| The Case of the Gris-Gris Gone Bad "The Gris-Gris: Voodoo Charm Fails to Work and the Recorder's Office is Resorted to." Taken from The Daily Picayune, New Orleans, July 7, 1887 |
The Gris-Gris
Voudou Charm Fails to Work and the Recorder's Office is Resorted to
Yesterday, before acting Recorder Sambola, was tried the case of
the state against William Hastings, charged with obtaining $4 in cash
and a gold ring and a Meerschaum pipe from Mrs. Louise Tillman,
residing at No. 111 Independence Street, under false pretenses. The
complainant stated that she gave the articles to Hastings in order to
voudou an enemy of hers, she being a believer in voudouism. The
fraud obtained money from her, but the charm failed.
Hastings was then engaged to work upon the enemy and exterminate
him. He at times obtained small amounts of money from his dupe until
he secured $4. His method was to inform Mrs. Tillman that the
"gris-gris," or evil spirit, was doing the required work, but to make a
successful job he wanted a gold ring and pipe, and as those articles
would pass through her hands, by simply touching the skin of the party
to be put out of the way, the latter would die. He got the articles, but
as the party still lives, he was arrested.
After hearing the story, the court fined Hastings $25 or 30 days as a
suspicious character and Mrs. TIllman $10 or 20 days for trifling with
the court, and severely reprimanded her for resorting to such foul
means to injure another.
The prisoners were remanded.
Voudou Charm Fails to Work and the Recorder's Office is Resorted to
Yesterday, before acting Recorder Sambola, was tried the case of
the state against William Hastings, charged with obtaining $4 in cash
and a gold ring and a Meerschaum pipe from Mrs. Louise Tillman,
residing at No. 111 Independence Street, under false pretenses. The
complainant stated that she gave the articles to Hastings in order to
voudou an enemy of hers, she being a believer in voudouism. The
fraud obtained money from her, but the charm failed.
Hastings was then engaged to work upon the enemy and exterminate
him. He at times obtained small amounts of money from his dupe until
he secured $4. His method was to inform Mrs. Tillman that the
"gris-gris," or evil spirit, was doing the required work, but to make a
successful job he wanted a gold ring and pipe, and as those articles
would pass through her hands, by simply touching the skin of the party
to be put out of the way, the latter would die. He got the articles, but
as the party still lives, he was arrested.
After hearing the story, the court fined Hastings $25 or 30 days as a
suspicious character and Mrs. TIllman $10 or 20 days for trifling with
the court, and severely reprimanded her for resorting to such foul
means to injure another.
The prisoners were remanded.