The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-09-24
VOODOO|SM RAGING
IN TEXAS TOWNS
Cows Butchered, Hides Taken
OFF and Hearts Torn Out
by Its Priests
MEXICAN INDIANS SUSPECTED
Sheriff and Deputies Make Arrests
Reward Offered for Capture OF
Observation-Disclosures to Ancient
Aztec Religion.


Aztec Religion.
San Antonio, Texas.-An outbreak
of voodooism is responsible for the
mysterious butcherirg of COWS in the
vicinity of this city. Many owners Of
fine bovines living in the suburbs have
looked In vain for their milk purvey-
ors in the morning. The gentle friend
of the family was found to be missing
and the instituted search usually dis
closed her carcass in the chapparal.
G. A. Davis, of this city, was one of
the first to miss his valuable Jersey
in this manner, and since then others
have sustained similar losses.
The odd feature of the case is that
nothing but the hide and the heart Of
the animals are missing. Evidently
that is all that Is desired by the thief.
At first 1t was thought that the ami
mails had been killed for their skins,
but close watch kept over the deal
ers in hides has shown that 80 far
none of the hides have been disposed
of.
have been working day and night to
get clew that might lead to a solu-
| ton of the mystery, but so far they
have not been successful. The offer
of a substantial reward has now been
called to their aid.
Though the Mexican population Of
San Antonio Is a very orderly and
law-abiding one as whole, there Is
enough of an Indifferent element
among them that would not be averse
to committing these depredations If
inspired by what they would consider
a religious motive. AS is we'll known.
the Indian strain is prominent in the
lower class Mexicans. AS a matter
of fact, in the large percentage OF
them the Spanish or other Asyriar
blood is a negligible quantity. That
some of the old Indian superstitions
should have survived in them and be
liable to periodical outbreaks is moi
to be wondered at.
Indian voodooism as practiced after
the fall of the Aztec empire is really
nothing more than continuation o
the old Aztec religion, the princfpa
feature Of which was human sacrifice
The victims Of the old Aztec priests
suffered death by having their heart
torn out of their bodies by main force
, After the Spanish had succeeded II
stamping out this barbarous practice
the Indian tribes, still adhering to tn
faith of their fathers, though nominal
ly Christians, took to sacrificing an
, mails In the same manner that humal
beings had formally been sacrificed
and, like all primitive people, though
to appease their gods best by sacrih'
: ing that which was considered mos
cherished. In tearing out the animal
g heart the object to-day is to get POI
a session of the blood contained In !
; To this fluid is ascribed number
miraculous properties Of diseas
combating nature.
To what extent the possession {
:, the hide figures In voodooism Of tn
= kind Is not clear. Positive inform
- ton on this point seems difficult
obtain. but 1t is thought that the a
plication Of the warm and bloody SKI
" may be regarded as cure for muse
q lar or other exterior ailments.
10 The authorities of this city al
county are in no mood to permit
- noxious q practice as voodooism
II flourish under their noses. Though
,e number Of arrests have been mad
~ more important clews are now bell
followed and further developments a
u anticipated as a result Of the rewa
. offered. OF all people the low-cla
a. Mexican Is the least able to withstal
IL the lure of money. Every effort W
e be made to get the high priest Of t
3 cult into the clutches Of the law. T
10 punishment that will be meted out "
~ no doubt be such as to make adh
ence to voodooism and its attenda
at features very undesirable.