The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-23
LEADVILLE'S WITCH TRIAL.
CURIOUS CASE or a NINE OWNER VINO
SAID HE WAS UNDER 4 SPELL.

takes pride in considering itself n progressive.
up-to-date community. right in the front rank
OF Western civilization. some events have oc-
Cured during the past few weeks that have
caused the old timers to scratch their hends
obviously and to wonder whether tho town 10
not drifting back to the old witch burning era
OF New England. For Leadville has experinced
n shock in the shape of witch trial In
one Of the legally constituted courts OF
the county, aud the result was judicial
declaration that onc-thrd Of the community
believed in witchcraft. and that evidence re-
lating to these subjects was perfectly admis-
slble. This assertion may BIO doubted. but 1t
was pretty thoroughly demonstrated that be-
lief In tho power OF witches. the virtues OF
powders burned at the dread midnight hour
aud other spells and ineantatlons is still preva-
lent In this bounding and untrammelled Wost
Some months ago there came to this
city Jewish family. man and wife
and child. The woman was Of tho beau
tful jewish type, with a certain air OF
Oriental mysticism that caused her presence
in the city TO be widely discussed. The hus-
band was a commonplace tailor. but the mys-
FERROUS wife soon became quite the rage In n
little circle OF occultists most OF whom asserted
that they were on speaking terms with the
spirits OF the departed. Mrs. Rothenberg was
credited with possessing control" OF no less
importance than the shade OF an Arabian sage.
and tho local Spiritualists were in high feather
at having such valuable addition to their
ranks and pointed at many marvellous tosts
performed by the Syrian Jewcss to confound
the unbelievers and skeptics.
One morning the whole community WAS
startled by the report OF brutal assault. the
victim being the beautiful Jewess. During
the absence of her husband some one had en-
tered the house and had cruelty beaten and
bruised her. SO that her life was despaired Of
The police were not long in discovering tho
assaant. He was Martin Roberts. and no
boldly admitted having committed the deed
but put in defence which il one OF the most
unique and remarkable in the history OF crimi-
nal Jurisprudence In brief, Roberts said he
was bcwitched. not in the sentimental sense.
but under the malignant spell OF a witch, who
was. he asserted. Catherine RothenberG.
Under the circumstances n commission de
hnatico inQuirendo might have been the
proper thing. But, somehow. no one appeared
to look Mt the case in that light. Roberts is n
well-known mining man. and when his wlfe.
number of neighhors all insisted that he was
under the ine uence Of wtch's spel i. and when
this was backed up by one OF the leading law
yers OF the city. who undertook the mans de-
fence. tho community was naturally startled
and astOnshed.
The trial proved to he one OF the most re-
markabe on record h9eerts the tde,flendnnti
Is a man about 81 years OF age, VINO talked ana
acted as nationally as the sanest man in the
courtroom. In fact. the proceedings were con-
Quoted on the theory that tho man was per
fectly rational, and that all the strange occur
rrnces were the result Of some sort of unhHf-
lowed sorcery prqeticed BY the mysterious
claimed belief in the. occult, but had been in
duced to call on the Rothenberg woman. who
bad given him some iniormat'9n about mine
wager OF 500 that sho could not give him GER
tain information concerning another proper-
20 lint nah To hA liza NJ hn NJ nm GhA
told him what proved to he the exact truth.
The trouble began, according to Roberts.
der on the loorsteps Of a person who she said.
had wronged her. Tho powder was prepared
n%J 1G to III so VI
sickness and trouble on the heads Of those
against whom II was used Roberts refused to
and. he says. brought her wrath down oil his
Ioborts's wife was not partial to the beautiful
Jcwcss. either, The consciousness that her
husband called at the Rothcntrrg house. and
was subject to the wttchery Q! those wonderful
power. was hardly calculated 10 insure the
sSa n Il" {" ho snG a s
Rothcnherg she didn't believe in her power.
Ho4 shd tn" w""p 6a neEHd to 9"ys
children, par9lyzc your husband ana make you
So that you shall beg y?nr bread"
did boc,n,me II. He was una6le to sleep at
night; His actions IN the mine were SO strange
s@ 1sr for sRsf .y Ebs yass% Re TH
rains in his head ns terrible. e 1t seemed as II
there was a buzz saw IrirpinE through my
E6 Ga in me- nv S Ther" Is no dSSTt H Hnt
his condition At the. time was very serious;
that for several months the man was in mental
and bodily, distress. and both husband and
the power OF Catherine Rothenberg,
How to hEeaS he sr"l WI problem that
In m, Tlh ,.r ~ In
spell, was east drew blood from her mouth.
mula. tn" charm would be broken. This
cours" ioberts resolved TO pursue. IL Is only
w"rd". HoWev"r, j" vent 70 Tie E %omaps
homs ana f RSbsr 9und sr r6HsEnf bSs
whlch sufficient blood was spilled to break
dozen charms; bnt Roberts said h9 realized
III" mystic formula, In spite Of the torture to
which she was subjected the woman refused TO
staut death, sh" complied. aud crying MY
power is gone = sank unronscious TO the floor.
Il weighed myself next day after a good
niGht's rest and II hearty meal and found I had
f1qSa %aF Ss o:tor he nS tGe His
provement in his physical and mental condi:
ton. and his arnearanse on the witness stand
that he now was in excellent health.
K9b9rts's attorney, during the progress Of the
IIlal, tUdI no ne peTInllttu 10 intro
duce evidence that the Rothenbe woman was
a witch. Gen. Sam Jones. tho Public Prose
Gator and former Attorney General OF Colo
RADIO, rose wrathfuIly and objected TO such
testimony. But Roberts's attorney insisted.
we are prepared TO prove that this woman
has, by some hypnotic or occult power. put a
spell on this man. which he could only break by
drawing her blood and N = act viii prove to
be PERFECTLY lustihable, simrl" self,defence"
competent, as tending to br to light all the
facts, and anyhow, ms onp-i' rd OF this com
muniiy believes this sort OF ting. it should all
be brought out
Gen. Joncs tried to protest. Great God"
said he. lis this case being tried in Colorado In
the nineteenth century. or are we batting
witches IN the seventeenth century? | object
10 this court turning back the clock Of time 200
years.
But the clock went back Just the same and a
dozen men and women told OF the uncanny ac-
{ unS OF Catherine Rothcnberg. She had mnde
, one family sick with the measles by spHnkiine
earth from murdcrer's grave in water bar
rel; she had crippled II man who lad refused
to give Nor 81 when she demanded II; she had
threatened to bring calamity to tho Roberts
household and had been seen in the local com
"t"ry at midnight at the grave OF u local celoh-
rity. 81 Minnick. who had departed this life Mt u
ropes end in the early days There were other
Witnesses who saw hcrryeS roll and shoot uae
fire. and Roberts himself had noticed stran go
al ma re - In hA WI hn taa-