ATTACKED AS A WITCH

Taranaki Daily News, 16 July 1929, Page 11

ATTACKED AS A WITCH

FRENCH FAMILY'S DELUSION. INNOCENT VISITOR BEATEN. , A tragi-comcdy which indicates the extraordinary persistence in many country districts of a belief in the existence of witches and witchcraft is reported from the French village of Vasles, near Niort, on the borders of the Vendee. A large farm near the village belongs to a M. Mamiare. He has three daughters, one of whom is married to a M. Demereau. This couple live on the farm. One day in April Demereau was taken ill, and instead of calling in a doctor the family consulted an old woman who has a reputation of being clairvoyant. She said to the patient’s wife: “A woman will come to ask for news concerning your husband. She is the one who has cast a spell on him. “You must beat her until she swears to have her spell removed from your husband.” A few days later a Madame Guichard, the wife of a neighbouring farmer who was on. very friendly terms with the Mamiare family, called saying she had heard that M. Demereau was ill and hoped it. was nothing serious. “Oh, it was you!” said the sick man’s wife to the visitor, “Sit down!” The whole family, armed with sticks, beat the poor woman, who shrieked and shouted for help. Having stopped the attack, the family once more asked the victim to restore M. Demereau to health. As she replied in a fainting voice that she possessed no such powers, she was again beaten. Mme. Guichard’s young son, happening to pass the house, heard his mother’s cries.

Ho fetched the gendarmes, who broke open the door and entered. They found all the family on their knees praying round a table on which was a small plaster statue of a saint. Their captive was lying covered with blood and bruises in a corner. The Mamiares declare that they were imploring the saint to iell them what they were to do with the recalcitrant witch and that they heard a voice coming from the statue which advised them to continue beating her. > The. Mamiare family will be charged with assault. The condition ofvictim is serious.