The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-28
CASTING OUT DEVILS IN RUSSIA.
Curious Gases of Superstition Among
the People.

the HeODle.
Russian Letter in London Telegraph.
Superstition is very rife throughout Rus
STA and the East Not only does this APP
ply TO the lower orders. who firmly be-
lieve in the existence of good and evil
spirits which have influence upon the lot
of mankind, but there are many intelli-
gent and educated people who are extreme
ly credulous in this respect The story
of 1.-The devils of St. Petersburg" is not
yet forgotten here. In this case a certain
medical man. who occupied apartments in
the Rue Titeiuaja, was afflicted by COB
Inns, which every night changed the posi-
ton of The furniture, knocked down china
and copper ornaments, upset tables, etc,
much in the same way as did the devils
Of Woodstock celebrated by Sir Walter
Scott in one of his novels. Later on 1t
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 lodg-
ings.
Another characteristic story of this sort
relates to a country house in the little
island of Kammenz, near St. Petersburg.
The establishment in question was built
for a lady of high rank, but she only liv-
ed in il for eight days, since which 1t has
remained empty. 1t is alleged that appari-
tons and visions were seen during the
night Horrible groans and signs and
cries for help were heard The mistress
of the house stood this sort of thing for
several nights, but finally was obliged to
quit In this case, also, it turned out that
the servants, which Nine. - is said to
have treated harshly, were at the bottom
of the trouble.
In some parts of Russia the people be
lieve that devils can enter into the organ
ism of human beings, whose actions they
therefore 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 victims 10 undergo may be
easily imagined. Very few cases ever
come before the law courts. The people
look upon the wizard as a powerful per-
sonage who can work them much evil,
and therefore not lightly to be provoked.
Hence complaints are rarely laid before
the tribunals. However, typical case
of the sort recently came before the court
of Nladicaucase.
A Mohammedan mollah, or priest, nam
ed Ohmed Ramasanoff, was charged with
torturing a peasant woman named Kotch-
eretova his object being 10 drive devils
out of her AZ the beginning of the pres
emf year hOLcnGISlONd. WHO was only ~,
fell ill., her malady being accompanied by
epileptic fits The villagers and her nus
band a man named Aslan-Bek, came to
the conclusion that she was afflicted by
evil spirits, and the husband called upon
Cne mollah Ramasanof to cast them out.
The priest came to the house and COM
mensed his treatment. First of all they
made a big wood fire. and when there were
plenty of hot ashes they stripped the
L
Seeing these omnibus preparations, Kotch-
eretova began to cry and begged them to
desist "Cut of my arms, put out my
eyes. do what you like, but do not burn
me" They paid no attention to her plead
ings and picking her up placed her on the
fire. She then became insensible, which
The doctor who examined her, declared to
be of a very severe character. When
brought before the court the priest ex-
planned that the woman's husband had
sought his advice. He counseled Asian
Belx TO force his wife to name the spooks,
aud he the priesD would be able to re-
store 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 Il was not ShS tndt Wept out the
devils. The inquiry showed that the wo-
man had been kept on the hot ashes for
eight hours. The headman of the village
deposed that such methods of treatment
were often employed, and were always
successful.
The court found the priest guilty, and
sentenced him to deprivation of all his civ
il rights and to one years Imprisonment.
The husband would have been also tried,
but his wife declared that she forgave
him.