comes in contact, for his i'll viii Is dread
ed even more than the designs OF witches;
Bunslau was the suicide name lie mad
been employed in many mines Where ter
rible accidents had followed close upon
1 his engagement and at last word went
out that he had bewitched them, Ihen
work was denied him through the as
trict and people became afraid to be-
stow charity upon him, under the impress
sion that even such communication might
involve then in his woetul dementla SUI
perstition drove him TO want, and want
to deathS
The executioner went into the room
where the body was laid, carrying an
empty sack. The door was locked and the
man was alone with the corpse for an
hour. During the whole time he held the
sack open, danced wildly around the room
and uttered strange incantauons and I'M
earthly shrieks. Thus he got the demon
into the sack and tied it, with strong
cord When this was done be gulped down
a great stoup of liquor, threw the sack
over his shoulder, went hastily out to- a
horse that was ready at the door, mount
ed and dashed Off in the direction OF a
/ ulSllAl glen dinoNB the NbnN0f NAAiNAA ~.
centuries has been regarded as ghosts
/ jail There with more incantatons he UNI
| tied the sack and banned the demon to the
! place. ..t.5
| always worked well. There We're instances
| where 1t had not, in one OF when the
bad spirit overpowered the eXecutioner
/ while en- route to the earthly limbo, took
/ charge of the horse and sent MIN nying
/ over a high precipitous ledge into the
! Elbe, where horse and rider were dashed
I
! escaped to work its demoniacal schemes
upon mankind Another Instance was Civ
/ en-. where the horse, running at tull speed,
had fallen with the rider beneath his
| hugh carcass and when found both horse
| and rider were dead, and the knocking
! laugh of the demon was heard hlgn up
| in air. 1t is probable that IN DoIh thes s'
/ case there was some connection between
| the misadventures and the great stoups
| of liquor mbibed as a preliminary TO
| the fearful ride.
| Among the mountains of Khorasan, in
| Persia, our traveller found a custom stu
| more remarkable. He brought home the
| genuine Persian name for II, but in PLAIN
| English ii is Trial BY POISON. IL one
| accused of a grave offense denies the
| charge and the accuser persists in It,, the
! supposed criminal may bring proof OF MS
! innocence and go clear, but, calling IN
! this he may be summoned upon the
| reuuisition of the accuser to partake OF
designated poisonous draughts, whose
strength shall not exceed a certain hNed
| standard Accusations are frequent, and
! although most of them are disproved
enough are sent to trial to keep, the pois-
on market fairly active. Mr.. Shaw Wit
messed two of these trials.
one grew out of the hamstringing or q
fine Arabian horse. The man accused OF
| this crime asserted his innocence with
vigor and called upon Allah to strike him
dead If he was guilty. Trial by poison
was invoked nevertheless. and some 2Ot
! people, friends of the contestants, gather
| ed to witness IL. The poor fellows as
severations continued strong, but without
avail for, as Shaw subsequently learned,
| the men were enemies through Jealousy
! both wanting a handsome woman of the
| neighborhOod, and to neither would she
give the preference Each. had more than
one wife already, but polygamy makes
| beasts of men and carries them to the
devil with double. treble or quadrupe
power just as their instincts gauge II.
The poison was forced down the poor
| fellows throat. Immediately IL was dis
covered that he had an antidote in his
hand, previously concealed somewhere
! and destroyed by the eXecutioner. He fell
to the earth writhing and groveling about
and in three minutes turned very black
and in six minutes was still IN death. The
| accuser was free to appropriate the hour
| and he appeared greatly delighted.
The second case was between two
| women. The accusation was theft of a
necklace, and she who was charged with
! the crime invoked the trial by poison
| Full of surprise at this bold move, the
! accuser was prompt to accept the means
! nroffered for she had no doubt of the
| others guilt. A large concourse of men
/ and women assembled at this ceremony
| but the great attraction was the supposed
/ criminal She was arrayed in rich silks
| of various hues. her crimson vest EN-
| broidered in gold, through It's lace-latticed
| openings showing buttons of diamonds
and opals; her trousers of blue silk richly
| figured beautiful sandals. turban with
| gold cincture, swarthy jeweled and lace
! Veil like gossamer: and her lovely face
! what could be seen of IT, was bright as
1 the morning. She walked briskly to the
stand Of the priest who held the poisoned
! chalice, asked for a blessing upon herself
! and oil people, knelt for moment in silent
] Drayer and then arose, seized the cup
/ with a convulsiye grasp and drained it to
| the last drop. Dead for ducat," unused
/ shaw. But not so. She smiled upon the
| assembled for a little time. made flip
| pant remark to her accuser and tripped
! away as gay as a lark. The poison did
/ not affect her I'm the least. Why? Shaw
| subsequently learned she was favorite
/ of the priest who prepared the draught.
"A Diagnosis Up to Date.-Miss Sum-