Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-02-14
'sURolElolNl STOPS !.
A BABY SACRIFICE

Barren Hsrdrik van Rsnksn STAIN While
hunting For Flowers eursts Upon
Wild 0eene Of Blacks at 6arbarie
Worship-Rsady 60 Kill lnfant-Hs
Knocks Medicine Man Down.
That voodooism in all its horrors il
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-
cd in New York recently. He is Baron
Hendrix van Renken STAN. the ships
surgeon.
DIR. 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 shiyers." said
the surgeon in discussing his expert
ence. "well, l had them for fair.
had the experience about two weeks
ago. and my sleep is disturbed with
frightful Nightmares yet.
Hobby Leads Him Ashore.
"Aly hobby since my college days has
been botany. and in my rambles about
the world l 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
was lying in the harbor Of Port au
Prince, and I took the opportunity to
60 ashore with my collecting case to
seek rare flowers in the hills back of
the Haitian capital
II started early in the morning. and
midafternoon found ME wandering
about through the hills. started back
blindly. and In a few minutes the real
ization came over me that was lost.
"As marched blindly through the
wooded hills heard the sound Of
drums reverberatins. At first the drum
beats sounded afar. and then they
came nearer and nearer. l thought
that must be approaching some set
tiement, and at the thought quick
ened my footsteps Then discerned Il
faint light and felt certain that VII
lage was near.
Stumbies on Worsnipers.
"As neared the light the sound Of
the drumming became more and more
intense, and then distinguished voices
raised In wild chant Like a flash
the realization swept over me that l
was coming upon voodoo worshipers
in the midst of their weird rites I
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 I forgot danger and de-
cided to see sfor myself what voodo0
worship Has.
b +. The nAarer came to the light.
whielEIssoon saw to be big fire, the
more cautious I became in my move
ments I soon found it 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.
crawIs Through Underbrush.
Nearer and nearer crawled toward
the fire, and then I found myself in a
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 Are. the half dozen drum
mers pounding their instruments for
dear life, while the others raised their
voices in the awful chant. During all
this 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 nn+tye holding a bundle in