The Squirrel Hunters of Ohio; or, Glimpses of Pioneer Life

by N. E. Jones

The witnesses for plaintiff showed conclusively that there was something wrong with the horse; and defendant frankly admitted all that had been testified as to the singular “spells” or waywardness of the animal, and related others more startling, but declared that this was not because of any unsoundness, but owing to the horse being bewitched from time to time by a gang of witches under control of an old lady who lived in seclusion of the mountains and fastnesses for which Lawrence county is noted.

The defendant stated to the court that this gang were in the habit of taking possession of horses and cattle, and sometimes of men and women, riding and worrying them almost to death in the night-time. That the horse he had sold (and causing this suit) was one of the victims of this witchery, and that he sold the horse to his neighbor hoping the evil spirit would not pursue it when it had passed into other hands—adding, “If witches could be driven out of the neighborhood the horse would be all right, and the people would be better off.”

Upon mature deliberation, the court went far enough in the direction of the views of the defendant to render a conditional judgment, to wit, “that the defendant should either repay the plaintiff the price of the horse, or relieve the animal of the witches.” Upon receipt of this optional decree, the defendant went up to the head waters of Little Beaver, in Pike county, and consulted a noted witch doctor who resided in that neighborhood.

After obtaining a statement of the case, the doctor concluded it was necessary to visit the locality and make a careful and mysterious study of the situation. On arrival in the affected district the doctor soon discovered that the old woman on the hill was at the head of a gang of witches, and prescribed an old-time remedy—that she be at once seized and burned at the stake.

It is reported that even the victims of the witches thought this to be rather heroic, and insisted that some milder remedy should be adopted. After several days study of the case, the doctor so far modified the prescription as to substitute the first animal that fell into the clutches of the witches as a vicarious offering at the stake.

“It was only a few days until one of the defendants’ cows was taken possession of by a battallion of witches, which apparently showed indications of complete recovery. Defendant lost no time, but called his neighbors together to assist him in tying the cow with ropes and leading her into a neighboring clearing, where there were plenty of dry logs and brush.

“These were piled around and over the bellowing animal and fired. Then began a supernatural battle. The cow refused to be burned to death and gave vent to the most piteous and unearthly moans. More brush and logs were piled on her, and blue flames leaped high in the air, assuming grotesque shapes and uttering guttural laughing sounds.

“As sunset approached, the struggles and moans of the animal began to subside and the flesh and bones began to yield to the consuming fangs of the flame; the doctor and the defendant in the law-suit, stood by watching for the denouement with absorbing interest, while the awe-stricken neighbors stood farther back in the gathering folds of the approaching night.

“There was a lurid outburst of flames, demoniac cries and gibbering as a cloud of sparks rose upward, on the crest of which were a score of witches, each with a firebrand in its hand. Up and up they rose, then sailed away over the hill and past the hut of the old lady, and finally disappeared from sight.”

The bewitched horse recovered his wonted docility, and the purchaser never again had any complaint to make. The old lady ceased to commune with witches, joined the church, and when she passed away was mourned by the entire community, and so far as known, the witch doctor never had another case, and the court records officially attest that there once were witches in this part of Ohio, but were most effectually expelled by fire and the doctor, and fled shrieking across the Ohio River, into Kentucky, where they still exist among white politicians and the aged colored population, who once served under the previous condition. All of which is a pointer as to variety, or that Ohio can show enough merely to make up a fair assortment and pattern of most every kind of people, with room for improvement by further advances in civilization that will end the least barbarous act in the attempt to diminish crime by the horrors of electrocution, the rope, or the stake and fagots.