The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1913-01-29
MRS. RopIus TOLD THAT RATS
WOULD pEvouR BABY AT
SOME MIDNIGHT HOUR.
ATTEMPTED TO THROW
INFANT FROM WINDOW
Husband Grabbed Child In Time to pre-
vent Act Of crazed Mother-Jackson
Fortune Teller Laid In Wait For Her
Victim, Who Became Easy Prey.
Special to The Ne1os,

Special to The Ne1os.
Jackson, Jan. 29.-Suffering mental
torture because she believed a sooth-
sayer's assertion that spirits which
watched over her would take the forms
of rats and devour her baby at some
midnight hour, drove Mrs. Francis Ro-
dius temporarily insane, it developed
at an inquiry instituted to ascertain
her sanity, after the woman, overcome
with dread, and possessed with the
hallucination that the rodants were
after her baby, attempted to throw the
little one from the second story window
of Capitol street hotel last Sunday.
Her husband was in the room, and
grabbed the child just in time to pre-
vent its being thrown onto the side
walk below.
Crying bitterly the woman told a
most remarkable story to members of
the board Of inquiry. She said the for
tune teller, woman on West Capitol
street, had repeatedly made demands
upon her for certain sums of money,
and that she had not been able to meet
them. Completely in the power Of the
fortune teller, Mrs Rodius, after sever
al visits to her tent, believed every
word Of the dire predictions.
Mr.. and Mrs. ,Rodius came to Jack
son few weeks ago from Hermanville,
both seeking positions. The husband
is landscape gardener, and applied
at many places for some honest en-
ployment, but without success. In the
meantime, his wife secured a position
as seamstress in a prominent jackson
home, and worked long and faithfully
for the few dollars she was able to
earn each week. Many times the hus-
band remained at the rooms at the no
tel where they were stopping to care
for the baby, aged 10 months.
! 1t is asserted that a West Capitol
street fortune teller observed Mrs Ro-
dius, who is Syrian, going to and
, from her work. and noting that she
was steadily employed, laid trap for
the unwary foreigner, who knew little
English, and is OF very susceptible
|, disposition. Getting acquainted was
easy, and then Mrs. Rodius accepted an
invitation to visit the tent OF the sooth-
sayer, The first visit was pleasant.
and others followed. At last the ac-
r quaintance ripened into friendship, and
: then came the suggestion from the for
) tune teller that Mrs. Rodius have her
! fortune told. she laughingly submit
= ted, and at first heard nothing unpleas-
I ant. Awaiting a favorable opportun-
( ity to let fly poisoned arrow from
: her bow the soothsayer one day told
5 Mrs. Rodius that the spirits which look
! ed after her welfare deereed that she
must be paid certain sum, in default
of which they would turn into rats and
eat her child. Horror-stricken the wom-
an believed, but did not consult her
husband or her employer, having been
7 warned to say nothing, under pain of
, dire punishment. t4
The matter preyed upon the mind Of
Mrs. Rodius day after day, night after
e night She begged the fortune teller
y to do something for her, but the sooth
p sayer, all too confident of her power
s told her, II the money was not forth
+ coming by a certain date the spirits
q patience would be exhausted, and theil
p threats would be carried out.
IT It was while thinking of what Nigh
's happen that the mind of Mrs. Rodiul
p gave way so suddenly Sunday,
l. The fortune ~ teller has, not heel
+ arrested, as it is said there is no charg
in the criminal code upon which sh
'e could be held, in connection with tn
p matter, as it was not shown that an
le money had been paid to her to kee
s the spirits from taking the form Z
e, rats.
tSI .s .esas'------ -