Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-15
RELIEVE IN WITCHES.

An Alaska Indian Village Where
Witch Superstition Results in Murder
From the ALASKA News.
Two more deliberate murders have been
added to an already long list of misdeeds
committed by the Indians ofsHoonah VII
lage and vicinity, the direct result Of deep
ly rooted superstition and witchcraft For
a member of tribe to be st!gmati2ed IS
a witch by the medicine man is equivalent
to a living death-comp!ete ostracisHl-so
far as his further relationship with his fell
low men Is concerned. and an Indian thus
accused may as well end his earthly ca
reer at once For life will henceforth be a
burden to him. unless blankets enough can
be produced with which to pay the doctor
for dispossessing the evil influence at once.
Cases of this kind are occasionally cured
but the price is generally an eXorbitant
one, virtually slavery for life. and suicide
is preferable to the victim, sucn thing as
casting out witch being rare.
During the early. part of December the
medicine man in the latest affair, who is
n Doct-in-tu1-shul, or member of the
Crows, having become dissatisfied with his
revenue sought to increase the number Of
his blankets. With this end in view he ac-
cused a Chuch-a-na-tee, or Wolf, Of being
a witcn. knowing only too well the sig
rificance Of such an accusation, the Wolf
made a feint to raise the price demanded,
Ing his accuser later in the day, he pro-
ceoded to perforate the doctors anatomy
to such good purpose that death resulted
instantly, two bullets from 1870 Win
chester doing the deed. On December q
council of the Crows was summoned, and
it decided that rothing snort CT the death
of the Wolf would prevent precipitating
general hostilities between the tribes, al
though the latter's kiHsmen were profuse
in their offerings of blankets. Yet, the
Crows remained obdurate, and, to proven:
a prolonged struggle, bloodshed and de-
struction OF property, the Wolves reluctant
iy submitted to the ultmatum ard selected
three of their tribesmen by lot. At sunset
the following day the eXecutioners led the
murderer to the beach, lined themselves up
il front of him at a distance Of ten PAGES
and, leveling their rifles at his head. the
reports sounded as one, and three crimson
spots appeared The body rolled to the
waters edge, when friends and relatives
took charge Of and buried it with the-usuai
ceremonies. 1t is worthy of note that a
custom exists amorg these natives which
makes it compuls DRY for each tribe to mete
out punishment to its own members.
In an endeavor to pacify and retard &C
tion On the part of the revengeful Crows
Until word could be sent to the authorizes
Mr.. Albert Peterson, who has charge of
Frank kane's store, had gun thrust into
his face with a peremptory command to
mind his own affairs, and he accordingly
retired to a safe distance, but sent word
at the earliest moment. Mr.. Peterson is
the only white man at the village, while
there are two white ladies, Mrs. McFar-
land, who has charge of the mission school,
and her sister, Mrs. Howse. 1t is said that
Mrs. Mcfarland was an involuntary wit
ness of the shooting, and angry mutterngs
and lowering looks of the savages We're
source of much ureasiness to her at the
time, though it is believed she is in no i'm
mediate danger.
The village of Hoonah contains perhaps
400 or 500 Indians, and almost opposite is
another village on the shores of Discretion
inlet, or Hudson bay, as it is called by
some. A year ago the latter village was
the scene of the killing of a poor, inoffens-
i've boy who had neither parents nor rela-
tiVes, whom the medicine man accused of
being possessed.