Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-22


geveney came down here from Chicago as
a salesman for the Standard Oil Com
pany and was assigned to the negro dis
trict in the French quarter. Being OF an
inquiring mind. he soon caught on 10
the peculiar >superstitons Of the French
speaking colored population. and his i've
ly business instincts suggested the manu-,
facture of black candles. because they VIII
keep away evil spirits as long as they are
kept burning. The Standard Oil Company
cases of candles made of paraffln mixed
with lamp black. which keep off the girls
gris'' which affiict a large portion OF this
community.
They have been a great success, and
are running the voodoo doctors out OF the
business.
Notwithstanding the progress of educa-
ton and the light of the gospel In this,
the twentieth century, voodoo rites are
still practiced in New Orleans, as they are
| in Haiti and Santo Domingo. The Congo
Square, or place DIES Negroes" used to
be the scene Of repulsive rites and cere-
monies until Gen. Butler captured the city
and suppressed serpent worship. Sunday
evening was the great holiday OF the
negro population in slave days, and they
used to assemble in this square by the
thousands to dance the 'bamboula,' the
''calinda" and other fantastic figures. On
Sunday evening Congo Square presented
a most picturesque scene up till O'Clock,
when a vesper cannon was fired as @ Sig
nal for them to return to their homes. The
serpent worship occurred later and secret
~. when the colored devotees. both slaves
and free, would steal away from their
homes at midnight. Voodoo rites and ser
pent worship are said to have been
brought to New Orleans from Haiti and
Santo Domingo, and the term voodoo
which has been converted into hoodoo In
the north. is a corruption of the Haitian
word "vaudaux,'' which means commune
cation with the spirits OF darkness.
Last Of the Voodoo Queens.
For several generations family of
mulattoes named Laveau furnished the
voodoo queen. and up till 1908 their old
homestead, built 200 years ago. in which
several generations of voodoo queens
lived and died. stood on Congo square.
The last of them. Marie Laveau. died
few years ago. at the age OF one hundred
years or more. In her youth she is said
to have been a very beautiful octoroon.
tall, slender and graceful. with a queeniy
carriage, features. of the Egyptian type
and a rich creamy complexion. She used
to do the dance of the serpents' in
manner that would have made Salome die
of envy. But when Gen. Butler sup
pressed the voodoo rites she went out
of business, was converted to Christianity
and died devoted Roman Catholic.
The spacious building on Orleans street,
behind the cathedral, where the notorious
DdIlS uSeu u DC IlSiu - IOW
part of the Convent of the Holy Family.
| and is occupied by a Roman Catholic Sis
| terhoOd, devoted to the rescue OF fallen
| colored women and homeless girls. over
the entrance to the ballroom. which was
used as a chapel for several years. but
| is now community room for the sisters,
are inscribed the words:
Silence. My Soul: God Is Here
Above the stairway the sisters have in
scribed this appropriate text:
1T would rather be dOOrkeeDer in
the house of God than to dwell in the
tents OF wickedneSs.
The Quadroon Balls.
Up to 1881, every Saturday night. this
room, which is claimed TO have the finest
dancing floor ever constructed. being made
of cross layers of thin strips of cypress
wood, altogether several inches thick, was
the scene Of "a gathering that could not
hare taken place in any other city. The
managers secured the attendance of be-
tween 100 and 100 of the most beautiful
women in the world and they drew the
| color line very strictly. A few mulattoes
beauty, but the remainder were of one
eighth white blood, and were housemads
nurses. hairdresserS, Seamstresses and
daughters of working people.
Some Of them were servants In the best
families in the city. ladies' maids to the
daughters and wives OF the aristocracy.
but they were tempted to the quadroon
ball. and came secretly because of the
bountiful supper with unlimited wine.
and heavenly time even at a terrible
risk. Mems tickets to the ball were $40,
and they were sold regularly to hundreds
| of the hot sports and young bloods' of
the wealthy families OF New Orleans, and.
| of course. the ball was the greatest at
| traction to visiting strangers.
| Some of you may remember the Scandal
caused throughout the country when the
visiting statesmen IS committee from
the United States Senate and the House
of Representatives was called, came down
here during the White League troubles to
| Investigate the political conditions.
! These grave and reverend segnors were
| invited TO attend the quadroon ball. and
| had the time of their lives but some Of
the opposition newspapers We're mean
enough to make political capital of the
! incident, and published sensational ac
counts about these gentlemen attending