The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1908-07-30
HORRIBLE S0RCERY
FLOURISHES IN HAITI
Believe Cannibalism Is Resort
ed to in the Meetings of
the Voodoos.

No accurate history Of Haiti can be
written without reference to the horri-
BILE sorcery, called the religion Of Voc
doc, which was introduced into the
country with the slaves from Africa
Its creed is that the God Voodoo has
the W usually ascribed to the
Christians Lord, and that he shows
himself to his good friends, the me-
groes, under the form OF a non-ve-
nornous snake, and transmits his pow
er through a chief priest or priestess.
These are called either king or queen.
master or mistress, or generally as
papa-lois and mamma-lois. The prin-
cipal act of worship consists Of a wild
dance, attended by grolesque gesticula-
tons, which leads up to most Disgrace
full orgies, says the National Geo
graphic magazine.
A secret oath binds all the voodoos.
on the taking of which the lips Of
the ~neophyte are usually touched with
warm goats blood, which is intended
to inspire terror, He promises to sub
init to death should he ever reveal
the secrets Of the fraternity, and to
put to death any traitor to the sect.
1t is affirmed, and no doubt is true.
that on special occasions a sacrifca
is made of a living child or the goat
without horns" as 1t is called, and
then canniballsm in its worst form is
INDUCED in. Under the circumstances
Of taking the oath of allegiance It
should cause no surprise that the Hal
tians claim that this is not true and
defy any white man to produce evil
dence of guilt. But, notwithstanding,
lished by Sir Spencer Saint John, one
of the British ministers to Haiti, which
describes in detail the revolving prac-
tives of the voodoos, together with
the proofs he brings to substantiate
the truth Of the allegations, without
coming to the reluctant conclusion that
c~annibalism is resorted to in these
meetings. OF course, no white man
could long live on the island after hav-
ing given testimony leading to the
conviction of culprits in such cases,
and therefore the negroes demand for
proof can never be satisfied. Indeed,
1T is said that ever some presidents
who have openly discouraged the vo-
doc practices have come to their deaths
from this cause.
Vicious Practices.
The character of the meetings Of
the voodoos. which take place in Sc
cluded spots in. the thick woods, are
well known. A description was given
of one of them by an eye witness, who
is an officer in our navy, which no n
could hear without a shudder. He
states in brief that one day while out
hunting he abruptly ran into q camp
Of worshipers, which was located in
a lonely spot In he woods, and the
horrors he there saw MADE an lndellDi6
impression upon his mind.
When his presence was discovered
he was Immediately se.Ied by a fren-
zied crowd Of men and women, and
for some minutes there did not seem
to be a question but that his life was
to be forfeited; but the papa-lois called
a halt and a council, apparently to
determine what action hou be taken,
and while this was in session a hand
full of coin, judiciously scattered, dt-
verified the thoughts of the negroes for
the time being from their captive.
The usual sacrifice of a white rooster
vas now brought ON, seeing which the
people were called back to their wor-
ship, n the ceremonies went on in
his presence.
In the horrible struggle which took
place for possession, the bird was
torn literally to pieces. and he had
no doubt that its accompaniment, the
goat without horns" would soon fol-
low. While this was in rogress his
presence seemed to be forgotten, and,
watching a good opportunity, he ran
for his very life, not stopping until
he reached the protection of his ship.
This officer has to his credit one
OF the most gallant deeds enacted dur
ceived promotion by act of congress-,
but his comrades on board his ship
said they never saw a mar mora
frightened than he was when he re-
turned to them, and he himself say
the memory Of the event produces hor-
rible Nightmares which he will never
be able to overcome.
There Is no doubt these voodoo
practices keep the negro in touch with
that "ca of the wild" which perhaps
even the white man, if restricted in
civilizing influences and treated an
they have been, might be led to fol-
low: but it Is to be hoped that edu-
cation, which the best Of the Haitians
are now acquiring for their w fam
lilies and are striving to make universal
out this horrible practice with all its
evils.