SUPERSTITION IN RUSSIA.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 5, 7 January 1899, Page 5 (Supplement)

SUPERSTITION IN RUSSIA.

Superstition is very rife throughout Russia and the East (says the St. Petersburg correspondent' of the -Daily Telegraph'). Not only does this apply to .the lower orders, who firmly believe in the existence of good and evil spirits which have influence upon the lot of mankind, but there are many intelligent and educated people who are extremely credulous in this respect. The story of 'the devils of St. Petersburg' is not yet forgotten here. In this case, a certain medical man, Who occupied apartments in the Rue Titejuaja, was afflicted by goblins, w-hich every night changed the position of the furniture,, knocked down china and copper ornaments, upset tables, etc.,much in the same way as did the devils of Woodstock, celebrated by Sir Yv'alter Scott in one of his novels. Later on it was ascertained that these 'devils' were no other than the doctor's servants, who had been 'squared' by certain people who wanted to get him out of his lodgings.

Another characteristic story Qf this sort relates to a country house in the little island of Kammenz, near St. Petersburg. The establishment in question was built for a lady of high rank, but she only lived in it for eight days, since which it has remained empty. It is alleged that apparitions and visions were seen during the night. Horrible groans and sighs and cries for help were heard. The mistress of the house stood this sort of thing for several nights, but finally was obliged to quit. In this case, also, it turned out that the servants, whom Madame is said to have treated harshly, were at the bottom of the trouble.

In some parts qf Russia the people believe that devils can enter into the organism of human beings, whose actions they thereafter guide, and there are sorcerers who profess to be able to cast o*ut the spirits. These men are utterly without scruple, and the sufferings which they cause their victims to undergo may be easily "imagined. Very few cases ever come before the law courts. The people look upon the wizard as a powerful personage, who can work them much evil, and therefore not lightly to be provoked. Hence complaints are rarely laid before the tribunals. However, a typrcal case of the sort recently came before the court of Vladicaucase. .

A Mohammedan mollah, or priest, named Ahmed Ramasanoff, was charged with torturing a peasant woman named Kot. cheretova, his object being to drive devils out of her. At the beginning- of the present year Kotcheretova, who was only 20, fell ill, her malady being accompanied by epileptic fits. The villagers and her husband, a man named Aslan-Bek, came to the conclusion that she was afflicted by evil spirits, and the husband called upon the mollah Ramasanoff to cast them out. The priest came to the house and commenced his treatment. First of all they made up a big wood fire, and when there v/ere plenty of hot ashes they stripped the young woman, and tied her hands and feet. Seeing these ominous preparations, Kotcheretova began to cry and begged them to desist. 'Cut off my arms, put out my eyes, do what you like, but do not burn me.' They paid no attention to

her pleadings, and, picking her up, placed her on the fire. She then became insensible. She was covered with burns, which the doctor who examined her declared to be of a very severe character. When brought before the court the priest explained that the woman's husband had sought his advice. He counselled AslanBek to force his wife to name tne spooks, and he (the priest) would be able to restore her to health. He had put her on the fire until she gave the names of the evil spirits", which he then wrote upon a piece of paper and threw it into the flames, after which he was quite sure

that the devils would leave hor. He add-

Ed that when she cried before being put on the hearth it was not she that wept, but the devils. The inquiry showed that the woman had been kept on the hot ashes for eight hours. The headman of the village deposed that such methods of treatment were often employed, and were always successful. The court found the priest guilty, and sentenced him to deprivation of all his civil rights and to one year's imprisonment. The husband would have been also tried, but that his wife declared that she forgave him.