The Detroit times., 1908-10-19
.0BEM MAN, THE
CURSE Of JAMAICA,
MUST GO
THE DISPENSER OF SUBTLE Pols-
oNs AND STRANGE CHARMS Al.
MOST DRIVEN WHITE PLANT
ERs FROM THE ISLAND.

KINGSTON, Jamaica. b. W. l., Oct
19.-Alarmed by the amazing spread OF
Obeah In her West Indian possessions,
the British home government has at
hast decided to take q hand In stamp
Ing out what Sir Spencer st. John call
I'd the "black curse of these paradise
like islands."
The tourist hurrying through them
over the government road, and seein 6
only the palm-thatchtd huts with neat
whitewashed mud walls that charm
1ngly dot the bright green hillsides Of
the West Indies, knows nothing OF the
tragedies that are enacted by ancient
fellow-tribesmen OF these same smil-
ing Negroes who solicit their pennies
by the roadside. ARD II he did he
would shudder.
In the judicial records of the parish
courts, however. and In the stories the
last disappearing white planters tell
OF strange deaths and weird warnings,
the story Of the spread of Obeah II
written In black and white and all too
true anecdote. The government. spur
red ON By the efforts of the handful
III scared planters left In the islands
lin comparison to their ancient num-
Der and glory-wfll next monIns dp-
point q commission to adopt more
stringent measures than have hither-
to existed to tramp out witch doctors
and ObeaR men,
Further and Further Into Junole.
Since the islands have been doomed
~ tourist resorts the Obeah man with
his poisons and charms has retreated
further and further from the beaten
tracks into the unknown Jungle; but
20 the door Of his hut. no matter how
lar In some lonesome recess vi the
woods II may be tucked, the Negroes
hav made q well-beaten path. and over
It they 90. at night and by stealth, 10
get love shiltres or to procure the
health-dealing drugs that defy detec-
ton. which the Obeah man learned to
compound from his forebears Of the
Congo forests.
Rarely are the Obeah mans medi.
c1nes OF the death dealing variety
used by the Negroes on each other
They settle their difficulties as well
~ carve cocoanuts with their versa.
tile machetes.
The story of Miss Ethel Scottsuth.
orland n often told by planters to H.
lustrate the mysterious wasting sHly
from no disease that can be diaL/osed
that marks the Obeah mans victim
The father Of this unfortunate young
woman was wealthy banana planter
IN the st. Anne's district. His father
had been there before him. his family
knowing the treacherous character OF
the Negro servants with which they
were surrounded. The Scott-Suther
lands could maintain discipline with
out mourning the marked enmity oil
any particular servant. IL was not sc
With q visitor from England OF q
cholerfc temperament who severely
chastised a young Negro one morning
for not having cleaned on his horse
properly after q muddy ride.
On coming out Of his room the next
day the guest found on the threshold
3 ANAL glass bottle. In IL were q
spider. bit Of red flannel and a wist
Of horse hair. Greatly puzzled. -hs
showed 81 TO his host. who recognized
Il ~ IN Obeah bottle. the first castins
! Of the spell II II did not kill, the
!. Negro was to 10 back to the Obeal
nan for more potent means.
The visitor Was Miss Scott-Suther
hnd's lance. Hoping to save him
. ne family impiored him 10 90 to an
o(her part OF the island. AZ first he
.11<Iculeds the idea. but Miss Scott
y Do<0orland Wa % insistent that final
- vent. a week sfterward the
oCng woman began TO all and In three