Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1904-12-08
Black Magic Of the Water Finder

the last cases on record happened IN
France in the early part of the eigh-
teenth century. A cerrain Jacque
Aymar, a native of Dauphiny, Kept a
wine shop, and apparently took in
| dodgers. One day man and his wife
! were murdered and their bodies hid
den in Aymar's cellar. In spite OF
the fact that the murderer left behind
bottle and bill-book wrapped in
straw, he could not be traced, and the
detective skill of the period failed TO
find any clew.
Aymar himself had the reputation
| for the use of the rod, and when he in
| troduced this instrument of divination
into the cellar it became disturbed at
the spot where the mans corpse had
lain. AS he approached the site OF
| the woman's corpse, Aymar himself
became excited and. feverish, and the
rod was violently agitated.
Following its indications he traced
three assassins step by step, down
through the city to the River Rhone,
and down the Rhone from Sablon to
Beaucaire, where the annual fair was
being held. Then to the prison
where among fourteen prisoners lately
charged he pointed out one committed
for petty theft, who confessed his
share in the murder. Unfortunately
the others escaped.
On another occasion the same seer
| happened to be dowsing for water.
The rod became violently agitated,
and he dug in the place indicated.
Soon he discovered barrel contain
ing the body of woman, who had
been missing for some time. Aymar,
however, did not once identify her, bur
the rod guided him to her house, and
became further excited in the pres
ence of her husband. Whereupon he
prudently ran away.
Another time, in 1858, Aymar was
introduced with his rod, into the city
jail in search of two persons who were
at once picked them oUt from num-
her of other prisoners. At first they
denied their guilt, but afterward found
it worth their while to confess, and,
moreover, gave up the names of the
receivers of the property that had
been stolen. Those also entirely
denied completely, but by means of the
rod the hiding place of the goods, was
discovered, and the fact brought home
to them. e..
In the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries dowsing was evidently an ex-
tensive industry. There is book
written in 1852 by the Baroness of
Beausoleil in which she gives list Of
wanted" on a charge of theft. His
! $50 mines discovered by herself and
| her husband by use of the divining
rod. From 1850 or 1860 no less than
forty-six separate works on the subject
of dowsing were published and when
| L is remembered that book writing
and printing in those days were rare
things, the Importance of the subject
can be imagined.
Lord Bryon's mother-in-law was a
dowser, as shown from the following
extract from the memoirs of Mrs. De
Morgan.
Lady Byrons mother, Lady Mil
banke, had the faculty of using the
divining rod and was often asked by
her neighbors and tenants in Durham
county to exercise 1t for their benefit
when they wanted to sink well.
Lady Byron told us that she had seen
her mothers hands held tightly by DR.,
Fenwick. a well known scientific physi-
clan in the north, who going behind
Lady Milbanke. pressed the fingers o.
each hand, holding 1t so as to make
the stick point upward in the air.
Nevertheless, when the lady had walk
ed few steps, the twig suddenly turn
ed round, and defying the doctors hold
pointed the ground with such violence
as to tear the skin rom the fingers,
and even to draw blood"
Americans had some experience
with fake dowsers in the early min
ing days of California. when a number
OF Spaniards appeared among the min
ers with alleged divining rods, which
they claimed would point out the gold
en- treasure in the hills. Fansy prices
were paid for these rods, which of
course. were absolutely worthless,
But even later and right here in Wis.
consin some well drillers claim the
mower to work the hazel trick success
fully. and in many a country place
people may be found who have full
credit to their pretensions. BY Eliza
n