The Washington herald., 1909-08-01
YOODOOISM IN TEXAS
Cows Butchered, Hides Taken,
and Hearts Torn Out.
EXCITEMENT IN SAN ANTONIO
sheriff and Deputies Make Arrests
Among Mexican Indians-Reward
offered for Capture OF Butchers.
Loss of BOyines Attributed TO Prac-
tices OF Ancient Aztec Religion.

San Antonio, Texas. July 3-.-An out
break OF voodooism is responsible for the
mysterious butchering Of COWS In the Vi
! cinity OF this city. Many owners OF fine
bovines living IN the suburbs have looked
In vain for their milk purveyors IN the
morning. The gentle friend OF the family
was found TO be missing and the institut-
ed search usually disclosed her carcass
in the chapparal G. A. Davis. Of this
city, was one OF the first to miss his val
liable Jersey in this manner. and since
then others have sustained similar losses
The odd feature Of the case is that moth
ing but the hide and the heart OF the ami
mals are missing. Evidently that Is all
that IS desired by the thief. At first it
was thought that the animals had been
killed for their skins. but a close watch
kept over the dealers in hides has shown
that so far none OF the hides have been
disposed Of
Sheriff Lindsey and his deputies have
been working day and night to get a clew
that might lead 20 q solution OF the mys-
terry. but 50 far they have not been sue
cessful The offer Of a substantial re-
ward has now been called 20 their aid.
Mexican Indians Suspected.
Though the Mexican population OF san
Antonio is a very orderly and law-abid-
ing one as q whole, there Is enough of an
Indifferent element among them that would
not be averse 20 committing these depre-
dations II inspired by what they would
known. the Indian strain is prominent in
the lower class 0IeXicans. As a matter
OF fact. in the large percentage Of them
the Spanish or other Ayrian blood Is a
negligible quantity. That some OF the old
Indian superstitions should have survived
IN them and be liable 70 periodical out
breaks IS not 70 be wondered at
Indian voodoo!sm as practiced after the
fall Of the Aztec empire IS really nothing
more than a continuation OF the old Aztec
religion. the principal feature OF which
was human sacrifice. The victims OF the
old Aztec priests suffered death by hav-
ing their hearts torn out OF their bodies
by main force. After the Spanish had
succeeded in stamping out this barbarous
practice, the Indian tribes. stiI adhering
20 the faith Of their fathers, though nom
lnallN CprlSLanS, TOOK TO SacflHclng AMI
mails in the same manner that human
beings had formerly been sacrificed, and.
Ike all primitive people thought 20 ap-
pease their gods best by sacrificing that
which was considered most cherished. In
tearing out the animals heart the object
to-day IS 10 get possession OF the blood
contained in IT, To this fluid Is eseribed
number Of miraculous properties Of a
dfseaSp-cOu1hafinr nature
TnICfnE Hide Il n Mystery.
To what extent the possession OF the
hide figures in vOodoOism OF this kind IS
not clear. Positive information on this
point seems difficult TO obtain. but It is
thought that the application Of the warm
and bloody skin may be regarded as a
cure for muscular or other exterior all
ments.
The authorities Of this city and county
are in no mood TO permit as noxlous a
practice as voOdOOism TO flourish under
their noses. Though a number Of arrests
have been made. more important clews
are now being followed and further de-
velopments are anticipated as a result OF
the reward offered. OF all people the
low-class Mexican is the least able to
Withstand the lure Of money Every ef-
fort will be made to get the high priest
Of the cult into the clutches OF the law.
The punishment that viii be meted out
VIII not doubt be such as to make adher-
ence to voodooism and its attendant fea-
lures very undesirable