The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-15
Relieves
Pain
KILLED 4 WITCH By ACCIDENT.
Crime for Which Two Negroes Have Been
Executed in South Carolina.

Crime for Which Two Negroes Have Been
Executed in South Carolina.
YoRKeILLE. s. c.. Jan. 1.-THE prevalence OF
the belief in witchcraft among negroes here
abouts is illustrated by the execution OF Amzi
Dunavant, a mulatto. and Frank Castles. q
negro. They were hanged here last week.
Their crime was the murder of Ben Gore, an
aged negro whom they accused OF casting
spells. They killed him bytying a rope around
his neck and twisting it tight with a stick. and
they threw the body down a well. This story
OF the murder was told by Angless Castles.
aged IL years. Ben Cores stepson. at the trial.
I'VE were all afraid of Uncle Ben. because he
fixed roots for us. and Uncle Amzi had told me
two or three times that he was going to fix
him. Aunt 1bby This mother, Eliza Gore. Ben
Cores wife was also afraid of Uncle Ben. but
she did not know how to do anything, and kept
after Uncle Amzi to do it. That night Juno
13l Aunt libby went over to Uncle Franks. and
I went over to Uncle Amzi's. leaving Uncle Ben
at home by himself. About IL o'clock Uncle
Frank came over to Uncle Amzi's and had a
long talk with him. Then Uncle AMI took the
rope out of The bed and told me to come on with
them. When we got close to Uncle Ben's house
they told me to go in front and get Uncle Ben to
open the door. AS soon as Uncle Ben opened
the door both Uncle Amzi and Uncle Frank
pushed in behind me. They caught Uncle Ben.
put a rope around his neck. ran n stick through
it and twisted the rope until Uncle Ben fell to
the floor. Then they told me to hold the stick
while they searched for his roots and conIurs
bottle. They found the conjure bottle in his
trunk and the roots in the pocket of his Sunday
clothes. When they gotthroughs searching and
came back to me Uncle Ben was dead and
Uncle AMI said: i am sorry he has been 4
killed. but we will arrange that all right" Y
So they cast the body into the we'll.
AMI Dunavant admitted about all that
Angless Castles said. but declared that Angles
did as much to instigate and carry out the deed
as any of the others. He said that some time
before the murder his child was very i'll and
the regular doctor. after the treatment, said it
did not respond to the medicine. Then he went
to see Aunt Nassie Bratton. a voodoo doctor.
Aunt Nassie examined some coffee grounds
and told him that the child had been
tricked. The trick. she said. was intended :
for him., but had missed him and
gone into the child. Then she rubbed
n horseshoe on the bottom OF "A copper kettle
and told him to look and he would see the man
who worked the trick on him. He looked and
saw Uncle Ben Gore ploughing in the field by
his house. The vision was as plain rs If the
scene itself was right before his eyes. Aunt
Nassie then told him that the only hope for his
child was to take away from Uncle Ben his
roots and conjure bottle. tie them in a guano
sack and hang them over tho child's bed. He
went back homo but did not believe what Aunt
NaSsle told MN. ana made no effort to carry i
out her instructions. Three days afterward
the child died.
About two weeks afterward Frank Castles's
COW. which at the time had "A young calf. went
dry. Frank consulted Aunt Nassie. and when
he looked in the copper kettle he saw Uncle !
Ben sitting by the fire in his own house smok- 1,
ing his pipe. 1t was shortly after this that \
they agreed to go to Uncle Ben's house and '
take his roots way from him. They had no
Idea OF killing the old man, but only wanted to
get possession of his charms. after which they
Intended to make him leave the country. Their
plans Jailed. Angles, in his eagerness. drew
decided to put old Ben's body in the well and
keep quiet.
Frank Castles's story was about the same in
essential particulars. Old Lizzie Gore, tho
murdered mans widow. said she knew nothing
about the matter. The. case against
gave evidence for the State. The two men
we're sentenced to be hanged. and the woman
was sent to prison for life.
While in nriSon awaiting execution, the two =
men were attentive to their religious duties. /
On the Ralows Frank Castles said;
In this room there are two angels. One of !
hem has told me that as soon as the sheriff 4
and the breath has left my body. they
re going to carry me to he throne OF God"
Neither OF the men made q confession. Both \
all along that they told the whole
ruth at the trial. and neither considered that
! was worth while to refer 10 the matter again
N the gailows. After they concluded their
tatements they shook hands with all the witt
rhey. displayed warm feeling but no fear or