Evening star., 1898-11-18
SUPERSTITION IN RUSSIA.
\ Priest Sentenced for Casting Out
Devils by Fire.
from the London Telegra y


From the London Telegraph
Superstition is very rife throughout Rus
sia and the east. Not only does this apply
to the lower ord RS, who firmly believe in
the existence of good and evil spirits which
have influence upon the lot of mankind, but
there are many intelligent and educated
people who are extremely credulous in this
respect. The story of the devils of St.
Petersburg" is not yet forgotten here. In
this case, a certain medical man. who oc-
cupied apartments in the Rue Titejuaja,
Mas afflicted by goblins, which every night
changed the position of the furniture,
Knocked down china and copper ornaments,
upset tables, &c. much in the same way as
did the devils of Woodstock. celebrated by
Sir Walter Scott in one of his novels. Later
on it was ascertained that these devils
were no other than the doctors servants,
who had been ''squared'' by certain people
who wanted to get him out of his lodgings.
Another characteristic story of this sort
relates to d country house in the little is
lard of kanmenz, near st. Petersburg.
The establishment in question was built
Tor lady of high rank, but she only lived
in it for eight days, since which il has re-
manned empty. 1t is alleged that appari-
1ons and visions We're seen during the
night. Horrible groans and signs and cries
for help We're heard The mistress of the
house stood this sort of thing for several
nights. bat finally was obliged to quit In
this case also, it turned out that the ser
wants, whom Nine. is said to have
treated harSh!y, were at the bottom of the
trouble.
In some parts of Russia the people believe
that devils can enter into the organism Of
human beings, whose actions they there
after guide, and there are sorcerers who
profess to be able to cast out the spirits
These men are utterly without scruple, and
the sufferings which they cause their vic
TINS to undergo may be easily imagined
fey G1S hat hn lD,,
courts. The people look upon the wizard
as powerful parsonage who can work
them much evil, and therefore not lightly
to be provoked. Hence complaints are rare
ly laid before the tribunals. However. a
typical case of the sort recently came be-
fore the court of Vladicaucase
A Mohammedau molah, priest. named
Ahmed Ramasanoff, was charged with tor
turing peasant woman named kOtchere-
tova, his object being to drive devils out of
her. At the beginning of the present year
kotchcretova, who was only twenty, fell
i'll, her mdlady being accompanied by epi-
lepuc fits. The villagers and her husband
man named Aslan-Bek. came to the con-
clusion that she was afflicted by evil spirits
ard the husband called upon the mollah
RamaSa nof to cast them out. The priest
came to the house and commenced his
treatment. First of all they made a big
wood fire, and when there were plenty of
hot ashes they stripped the young woman
and tied her hands and feet. Seeing these
TO cry and begged them TO desist. Cut off
my arms, put out my eyes, do what you
Ike. but do not burn me-" They paid no
attention to her peadings. and. picking her
up placed her On the fire, She then be
c. me insensible. She was covered with
burns. which the doctor who examined her
declared to be Of very severe character
When brought before the court the priest
explained that the WOI ms husband had
sought his advice. He cOunSeled ASlan-Bek
tC force his wife to name the SpOoks, and
he (the priesO would be able to restore her
TO health. He had put her on the fire until
she gave the names of the evil spirits
which he then wrote upon piece of paper
and threw it into the flames, after which
he was quite sure that the devils would
leave her. He added that when she cried
before being put on the hearth it was not
she that Wcpt but the devils. The inquiry
showed that the woman had been kept on
the hot ashes for eight hours The head
man of the village deposed that such meth
eds of treatment were often employed and
were always successful.
The court found the priest guilty and
sentenced him to deprivation of all his civil
rights and to one years Imprisonment. The
husband would have been also tried, but
lis wife declared that She forgave him.