WITCHCRAFT IN TOKIO.
HOMICIDE TRIAL. BUDDHIST PIUESTESS BEFORE BAB, BIDDING WOMKN OF "EVIL FOX" Witchcraft days were revived in a Tokyo law-court recently when a Buddhist priestess and a tradesman and his wife were on trial for causing the death of the tradesman's aged mothei in an attempt to free her of the spirit of an evil I'nx whfch, they believed had taken possession of her body. According to the testimony offered, the priestess, being} generally conceded to have supernatuial powers in casting out fox spirits, was called in to officiate in that capacity by the tradesman and his wife, who apparently were sincere in the belief that a fox inhabited the body of the man's aged mother.
s In proof of the assertion the tradesman and his wife both testified that the old woman frequently barked like a fox and that she was sometimes taken with violent pains when tho evil beast was gnawing at her internally. After offerings to the fox shrine and various home cures had proved unavailing, the coup-He called in the aissitance of a priestess who was reputed to have effected marvellous cures where fox spirits were Concerned. As to the exaot- method of her treatment, the testimony differs. The tradesmen naively reports that the priestess pressed her knees into the old woman's body until the fox. spirit, howling with pain, fled from the scene. He contends that the treatment was highly successful, but for the fact that the patient unfortunately did not survive the ordeal. The priestess maintains that she did not inflict any bodily injury but merely pressed her hands over the patient's body in the orthodox manner employed by those who /cast out foxes. She is unable to account for the woman's death. After hearing the testimony of the various witnesses, the judge, after admonishing the priestess to be less violent in her priestly ministrations, ordered the case continued. It is likely that he verdict will, he a. suspended sentence or a dismissal on the ground that flic crime, if crime it was, was committed in ignorance.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/KCC19280705.2.7
Bibliographic details
King Country Chronicle, Volume XXII, Issue 2597, 5 July 1928, Page 3
Word Count
345WITCHCRAFT IN TOKIO. King Country Chronicle, Volume XXII, Issue 2597, 5 July 1928, Page 3
Using This Item
Waitomo Investments is the copyright owner for the King Country Chronicle. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Waitomo Investments. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.