Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-19
SOME CURIOUS FOLK
cu.pAcTER STUDIES OF SOME 1G-
xouANr VIRGINIA MoUNTAINEEns.
SOME WEIRD suPERsTITIoNs.
There is Even Limited Class Who,
Despite Cultivated Environments,
Believe in NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
storic. of wizards and Their
Work.
SOME WEIRD sUPERsTITIoNs.

NEWCASTLE. VA, October 1S.-When
It became known here that two whitc
men who applied for registration at one
OF the Craig county precincts were re-
fused On tho understanding clause, and
several oolored men, none Of whom can
read or write, were passed, there was
little discussion among the thinking peo-
pie, and some Of the facts concerning the
understanding condition of the adults of
the Virginia mountains may be interest
ing, rs such facts have come to light.
In the present case. one man. Green
way by name, although Of sound mind,
and despite the fact that he had formerly
voted could not tell anything concerning
his dwelling in this world-not even the
name of the great county in Which ne
lives. Te was as much befuddled as II
he had lived in darkest Africa. So far
the negroes have registered with credit
one old preacher, Rev. Sam Carter. going
on his war record, which was that OF
making trenches for soldiers during the
Civil War.
Sam Carter is also a property owner,
preacher by trades, and reads everything
he can get hold of.
Among the amusing answers to political
questions is that of one old darley who
said that "the General Assembly is
place in de woods whah dey go to Wor-
ship Gawd." Another one was asked 10
give definition of 1.-THE Commonwealth.
He replied: Its man who sells ferci-
izers;" and he thereby turned the county
smile on the genial Commemorative At
torney, who sells the above mentioned
article at his store IN Newcastle.
NOT THE ONLY ONES
But the colored citizen is not the only
one in the mountain districts who is
little off in the understanding clause.
A certain class of whites-rather more
numerous around here than negroes-are
not only afflicted With lamentable ignor-
ance of English wor.~s as legal terms ana
political phrases. but some are truly IT.
rational from superstition, and are
chained to the ignorance that unsettled
. the Puritan mind in Salem, Mass, two
centuries gone.
Not a great while past an article vas
| written fer q Richmond paper, in Whlch
a woman was referred to as having de-
scended from Revolutionary soldier.
Her husband grew terribly angry, and
seeing him mad, that Revolutionary SOL
der meant something most horrible. The
soldier in question was, by the way, the
ancestor Of the young man GreenWay, who
cannot vote any more until he learns the
name of thu county and State he lives IN.
The soldier was one George Greenway,
who. tradition says, was one OF Washing
toms troops, who enlisted at Woodstock,
Va.
Why should not this fact-if legal de-
scent could be established-enutlo> man
to vote? Certainly no people have more
right to a voice in the Government than
descendants of those brave, hardy, II IN
some cases ignorant, patriots who lald
the foundation for the Government.
1t NAY be remembered that the late
General Walker contested the election OF
CONGRESSMAN Rhea and urged that frau
dulent means lad been used to defeat the
Republican candidate. We'll, l have heard
that one particular precinct in this coun-
ty was one of the spurious precincts, ana
it's votes should have been thrown out
because the election officers were too IL
literate, to render legal services.
BELIEVE IN WITCHES.
One young man. it was said, by name
Stewart Mcdaniel was one of the officers
placed inside the booth to read the tick
cts to would-be suffrasists. And it was
sclemrly averred that Mr.. Mcdaniel could
not read! Now, I don't know if this alleged
ignorance was true (and the entire fam
lily. I understand, have moved to Incian1,
but I have reason to know the under
standing qualities Of the people, which is
so strange a condition in the Twentieth
century that one can but ask ones SELF
How can this thing be? On the railroad;
in the sound of steam engines Of COM
merce and in the heart of Virginia; peo-
pie who wear rcady-nade clothes and
Numbered shirts (fronl the Steam Star
Laundry, at Lynchburg); only day out
Of Richmond-and they still believe IL
witches. II IS 4 fact. indeed, that the
election officer. Stewart McEa1ial. once
gave me his photograph to publish in
New York paper in connection with
marvellous witch story in which he was
interested. I went TO the home OF Mr..
Mcdaniel in company with my nephew,
who was their physician. and made some
India ink drawings CT the place 49, 80
pie to be published in the New York jour
mails: but the story was so sensational,
and threw such sad color upon the I'M
Outstanding features OF the mountain
voters that I decided not to publish il
then. The young man did not in the least
object to it, and he save me his photo
graph to illustrate it; but it was not pub
lshed.
The truth is. had had some experience
with Virginia witches. When I lived il
Fincastle. in 1891. I was amused to fine
that some OF a certain class of both com
mon white and colored people there still
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