The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1913-03-06
SURGEON STOPS
A BABY SACRIFICE
Ships Doctor DiSperses Hal
tian VOOdOOiStS.
STUMBLES INTO CEREMONY.
Baron Hendrix van Renken Siam While
Hunting For Flowers Bursts Upon
Wild Scene of Blacks at Barbara
Worship-Ready to Kill lnfant-He
Knocks Medicine Man Down.

Knocks Medicine Man Down.
That voodooism In all its horrors Is
practiced in the interior OF Haiti by
the superstitious natives has long been
known or suspected by residents and
visitors to the tumultuous island. The
white men who have ever had the ex-
perience of seeing the voodoO Worship
ers In the midst of their fearsome
orgies might we'll be enumerated on
the eight fingers. One of the few who
have had the CHASTITY experience arriv-
ed in New York recently. He is Baron
Hendrix van Renken STAN. the ship
surgeon.
DR.. STAN has had many thrilling ex-
periences. but it remained for the VOC
doc worshipers of Haiti to give him
the thrill of thrills.
"Talk about the spinal shivers." said
the surgeon in discussing his expert
had the experience about two weeks
ago. and my sleep is disturbed with
frightful Nightmares yet.
Hobby Leads Him Ashore.
my hobby since my college days has
been botany. and in my rambes about
the world | have always taken the OPP
portunity to explore the out of the way
places for botanical specimens. 1t was
this hobby that made me witness of
the voodooistic ceremony. The ship
Ua win In hn har f,f nrf
Prince, and | took the opportunity to
go ashore with my collecting case to
seek rare flowers in the hills back of
the Haitian capital.
81 started early in the morning. and
midafternoon found me wandering
blindly, and in few minutes the real
ization came over me that was lost
"As l marched blindly through the
wooded hills | heard the sound of
drums reverberating. At first the drum
beats sounded afar. and then they
came nearer and nearer. | thought
that I must be approaching some set
tlement, and at the thought I quick
ened my footsteps. Then I discerned
faint light and felt certain that vii
lage was near.
Stumbles on Worshipers.
"As 1 neared the light the sound OF
the drumming became more and more
intense. and then / distinguished voices
raised in a wild chant Like a fash
the realization swept over me that
was coming upon voodoo worshipers
in the midst of their weird rites.
had heard the story of the voodoo wor-
shippers for years. and at the thought
of seeing the natives in the midst Of
their ceremony | forgot danger and de-
cided to see for myself what voodoo
worship was.
'The nearer I came to the light.
which l soon saw to be big fire. the
more cautious l became in my move
ments. soon found 1t necessary to
get down on my hands and knees and
crawl through the underbrush. The
beating of the drums was awful. but
the noise served to cover my not alto
gether silent approach through the
brush.
CraWia nrou9h OnoorpFusn.
Nearer and nearer crawled toward
the fire, and then l found myself in
clump of bushes from which | could
see the natives In their orgy. not two
score feet away. About thirty blacks
were in the party. and they stood or
sat about the fire. the half dozen drum
mers pounding their instruments for
dear life, while the others raised their
voices in the awful chant. During all
this a native. with face besmeared with
vermilion streaks and with trinkets
hanging about his neck and waist that
ratified as he moved. strobe up and
down before the fire. chanting some
wild incarnation. Suddenly he APP
preached native holding bundle in
his arms The chant grew wilder and
the drums beat the louder.
1.-THE bundle which the medicine man
,r voodoo chief seized was a living in
FAINT. Above the sound of the voices
and drums | caught the infants wall.
saw the voodoo man raise a knife
above the child. and. blind with rage
md forgetful of my own safety. |
,prang to my feet and dashed from my
place of concealment toward the
leathen. If the devil himself had sud-
ienly popped into their midst those
Yoodooists could not have been more
The chant broke off sud- |
ienly. the drums ceased their thun- |
iering, and half of the worshipers |
ook to their heels into the forest.
Fels Medicine Man.
.'The voodoo medicine man stood with |
mouth agape watching my approach, |
md the next instant | had hit him |
,ver the head with my collecting case
ind he dropped like poled OK. |
passed through the remaining worship |
RS and into the dark As | ran my
ear increased and. with the growth Of
ear. my speed. Far behind me | could
rear the bowls of my pursuers, but |
lad a good start and a great fear to
,eep me moving.
Luckily l had headed right in my
un. and about the time | had exhaust
d myself saw the lights of Port au
Prince. and | kept at my best effort
Until l was in the town."