Browse:COURT CASES (Volume 4, entries 8949–9177)
COURT CASES
Volume 4, entries 8949–9177. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS. Entries listed under this heading in the source volume.
Entries
Entry 8949
They say that you can go to a brook where the water runs continuously, nice, clear brook and you naturally have suspects. You get water from the brook right there and you put sand in the bot- tom of the container, sand from around the place, and you put the names of all the suspects in that container. When they get wet they'll go to the bottom but the guilty person's name will rise to the top.
(To find out the person who stole from you?)
Yes sir.
Entry 8950
You will go to a creek where ther's water running at. You get you some of that sand out of the bottom of that creek. See, some of that white sand, and you get you some of that run- ning water, see. You brings it back home, you puts it in a clean basin. See, put that sand in the bottom of that basin. You puts that water in there. You take and you write your name on a piece of paper nine times. See. And you puts it in that water. Well, it's natural when that paper gets wet, it's going to sink under that water, you understand. That paper sinks under there and you stand up in it and you repeat the Lord's Prayer for seven times and make your wish. And whosomever got anything from you, they ain't going to rest until they bring it back.
(I see, if anybody has stolen anything?)
If anybody stole anything, it keep 'em tormented until he bring it back. (What do you mean by repeating the prayers seven times? You mean all on this one day?) Yes, sir.
(Or seven different days?)
Oh, no sir, just one time, yo' see. An' while yo' repeating that, that paper going to come back to the top of the water, you see. And when it come, it going to begin to float around, see. It float around, you see on that water. An' then you don't take it out; see, yo' leave that paper float in that water. See. And it's goin' keep him tormented until he brings that back. It going to create a fear on him, he can't rest nowhere.
(I see.) [New Orleans, La., (873), 1426:4.]
[Despite the following do-it-yourself rites about court cases, it was always advisable in serious crimes to employ the service of an expert, especially of a legendary person like Doctor Buzzard, who never appeared in court but sent an animal to do his work (pp.891-905). At an earlier date some witchcraft people could break up a trial by thunder and lightning, so it is said. Much of this court material is scattered throughout Hoodoo - see interview COURTROOM SPECIAL- IST, Pp.1423-1449, v.2; SIFTER AND SCISSORS, No.604, p.204, v.1; and especially a rite, No.9024 in this present section, one of the finest statements in Hoodoo; My amazing experience with Doctor Washington of Charleston, S. Car. He, using me as a guinea pig, explains how he could free me from the clutches of the law, if I were a bootlegger and had been arrested! This freedom he describes by asking me questions and then answering them himself - Shakespearian! Indirectly he will bribe the court through a go-between with the money I pay him in advance, keeping a part of it as his commission, and work his real magic with 2 black hens. Washington, after talking to me, had a fight with another doctor out in the court- yard of the house where I was interviewing. I refer to this fracas later while in Brunswick, Ga., after two doctors likewise had a quarrel outside the house where I interviewed (lines 5-6, 15-16, p.337, v.1). Washington, as also most other doctors, paid me the great compliment of my life, without any suggestion or pretense of mine. He and they considered me a hoodoo man from New York City! Big-city life would make me ignorant of animals that crawled or hopped or flew. Consequently he offered to help me by taking over any live-things-in-you cases coming my Way in Charleston - See DOCTOR WASHINGTON ASKS FOR DOCTOR HYATT'S "LIVE-THINGS-IN-YOU" CASES, pp.2253-2258, v.3.]
Entry 8951
If yo' have a case in de co't, whut chew have tuh do, [they] bring yo' [your] subpēnē. Look at yore subpene. An' yo', when yo' git dis subpene, yo take dis subpene - see dat? (That's the corner [of the imaginary sub- poena], yes?) Dis is one, dis two [corners]. Jis' bring it [subpoena] to yo' all de time [demonstrates by wiping his anus with each corner of subpoena.]
(One - two....)
Three, an' yo' come wit de fo'th one an' yo' fold it. Yo' take dat subpene an' yo' take an' pass it, hold it lak dat. Yo' gotta hold it lak dat. An' yo' pass it right in heah three times. Pass it in yoreself, in yore hin' part...
(Just as though you were wiping yourself?)
Yes....in yore hin' part an' when yo' pass it in yore hin' part, yo' fold it an' den yo' turn it an' ag'in, an' put dat subpene in yore pocket an' heah's [here is where] yo' gotta go tuh co't. Now, when yo' go tuh co't, dey ain't goin' tuh call [you]. Instid [instead] of yo' done prosecutin' me, instid of callin' yo' up to de stan' [stand], dey call me. See. Dat's been in mah pocket. Now, when yo' git ready an' yo' goin' [to court], turn all de things in yore house upside down [for similar rites see later margin title UPSIDE DOWN.] Put chure underclothes an' things upside down [inside out] de pieces next to yore skin. Well, yo' go 'head [ahead] an' when yo' git up dere on de stand settin' down... Ah git up dere an' dey won' prosecute me, goin' discharge yo'. (Did you say something about putting a stocking in the house, or was that the other thing?) Ah'm comin' to it. Dat's de end of dat story [about the court]. [This is my only example of wiping the anus with the four corners of the subpoena and folding it and putting it in your pocket when leaving for court. We have here a remarkable remnant of witchcraft. The informant, evidently witchcrafted into court by an enemy, uses one of the oldest remedies in witchcraft - the human anus or excrement - see SCATOLOGIC METHODS TO REPULSE WITCHES, Folklore from Adams County Illinois, 2nd ed., pp.903-909, (4) HUMAN EXCREMENT, pp.905-909, Nos.16488- 16499.
Entry 8952
(Well, how would you handle a court case?)
How would I handle a court case? The sinner could be dead guilty, if he want- ed to be, you know. If the charges are up. Now, when you git to the courthouse, you kin git to the courthouse, you kin have you a nickel's worth of asafititee. After yo' get a nickel's worth of asafititee, yo' kin git yo' a bottle of vine- gar - bottle of vinegar. Now yo' sprinkle [vinegar] on that asafititee. Yo' have it done soaked, yo' have it done soaked in dat vinegar an' yo' have it in a small bottle, an' yo' jes' tote that in yore pocket an' have de stopper with a hole in it, an' jes' sprinkle it. They'll have no case up, no case at all. Dey keep putting it off, keep putting it off. Every time yo' go they keeps putting it off. Jes' have it [the bottle] in your pocket. [As in the preceding rite, once again we have witch deterrents; for vinegar see FACI, p.889, for asafetida, sev- eral places in Hoodoo.]
Entry 8953
It wuz a fortunetellah, she went tuh dis man; see, he wuz sentenced tuh be hung. So aft' [after] dat she said, "Dey'll not hang yuh, yo' know. Don't worry about her." [He had killed a woman.] Dat wuz real. So when dey had dis trial, yuh see, dis woman went dere an' she had somepin in a basket. Ah don't know whut it wuz, but anyhow, de whole time de judge wuz talkin', she kep' [kept] turnin' dis concern [unknown object] in de basket; but ah don't know whut it wuz - a piece of close [clothes] or whut. But anyhow, it wuz a rag [a cloth cover] ah know in dis basket. She kep' turnin' it an' kep' turnin' it. So dey give dis guy ten years. She lightened his sentence, kep' tim [kept him] from de electric chair [he means hanging]. Dat happen here in Snow Hill. Dat wus a long time ago. [Since this story was recorded in 1936, the old man's long time ago and sentenced tuh be hung could mean about 19oo. Could this fortuneteller, a woman, have been our well-know Zippie Tull (see ZIPPIE TULL, Pp.923-929, and No.8, p.5f.)? The rag-covered concern in the basket was probably a small hand sifter (see Nos.526-530, p.156f.; No.604, p.204; No.2303, p.648; etc.). This she surely turned backwards, reversing every word spoken by the judge!]
Entry 8954
When yo' in jail an' yo' gotta go out tuh go tuh trial, yo' ketch a bat an' swallow his heart. Cut him open an' swallow his heart while his heart's alive, an' de judge bound tuh discharge yo' or give yo' a light time.
Entry 8955
Lak if yo' got a co't case an' in de mawnin' when dat individual [you] git up, leave de house be upsetted, leave de chamber lye stay in de house an' de clothes whut dey have on. First dey take a bath. An' yo' git honeysuckle an' bay rum an' den yo' make yo' a bath wit dat. An' yo' take dat bath when yo' fixin' tuh go tuh meet de co't. An' yo' put on clean clothes. An' de ole clothes whut chew put off, yo' nail a nail up at de do' whut chew goin' out, an' yo' turn yore underwears wrongside out an' yo' hang 'em up upside down. An' yo' hang yore pantses up upside down, an' yo' turn yore shoes upside down. An' as yo' go out de do', make yore wish an' don' look back. But leaves de house dere - upset de house as much as yo' kin. Yo' wins dat [case]. Ah have win.
Entry 8956
If they got any kind of a witness that would speak against yo', well yo' gets their name an' yo' writes it upon this beef tongue. And you kicks it around the floor and you takes it and you put it up in the chimney. You hangs it up in there and they couldn't speak against you
[at court]. [Kicking is a frequent magic act.]
Entry 8957
(What do they do with that?) They go to the slaughterhouse an' get it [a fresh tongue is required]. (What do they get?) Get a tongue, a beef tongue, yeah. And you make a fire in the ole chimley when yo' going for trial, an' burn that On the judge. Put his name there [on tongue]. An' burn that on the judge. That changes his mind.
Entry 8958
Yo' take a portion and yo' put it in each shoe.
(You mean the oil. The oil?)
Yes, yo' put it in each shoe. An' there's three oils yo' get. Yo' get this oil of muritel.
(You get what?)
Murotel, yeah. That [is] if you out, yo' understand, goin' to meet co't. If yo're not in jail, yo' can take oil of murotel and cedar oil an' labena [ver- bena]. An' yo' mix them three oils together. [First oil is surely myrtle!] (What kind? Labena?) Labena [verbena], yes sir. An' yo' bathe yoreself in it that morning before going before the judge. An' if yo' have any witness, well yo' take a beef tongue. An' yo' know the right names, yo' writes the name upon dat tongue. An' if yo' got a chimley anywhere in de house, yo' hangs dat up in there, an' your witness can't speak clearly. (Well, what do you hang that beef tongue in that chimney for? What - how do you do that?) Just take it and [first] you roll it around with your feet [it is kicked in No.8956] and hangs it up in there and smoke it.
(Oh, you smoke it! I see.)
Entry 8959
If mah boy wuz in jail, ah would take a beef tongue an' ah would smoke it an' ah would keep it in dere [chimney]. An' ah would take de judge's name, de district attorney's name, an' take me nine needles an' put it in dere, an sew it up an' smoke dat beef tongue fo' nine days. An' ah would go tuh co't an' ah cross mah fingers, an' he Would git discharged. (How do you mean you would cross your fingers?) [Informant demonstrates.] (You would take the index finger of each hand and just cross them; each hand, like that. You would hold them crossed in court. Why do you use nine needles, any particular reason?) If dey got nine district attorneys [jurymen?] on dis case, yo' understand, if dey got nine of 'em, dem needles represent de district attorney [jurymen].
(If you have twelve jurymen then you would use the twelve.)
[Informant does not understand why 9 needles are used. We shall meet these 9 needles again and everywhere. This was the very first rite I collected on my second visit to New Orleans. Informant was the wlfe of one of my contact men, Peg Leg. She a professional worker had refused to see me two years before on my first visit. Her material, good, is scattered throughout the text.)
Entry 8960
I have went to jail for fighting and lotsa time never stayed in no longer that then I could get word [to someone] which they got some dust they call this murlee dust.
(Morlee?)
[Name impossible to transcribe; probably a local hoodoo-store dust.]
Morlee dust, tell you. But the trouble [is] jis' lak if yo' happen to be fightin' somewhere an' go to jail. Take some of this Morlee dust an' yo' let your people bring you a shirt, and put it in that [shirt]. Yo' understand. (A clean shirt?) Yes, any kind you got, so long as you wears it - a brand-new shirt. And you put it [this dust] down in the lining of the sleeve or anywhere around the collar lak dat, about nine different places and you wear it. See. Yo' get it an' yo' put it on there when yo' going to court there. Yo' wants to be cut loose from that place. Well, yo' get a beef tongue. Let 'em get a beef tongue an' yo' put jes' as many needles in that beef tongue as yo' could. Set it in yore grate." Jes dig a hole down in de grate, if yo' have a grate. Take a brick out to put it [tongue] down in there.
(In your fireplace?)
Yes, sir. Then, when yo' going to court, when yo' walk in there, yo' have this shirt on with that stuff [in 9 places]; when yo' walk in an' enter into that place, where de lawyer done turn yo' over to be tried. He [is] talking With the jury, who are going to try yo'. He'll be pretty easy with yo'. If yo' got any jurymen on yore case or anything like that, first thing yo' know, yo' have this beef tongue [at home working for you] an' this beef tongue is by yore fire. Well, it be frying; yo' know, hot. Well, that make them needles get red hot an' they couldn't but just fine yo'. The judge do nuthin of de kind. They just have to turn yo' loose, let yo' out of dat jail. (In the jail you wore that shirt there, and at home someone is cooking the beef heart. Is it a beef heart or beef tongue?) Yes, the beef tongue. Get up in de mawnin' an' put [in tongue] as many needles as yo' can. De more needles yo' [can put in, the better]. An' yo' jis' stick the needles all down in it; yo' know, to de limit. An' yo' - if yo' have to, take up a brick - an' yo' put it down in de fire hearth an' put the brick back on. And the time when yo' going to court, light a fire in there. An' when that beef tongue commence to cooking like that, any, evahbody just as calm with yo' as evah. Couldn't find no evidence against [you] and won't find yo' guilty. All they could do, jis' [let] yo' loose without bail. An' they'll never come against yo' no more.
Entry 8961
[The day the case] comes off yo' git the beef tongue from de market. Yo' see, yo' gon'a know when de case come off 'cuz [you] git de subpoena. Freeze dat tongue in ice. Take a pen and write [scratch] de judge's name on dere [the tongue], bury it, an' have de party dat live in de building, a brother or anybody else, turn everything upside down. Turn de mat- tress upside down, de chairs upside down, de tables [upside down] during de time de case is coming off, an' de case will be nol pros [nol-pros, nolle prosequi].
Entry 8962
(How do they use the beef tongue?)
They take a beef tongue - they got to get a fresh one - have to go to the slaughterhouse and they get a fresh beef tongue and they bring it home. And they get a fresh beef tongue and they bring it home. And they get your name, the judge's and the district attorney's name and everything, and puts it in this tongue. And they take this tongue and they put it down in ice. That's to freeze the judge's tongue, you see. That's the way they do with them beef tongues, but you got to go to the slaughterhouse and get one fresh. Can't get none [from the butcher shop].
Entry 8963
(How do you use the alligator tongue?)
It do the same part as the beef tongue and from what it was taught to me from Doctor Henry Laemson, it's better.
(You think the alligator tongue is better than the beef tongue?)
Absolutely.
(What do you do with that, then?)
They take that alligator tongue and freeze it hard until it hard as the table. For instance, if it's a - the judge, probably he be named Anderson. I will write Anderson on that beef tongue, just take a hatpin or kind of a... [demonstrates]. [Since he changed from alli- gator to beef, I ask:] (Are you talking about the beef or alligator tongue?) Absolutely, write his name on there. See. Write the district attorney name on that. The tongue ls well froze. The day the case come off, bury that tongue. The party whosomever - if this lady that live in this building here, if it's her son, have her to turn the mattress upside down, the chair upside down, the table upSide dOWN, and IT LOOK LIKE THAT GIVE THE JUDGE NO WILLPOWER TO FIGHT AGAINST THE CASE, NEITHER THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, SEE. They absolutely more than have to nol pros the case, see. So that they won't get any good evidence, see, from none of the witness, even if I'm the witness, statement won't correspond. One may say that they....
Entry 8964
Yo' take de beef tongue, yo' see. Yo' first upset de house, yore house, evahthing into it, or if yo' have a partner dat have a court case, yo' do dis to git de judge. Git de judge's name. All right, git de client name dat de judge is gonna per- secute [prosecute!]. Yo' understan' dat. Den de person dat's persecutin' 'em [prosecuting attorney]. All right. Yo' have dat. Now, yo' take dis person dat chew workin' fo' - her name - an' de judge name an' de lawyer's name together, dat dey'll cooperate together. Yo' see, den yo' git dat same remedy. Well, yo' git first dis Drowin' Oil, den yo' git dis Min' Oil; yo' git Florida watah, an' yo' git Orange Blossom watah. Yo' know whut dat is. Den yo' git steel dust, an' den yo' git dat nine lumps of sugah an' yo' git dat honey. Dat is fo' dat good act. Dat is to git 'em togethah. When yo' do dat way ahead when dey come to yo' first. An' yo' shake it [these things in a bottle]. Jes' shake it. Yo' keeps dat an' yo' shake it. Well, yo' put it off [aside]. Now, as fer as de beef tongue. Tuh freeze a client's [tongue] dat yo' know gonna talk, git chew 50 pound of ice an' take de beef tongue. Yo' know how tuh do dat. An' den wit de names dat are goin' against de person dat chure workin' fo', an' freeze 'em, an' dey won't be able tuh talk.
(You use both the beef and these other ingredients in the bottle?)
Yes.
Entry 8965
(If you are going to court, you say?)
Yes. Now, yo' git that beef tongue an' yo' takes hit an' yo' puts it on ice. Write de name whut chew done wrote. Yo' would write de name of de party dat's gotta go tuh co't where dey cain't talk, yo' see, lak yo' want a person convicted, an' git fined someway or 'nothah. Yo' takes dat name an' yo' writes it nine times, de judge an' de lawyer dat he has, an' puts dat round dat beef tongue an' put it on ice, an' dat freezes dey tongue an' dey cain't talk. Whut dey know dey cain't explain no mo'.
Entry 8966
Take that beef tongue an' at de big part of it, just split, just dig a hole in it - don't split it open. They cuts dat tongue, dey cuts a hole in it as far as dey want it to extend. Dey write your name. Just like yo' got a case in court, ah'll give it to yo' dat way. When yo' got a case in court, dey got people to witness fo' yo'; an' if ah can git de names of de people goin' be yore witness, ah'll git de names of dese people goin' be yore witness against me. An' when ah cut dat hole in dat beef tongue, ah'll write all de names nine times. An' ah'll take dose names an' shove dem up in dat tongue an' put dat tongue in a bucket or anythin' dat is small, an' pack it wit ice, like tonight, an' it'll be froze by tomorrow. An' when yo' witnesses come, dey can't even talk. They won't know what to say.
Entry 8967
Yo' get de prosecutor's name.
[Informant takes long pause.]
(All right.)
Yo' get some of de eye witness name - what swearing against yo', ah mean. An' yo' get de judge's name an' de prosecuting attorney's name, an' yo' write dere names down in lines, yo' see [one name under the other]. Den yo' take an' write yore name across dere. [Informant takes long pause.] Nine times. [Informant takes long pause.] (Yes?) Yo' shove in - yo' cut dat beef tongue an' yo' shove it [written names] in dat beef tongue an' yo' sew it back up. Yo' get yo' a brand-new tub, nevah have done been used.
[Informant takes long pause.] (Yes?)
(Yes.)
You get you a block of ice... (What did you say about the twelve apostles a moment ago? The twelve dis- ciples?) The twelve disciples, yo' must write dem twelve disciples name down.
(And what do you do with that?)
The twelve disciples name, dat's like if yo' want.... [They were concerned with another rite.]
Entry 8968
Suppose yo'd [you would] have a case comin' off, yo' see, on de 28th of dis month. Dey day dat chure case goin' come off - [the day before] yo' git dat beef tongue from de market an' yo' put it on ice an' leave it freeze very hard. Aftah it freeze yo' take dat needle an' [scratch] all de jurys name on dat tongue. Aftah writing de jurys name on dat tongue, yo' take a shovel an' yo' put it [ice and tongue] about one foot in de ground. Yo' covah it ovah. It's frozen yo' see. Now dis dwellin' house dat chew live in. Yo' turn de chairs upside down. Well, dat chills his tongue an' he wouldn't be able tuh prosecute, unless de case is so brutish until de jurymen - yo' understand, regardless of whut de judge say - dey would have capital punishment. But if de case is not [too impossible] de [jury] wouldn't take de statement of de judge becuz he gonna give no statement whatevah. Dey take de statement of de witness dat got on de stand.
Entry 8969
(What do they use beef tongue for?)
Well, now, that's what I have heard people have used beef tongue and put nee- dles in it. Sticks nine needles in it - just like they got a son or a daughter or somepin going from them up here to the penitentiary or somepin. They Wanta try keep dem here, tie 'em over here or keep them out, get them out. They put that on there and they put that on ice and things. That's to keep the judge from talking good. Yo' know, couldn't explain hisself, yo' see. He won't be able to tell them that he going to send him up the road [penitentiary] or nuthin, yo' see. Now, it's like if I give you [sentence you] thirty days. It's just like you done done a bad crime, not no stealing or somepin, just like: So ah'm goin' to give yo' $25 or thirty days in Parish [jail], see. De same time he got a penitentiary case, yo' see. Yo' see?
Entry 8970
[If you are] in court like this. If yo' done did a bad crime. He got a witness against yo' - or maybe ten or twelve - fifteen or twenty witness against yo'. Yo' take all of these witness names. Now which is de beef tongue, an' it runs about dat long [dem- onstrates]. Yo' know de size of a beef tongue. Yo' take dat tongue an' yo' split it open right into de mid- dle. Yo' take all dese names an' yo' stuff 'em down into dis tongue. Aftah yo' stuff 'em down into dis tongue, yo' get yo' a pack of needles an' yo' use nine of de biggest needles in dere. Yo' get yo' 50 pounds of ice. Dat's de day yo' goin' to court. Get yo' 50 pounds of ice an' yo' take dis beef tongue an' yo' put it down into dis ice an' freeze it. Co'se [of course] yo' could use it de night before dat. An' yo' take dis tongue an' yo' freeze it with these witness names against yo' in it. Then, when they get in court they can't say nothing against you. If it's anything, they going to say somepin for you.
(What do you do with those nine needles?)
The nine needles, you just stick it all in them names and in the tongue.
Entry 8971
They take that beef tongue and they put them nine pins in 'em, nine pins and nine needles. And they take that tongue and they take and - that's if you are going to court or going against anybody - and they take that tongue and they'll put it on ice. They freeze it, put that ice around it. Yo' know, pack it right around with that ice. Well, that's when yo' go to talk, that chill yore tongue and yo' can't say what yo' want to say. That chill yore tongue.
Entry 8972
See, if it was a hard case an' yo' wanted to go before de judge. May- be yo' being tried fo' murder an' yo' done murder somebody. Well, yo' got may- be - yo' have a witness against yo' - all of dem against yo', dead against yo', yo' see. But still an' all yo' tried fo' cold-blood murder, yo' understand, an' yore wit- ness all against yo'. Now, yo' know what yo' do. Yo' go to de market an' yo' git a beef tongue. See, when yo' get de beef tongue, yo' take de beef tongue an' yo' carry it home. See. Jes' like yo' know what section yo' goin' in 'fore de judge - what judge yo' goin' to. Yo' know what policeman even what done 'rest yo'. Yo' know de people against yo' on de witness stand. Yo' take dem people's name an' yo' - an' dat judge's name, whomevah what court yo' goin' in." Yo' take his name an' yo' write it down. Yo' take dat beef tongue an' yo' split it open. Put all de witnesses against yo', put 'em down in dat beef tongue. Den yo' get yo' some nails. Take it an' nail it down in dat beef tongue. Den yo' get yo' some nee- dles - jis' needles - as many needles an' pins as yo' could, an' just stick 'em all down in dat beef tongue. Den yo' take yo' - maybe about a block of ice, yo see. Yo' take a block of ice an' yo' take dat tongue an' put it down undah dat ice. Yo' take it an' put it down undah dat ice, yo' see. Den yo' consider yo' freezin' dem people out; yo' freeze dere mine, yo' see.
Entry 8973
Go somewhere an' buy yo' a beef tongue if yo' wants tuh do sompin. An' yo' cut dat beef tongue open [slit lengthwise] an' yo' writes de person name down nine times on one straight piece of papah. (That is, you write the name one right after the other?) Yessuh, one right undah de othah on a piece of papah, jes' lak yo's writin' a lettah; but as yo' write one name, yo' leave dat, an' yo' put de entire [family name] first an' put de given name last. An' yo' writes dat down wit a indelible pencil. Yo' git chew nine needles, brand-new needles dat's nevah been used, nine brand-new pins, an' git nine [brand-new] tacks, an' yo' stick it in dat beef tongue; but as yo' stick it, yo' stick it across it. [Needles cross needles, pins pins, tacks tacks.] Yo' git chew some silk thread an' yo' sew dat beef tongue up an' yo' take dat beef tongue an' yo' bury it to de sunrise.
(What will that do?)
Well, dat's tuh keep anybody from talkin', lak if yo' got people aroun' yo' an' evahthin' yo' see, dey meddles wit chure business an' jes' go about an bring news, an' say evahthing. See, yo' do dat wit dat beef tongue. [This rite will keep people from talking about you and also help you in the court scrape that follows:] Now, yo' take it fo a co't scrape. Yo' take de beef tongue an' yo' write de name down nine times, one right aftah de othah.
(The name of the fellow that is before the judge.)
Whut's befo' de judge, see; an' de witness name, too. Yo' write de witness name, but yo' 'sposed [supposed] tuh make it - now, yo' write de witness first; den yo' write de defendant's name on top, see. Write it down nine times an' put it in dat tongue, an' yo' use dem nine needles an' nine pins an' nine tacks.
(How do you put them in there?)
Yo' crosses 'em, cross one right on top an' stick a needle, an' yo'll stick a pin dat yo' makes a cross. Yo' cross dat pin 'cross dat way [demonstrates]. Den yo' takes dat tack an' yo' crosses it 'cross dere, until yo' git de whole nine of 'em in dere. When yo' git de whole nine of 'em in dere, yo' git some thread an' yo' sew dat beef tongue up. An' yo' git chew some ice an' yo' put dat beef tongue on a piece of ice an' leave it freeze. An' de witness, or who- somevah be against yo', won't be able tuh say nuthin against 'em when dat co't scrape come up.
Entry 8974
(A beef tongue and wrap it up.)
They use a beef tongue. It's like if they got somebody done prosecute 'em, see, an' dey'll get up on de stand [to] prosecute. Well, yo' take dat beef tongue, an' write dere name nine times an' sew it up into de - a piece of de tongue - wit nine needles an' nine pins. An' aftah dey sew it up into dat, dey put it on ice de day of court, an' de people dey get to go on de stand can't talk. Stop 'em from talking.
Entry 8975
All right, yo' git chew a beef tongue an' yo' write everyone of 'em name in de co'thouse down nine times backwards. [Instead of writing John Smith, write Smith John.1 Yo' git] chew nine new needles, nine new pins, an' nine new tacks, an' yo' crosses dem as yo' be's stickin' 'em in dat tongue. Den yo' pack dat tongue down wit sawdust. Af- tah yo' pack it down, yo' sew it up wit black thread; an' befo' it's time fo' de co't, put it on ice an' thaws it. Dat's tuh beat a case in co't.
Entry 8976
Yo' use dem needles an' nails - well, nails. Ah'll put nails an needles togethah. Fo' instance, yo' have a case in court. Yo' have, probably three or fo' witnesses against yo' an' yo' afraid dat when dey appear dat dere testimony will convict yo'. Now, nine mornings befo' de day of de trial, yo' go to de market an' yo' get yo' a beef tongue. Yo' get de beef tongue an' yo' come back home an' yo' split it down de middle. Yo' take dese witness' name, also yore witness, an' yo' write dere name down, nine times, an' place it inside of the tongue. Get yo' this No.8 thread - yo' get black an' white an' yo' take a needle an' yo' sew dis up in dere, an' as yo' sew dat, yo' curse it. As yo' sewin' yo' cursin'. (Which do you sew with, the black or the white?) Well, it's known as No.8 thread. It can be white or black. (Oh, I see.) But like if it was a negro an' have white witnesses against 'im, yo'd use white an' black thread. See, like mixed. (What if it's a colored man and he had negro witnesses against, him, then what?) Well, he would use black thread. Yo' take this black thread an' sew it an' cuss at 'im. Sew an' cuss at 'im. Evah time yo' sew it, cuss 'im. Sew dat up. Den yo' take nine needles an' drive dem in dere an' curse it all de time. Aftah yo' take nine needles, yo' take nine tenpenny nails an' jug in dere, all de way up to dere. Just take dat an'...
(You drive the nails into the tongue?)
Yeah, drive dem in dis tongue, all.de way through dis tongue.
(I didn't get that word. Do you jerk them or jump them in?)
Yo' push 'em in.
(Oh! All right. I didn't understand what you said.)
[I am trying not to offend! Remember the hermaphrodite in New Orleans and my use of the word sporting-woman - see p.1685,5 lines from bottom, fol.] Yeah, yo' push 'em an' den aftah yo' take dat an' yo' dig a hole. Dig a hole deep enough fo' yo' to git say around abount 25 pounds or 50 pounds of ice. An' yo' put de ice at de bottom an' put dis tongue in between an' freeze dat tongue fo' nine days an' nine nights. An' de day of de trial - whenevah yo' think de ice will run out, yo' just go back an' yo' put ice on it. Yo' keep dat tongue froze. As long as yo' keep dat tongue froze just as hard, yo' know like when yo' freeze sompin it git real hard - as long as yo' have dat tongue froze, it will work. Yo' keep de tongue froze. De morning dat yo' are goin' to trial, get up - just like yo' get up out of yore bed, don't make it up, leave it. Take yore undahclothes, yo' turn dem on de wrong side, even yore socks. Put on yore shoes an' clothes an' yo' come on out. Den yo' go to court. If dat tongue is froze when yo' go to court, to trial an' get up on de stand, dey'll call de witness to de stand, it'll freeze his tongue. He can't talk like he wants to. He'll git up dere an' he'll make some mistakes. He'll git up dere an' he'll talk, he'll be talkin' against yo', but de way dat he'll talk, it'll be in yore favor. See. He'll sort of stutter an' can't get de thing right like he wants, yo' know. Dey will throw it [case] out then.
Entry 8977
If a man in trouble or a woman in trouble, who tryin' tuh work some scheme, yo' can't git nuthin out de law.] Look lak yo' cain't git justice an' yo' done made every move yo' could make an' yo' would try some othah move tuh make. An' lak a person would tell yo' go to Sech-an'-sech, dat dey knows. Den yo' come to me, ah knows. Ah'll say, "Whut's de trouble?" Yo' tell 'em [me], "Well, ah'm in trouble fo' a grave murder. Ah done tried eve'y law [lawyer] heah ah could an' dey cain't do no Say, Say, "Ah want chew tuh take up mah case if yo' think dat chew could." Ah say, "Who's yo' witnesses on dis case? Is yo' got witnesses or...?" [You] say, "Yeah, ah got several wltness." [I] say, "Could yo' git to de witness against dis end of it?" Yo' say, "Yeah, ah could git de names of 'em. Ah knows who's 'em all goin' prosecute me." [I] say, "Git me dere name an' write 'em down fo' me. When yo' git 'em, write 'em nine times, each one of de defendants name, write 'em an' bring 'em to me. An' ah'll read 'em an' ah'll look at 'em, de best ah kin do." So yo' bring me these names, write 'em down. Ah say, "All right." Ah got de names. Yo' got three witnesses prosecutin' yo'. An' heah yo' got three witnesses, defendant, an' ah say, "Separate de de- fendants from de prosecutin'." Den we separate it an' write it nine times. Ah say, "Now, go git me a beef tongue." It's jes' lak three ag'inst an' two wit. (There are three against you and two for you. And now you are going to sepa- rate those names?) Yeah, ah want each one dere names. Now, yo' gimme de three prosecutors. All right, yo' kin go write 'em down nine times.
(Each one nine times?)
"Yes, on a brown piece of papah, nine times, an' give 'em tuh me." Ah take dem names. All right, ah got dese citizen witness nine times on 'nothah piece of brown papah. All right, ah take each one de brown papahs [demonstrates] an' den ah'll fold 'em three times an' ah put de top papah, de two witness, ah put dem on de top de prosecutors yo' see. Put 'em on dere an' git me de beef tongue an' take dat beef tongue an' ah split it. Ah split de beef tongue an' ah put de prosecutors on de bottom down dere an' put de 'fenders [defenders] on de top, an' sew de tongue up. Ah hang it up in de chimley - put a nail in de chimley an hang it up an' let it smoke till de day of de trial. "When de day of de trial come, notify me of de day of de trial, git me 50 pounds of ice, an' chip de ice out jes' tuh fit dat tongue. An' bring de tongue from down de chimley an' put de tongue in dere betwixt dat ice, jes' tuh fit in an' bury it wit de othah.
(Where do you bury it?)
Bury it in de ice. An' when de judge git on de stand an' de jurors, dat [tongue] smoke an' smokes all dere fears an' evil away, an' dat freezes de jud- ge's tongue an' dey mo' or less have a hanged trial. De trial is mo' or less tuh hang, if it don' acquit dem. It will hang de trial up or throw it outa co't. [Here I stopped recording thinking informant had ended, but then he started to tell about the origin of the tongue rite.]
(The reason you know this is true is because of what?)
When de magicians, de people dat 'sposed [supposed] tuh have two haids [a two- head or twoheader] an' know eve'ything, when dey wuz goin' through de lan', when Saul wanted tuh see his brothah Simon, an' so he had heard dat yo' use jes' a lamb, if yo' wanta him nearer down in de land somewhere, down in de land, dat dis ole magician hoodoo woman she passes that [along to us].
(She started this thing? The beef tongue?)
Yes.
Entry 8978
Get yo' a beef tongue, an' get de judge's name. An' if dey have a wit- ness, get one for de witness an' one for de district attorney. An' yo' get a block of ice. An' yo' see, yo' set dem three candles or white candles [mentioned before recording started and also later] on [this] ice before yore trial, an' dat chills dere tongues. Yo' put de tongue into a big block of ice [usually 50 pounds]. Just make a hole an' put it down into de ice. An' cut de tongue open an' put de judge's name, de dis- trict attorney's name, an' de witness [name] in dat. An den set de light [candles] on before yo' go to court. One candle for each of dose people. Use white candles.
Entry 8979
(In this court case now.)
Now, if yo' got a case an' yo' know it's a bad case, well yo' go tuh de market an' git chew a beef tongue, an' aftah yo' git dat subpoenee. Den yo' git de iudge name an' yo' git chure witness name whut ag'inst yo'. An' yo' write all dat down on dat same subpoenee whut de judge name on it. Yo' git chew hot peppah tuh ketch 'em an' yo' put dat in yore lamp. Yo' burn dat until yo' go tuh co't., 'Fo' [before] yo' go yo' turn de chairs, mattress, bed, every- thing, upside down. De shoe, dat left-foot shoe, turn it upside down, whut chew ain't been wearin' fo' quite a while - turn dat upside down. An' yo' git chew a pink candle, a St. Raymond candle [St. Raymond's candle more likely to be green - see No.3042-3051, Pp.877-880] dat a pink candle. An' yo' leave somebody at de house an' dey'll burn it tuh keep it from ketchin' de house [afire] or anything. Yo' git dere an' yo' git chew some cinnamon, some ground cinnamon an' de brown sugah; an' yo' only have tuh have dat much in yore han', as yo' goin' up when de judge call yo'. Jis' have it lak dat an' jis' sprinkle it an' go ahead on up, sprinkle it aroun'. Den aftah evahthing is ovah, yo' come back an' yo' git dat tongue.
(After the case is all over?)
Aftah de case is all ovah, yo' come back an' git dat tongue an' yo' put it down in de ground an' yo' leave it stay in de ground three days. An' aftah dem three days, yo'll take it up an' let it stay up, a day an' a night, on top of de ground. Den yo' take it an' carry it tuh de graveyard an' bury it if yo' yanta. If not, yo' kin carry it tuh de rivah. BUT DE CASE IS OUT. IT'LL NEVAH BE CALL UP ANY MO' ON DIS SIDE OF JUDGMENT [DAY].
(Now, how is that pink candle burned while I am down at the court?)
Well, yo' have tuh have somebody dere tuh burn it all day - all day.
(Where is that tongue all this time? Where is that tongue?)
De tongue gonna be at de house in de smoke, in de smoke an' de needles - in de smoke of wood, papah, anything yo' kin keep it a-burnin' wit, until yo' git back.
(You keep it smoking and the candle is on a table burning?)
Well, de candle is jis' as good as de tongue. Let me tell yo' dat right now.
(Wait a minute! Are we using both the candle and the tongue or what?)
Yo' kin use both, both of 'em.
Entry 8980
Now if yo' go before de iudge, de judge goin' to discharge yo', ac- cording to what kind of case, yo' know, yo'll have. Well, if yo' got people against yo', yo' know, an' yo' don't want to have dem part of de jury. Yo' going before de judge, like if it's a criminal case, yo' know, yo' got to have de jury. Yo' see, dey have [a panel of] 75 jurors [to select jurors from]. Well, yo' don't know what people [will be on the jury]. They don't pick out but twelve. Now, yo' don't know what twelve dey going to pick out. Dat makes yo' gotta use de whole panel. Yo' see, ah [in my work] done use 'em all.[ Well, now, de person - what jurors is against yo'. Yo' go an' get yo' a beef tongue, a fresh beef tongue. Pay odd money fo' it, not even money - 25 or 35 cents or somepin like dat. Let de money be odd money. An' yo' go an' take dat tongue an' yo' get these peoples names what is against yo', what done harm yo', don't yo' see or what yo' done harm. Yo'll take dat tongue, yo'll write de names on a piece of papah, an' yo'll write all dem jurymen's names, de dis- trict attorney.
(The whole 75 of those names?)
Yeah, just put de whole 75. Yo' have to use de 75, because outa dem yo' get twelve.
(I see. All right.)
Now, yo' get de district attorney what is de man to prosecute yo'. Yo'll get his name an' put it on dere, but not de judge in dat part. An' yo'll -git yo' dat tongue. Yo' get yo' nine needles an' nine pins. Yo'll get yo' dese people names an' yo'll put down on dere an' yo'll put dat down in de throat of dat tongue. Yo'll take dat tongue an' yo'll hang it up in de chimney. An' den aftah dat, yo'll take an' git yo' some watah an' yo'll get yo' some peppah. Yo' git yo some coarse snuff an' yo'll burn a - light a candle.
(Coarse snuff?)
Coarse snuff, dat coarse snuff; not dat in a box. An' yo'll light dat candle an' yo'll put it.in dere. Now, yo' want to come clear an' yo' want de judge to be lenient wit yo', so yo' take de judge's name. An' yo'll take de judge ame, den yo'll git yo' a block of ice, 'bout fifty pounds of ice. Yo' put it in a little pail an' yo'll sweeten it. Den yo'll light de candle, but yo'll light it straight up [the candle will be standing upl. An' den yo' see, sweeten de judge. But this othah part what yo' do, yo' take an' yo' put de candle - yo' turn 'em upside down, yo' get dat coarse snuff an' all dat, an' put in dere. Well dat make de district attorney be fightin' against dem. An' de people, what he got fo' witness, goin' to speak against yo'. Anything dey drink, perhaps dey drink whiskey. Some might drink gin or somepin like dat. Well yo'll get dat [liquor] an' yo' put dere name an' set yo' a little glass. An' put dat candle on dat [name and liquor in the glass] an' ah'll guarantee every one of 'em will go to court drunk. An' yo'll come out clear 'cause dey'll be drunk. Dey won't know what they're sayin'. They'll be lying backwards and forwards.
(What'll that ice do?)
Well, yo' see, de ice, dat's to cool, dat's fo' yore part. De ice makes yo' cool. Yo' know ice makes yo' cool. [Usually ice freezes apponent's tongue.] Well, de judge won't be fiery wit yo'. See, he'll be cool an' calm. But on dis othah side, yo' get dat snuff an' yo' put dem names in dere an' yo' get dat beef tongue. Yo' put dem things in dere an' shove dat tongue, all down in de throat, an' just hang dat tongue up an' den yo'll see. Yo'll see an' dey'll be lyin' an' dey'll be drunk. Just what dey drink, yo' set dat candle in dere [in the glass]. An' dey'll be lyin' an' dey won't say a thing against yo'. What color...just what candles you select. Don't try de black candles.
(Anything but black?)
But black candles.
(How many do you burn?)
Yo' burn - see, if dere's five people, yo' put five candles. An' if it's three, yo' put three; just accordin' to how many is against yo', yo' put dem many candles. An' den what they drink, yo' get a little glass, just what fit de candle an' put dat [liquor] in dere, an' ah'll guarantee yo' every one will be drunk.
Entry 8981
[This is a rite for an altar shaped like a triangle, one of the angles being 45°, so that it will fit into the corner of a room. A triangular board as a shelf would also serve the purpose. Sometimes an oblong or a square table is placed catercornered in a corner of the room. Such a device saves space, can be shut off by a curtain, and represents one of the four corners of the earth (Reve- lation of St. John the Divine, 7:1). One of these altars I actually describe under (3) My third psalmist (INTRO- lines 16-21). Though my informant does not say so, the pan of salt holding names and burn- ing candles did not rest on the floor, but upon an altar. We must also suspect the presence of holy objects, such as pictures of saints. My great friend, the Rev. J. Langtry Williams - mentioned in Pictures for Alma at the end of Folklore from Adams County Illinois, 2nd edition - described the reli- gious arrangement of his part-time housekeeper. She being elderly and ill, he went up to Harlem (black section in New York City) on a pastoral call. Her whole room was an altar! Two wires from the four corners of the ceiling sagged and crossed in the center'of the room. Along these wires at intervals were strung holy pictures and objects. In one of the corners was a shelf or small stand hold- ing a colored light with a float. She had seen my friend's sanctuary lamp over in the church, but these private shrines were common long before she met Father Wil- liams. All these religious actions are concerned with what I call the magic of the diagonal, one arm or both of the "x" or St. Andrew's cross. Hoodoo has many similar rites - the old housekeeper's also being a quincunx, which again is well represented in Hoodoo. For similar private shrines see: CUSTODIAN OF A SHRINE, PP.1139-1158; BEER FOR ST. PETER, CIGAR AND WHISKEY FOR ST. ANTHONY, PP.1220-1236; A WOMAN AND HER THREE SAINTS, Pp.1401-1414; etc, all in v.2.] In a sense [instance?] of that kind my godmother always burned nine candles and they have a beef tongue. Well, see different peoples come there and wanted cases dismissed [from court]. They'd get a beef tongue and they'd stick that beef tongue full of pins. And they have a string running from this part of the wall to that part. They'd tie that tongue up there [demonstrates].
(So it's hanging between the walls, you mean?)
Yes sir, yo' see just like de corner there [points].
(Yes.)
Well, they'd tie it hanging - hang it in the corner that way. An' they'd put them [demonstrates].
(Across - well, just one over the other.)
Yes.
(You put the strihg across one corner, one - show me how you do.)
See [demonstrates]. (Like that, I see. One cord over the other cord just so it cuts off a corner.) Yes. (They cut off the space in a triangle [the cut-off space becomes a triangle]. All right.) The left-hand corner of the house.
(Well, which is the left-hand corner of the house?)
Well, that [points to it] would be the left-hand corner of this house. You mean coming in? (Oh, it's the left-hand corner coming in. All right. And [demonstrates again] they hang this tongue in that [2 wires] like a swing? They put it in a swing?) Yes, see.
(All right.)
Just put two string between two corners - see, like that.
(Holes [nails] right in the corner.)
An' they puts [in the tongue] a whole paper of stick pins, pointed pins, yo' know. Stick 'em in this all ovah, all around. An' they write dat name on them candles - they got nine candles there.
(What name do they write on there?)
They write your name [client] on there.
(The person that wants to get free.)
Sure. Now they write your name on there. And then they take any kind of pan an' they'll fill that pan with salt, an' they'll write that judge an' the dis- trict attorney name on there, an' put it in this salt.
(What will they write all that on?)
On paper.
(I see, and put it in the salt. All right.)
An' put it in this salt. An' when they light them candles they go ahead on to the court house. If yo' not discharged that day, the case is throwed off. An' when they come back again, make another dressing [repeat the candle ceremony], maybe it throwed off again. (Now, you put all these nine candles in that pan of salt, burning. Are they all lighted at once? What color are the candles?)
[All candles are lighted at the same time.]
Different colors.
(I see.)
Red, blue, green, yellow, white - different colors. (Different colors, I see. But my name [client's name] is written on those candles, I see.) See, an' they write de judge an' de district attorney name - put that on that paper upside down like that an' light them candles an' go on out. Now, that case liable to be thrown out today. All right, call that case up again, fust de morning before that case is called at 9:15, dey light them candles again. Maybe throwed out that time. Next time....
Entry 8982
Yo' go to de slaughter pen an' yo' get yo' a fresh beef tongue. An' yo' write his name, whosomevah, if yo' kin get dem witness names. Yo' write dem witness name down. Write each witness name down on a piece of papah. An' yo' take dat beef tongue an' split it open just like dis [demonstrates] an' put all dem names in dat beef tongue an sew it back up. An' yo' wrap dat up good an' yo' go on down dere [to court] wit dat in yore pocket. An' sit dere. When de witness get up dere, dey can't talk. All dem tongue-tied, dey can't say nuthin - just cross-talk, dey can't say nuthin. An' yo' goin' to get discharged.
Entry 8983
Yo' take a beef tongue an' yo' goin' to court, an' yo' takes it, an yo' put de one's name who got yo' arrested, an' de judge, an' de district attor- ney and the party dat's accusin' yo' [caused the arrest] an' yo' puts de [3] names in dere. An' yo' write it an' yo' stick it a way down in dat tongue. Yo' go to court an' yo' can carry dat tongue wit yo', wrap it up good, in yore pocket. When dey get ready to say somepin, dere tongue will be tied, becuz dere name is down in dat tongue - pushed a way down in dere - an' dere mind get all up [upset], an' dere tongue get heavy. It's just like if yo' take somepin [and put it] on my tongue - put anythin' in dere. It goin' to make it still heavier, if it held wit a weight, ain't it? Well, dat'd make de tongue get heavy an' dey can't say nuthin. So dat's de reason why - dat's what a tongue do's. Yo' put de name in dere, de party dat accused her [had her arrested], de judge, an' de district attorney. Dat's who all names yo' want, Just de three names: de party dat's ac- cusin' 'er, de judge, an' de district attorney. [New Orleans, La., (826a) 1212:2.]
Entry 8984
Well, de beef tongue. If a guy have commit a crime, why yo' git dat beef tongue an' put nine needles in it, [name of criminal in], an' take it to de cemetery an' put it on a grave. Wrap it up yo' know an' put it on de grave. An' it'll stay there till it spoil an' fade away. An' in dat time it fade away, dis guy will be back, yo' see, an' den he's captured.
(Whose grave do you put this tongue on?)
Well, yo' put it on any' grave dat chew know of, who had not been buried, yo' know, not so very long.
(You don't put it on the grave of the man who was killed?)
No, no.
(This is to bring back some man who has committed a crime?)
Well, yo' see, de man dat had done committed de crime, why yo' jes' put it in on a grave dat chew know of people were real smart peOpZe [DOES THIS MEAN THE GRAVE OF A "TWO-HEAD?" IF SO, THIS WOULD PROBABLY BE MY ONLY EXAMPLE OF USING THE GRAVE OF A "TWO-HEAD" - A HOODOO CANONIZED INTO A SAINT!] An' den When dat fade, why de man will be back an' be captured.
Entry 8985
Yo' take beef tongue an' dries it. Yo' make a dust out of dat, under- stand. Yo' take that an' dries it. Yo' take it - just like yo' take it an' lay it, let it just wither up. Hang it so it wither up, yo' see. Well, yo' take it, yo' take blood of dragon - dragon's blood. Yo' take lodestone. Yo' take that an' grind it up. An' yo' takes a piece of red flannel an' yo' puts them in there an' makes yo' a bag out of that. An' yo' sew it up an' yo' tote it in your pocket. He always be's lucky an' successful man, never being bothered or worried or caught up when he's out walking around. See, he ain't got no job or nothing, he's out hustling for his living. Laws and things don't pick him up an' ask him a lot of questions or any- thing. If they ask him, all he's got to do is to tell him, why he's goin' tend- ing to his business, an' they let's him go.
Entry 8986
Well now some people reads de Psalms.
(Any particular number?)
Yes. Now, yo' could read de 56 Psalm an' when yo' goin' in court: [Be merci- ful unto me, O God...mine enemies would daily swallow me up...in God I have put my turst; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me... King James Version.] Well, dat will keep de judge's mind enunwavered [= enervated = deprived of nerve, force or strength] all de time, an' so if he's supposed to give yo' a summons, yo' don't get no summons.
Entry 8987
Yo' jis' read it befo' yo' have to go before de judge. Yo' read de 27th Psalm: [The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear... For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his taber nacle shall he hide me; he shall set me upon a rock. King James Version.]
The informant names the 27th Psalm. The bracketed King James excerpt is supplied editorially; no recitation, reading event or court outcome is established.
Entry 8988
If yo' go tuh co't to de judge, it's a scripture in de Bible. It's a Psalm, it's a verse in there, an' while de judge is talkin' yo' be repeatin' dat to him: Make haste, O Lord, tuh deliver me [perhaps Make haste to help me, O Lord my saZvation - Ps:38:22]. An' fast as he be talkin' to yo', yo' be repeatin' dat in yore mind.
Entry 8989
Have mercy on mah soul. Yessuh, when dey call me up, call mah case, ever' time ah come in de co'thouse, ah say, "Lawd, have mercy on mah soul."
(That's all you have to do?)
Dat's ever'thing ah've done an' that's God's truth. [Have mercy on my soul is not a Biblical quotation, it is probably a personal back formation from the judge's sentence of death: May the Lord have mercy upon your soul.] [Fayette- ville, N. Car., (1416), 2550:10a.1
Entry 8990
If a man evah git into trouble an' he wants tuh git outa trouble, co'se [of course] it ain't no root but chew git chew a Testament, a little Bible dat's got de Psalms in it, an' yo' read dat piece ever' mawnin' at seven o'clock. Have dat Bible brought to yo' in de jail whilst dey got chew in prison. Read dat piece ever' mawnin' at seven o'clock. Git up an' read dat piece an' read in dere. Ah've did dat, chew see: Oh, Lord deliver me in mah distress; deliver me from de han's of mah enemies [this sounds like a conflation from 2 different Psalms]. An' dey said dat chew will overcome dat. Ah did it an' ah got out, did conquer 'em. Ever' mawnin' yo' read dat piece. Git dat little book, dat Bible.
Entry 8991
(Now, right at the beginning. You said, he was brought before the judge because he did something.) If yo' go to - if yo' had did somepin othah, an' de judge goin' try yo' fer it, an' yo' was out under bond, yo' read de 109th Psalms ever' mawnin' befo' sun- up, ever' mawnin' three times fo' seven mawnin's until yore trial time. An' den when yo' go down, yo' done read dat, yo' done read an' yo' done read. An' yo' read it. An' de Lord, yo' has asked 'im to an- swer your question. Well, yo's seeking advantage of the judge, an' when yo' goes down, he goin': have mercy. on yo'. He might be goin' try yo' an' give yo' life or your neck, but when yo' go down dere, aftah yo' done read dat seven mawnin's an' burnt dose encense [in- cense] when yo' read it - yo' goes down, an' he'll find, he finally say dat. He'll turn yo' loose. He ain't goin' find yo' guilty. He might fine yo' $100 or $2. He may not fine yo' nuthin, jes' let yo' go on, dismiss de case.
Entry 8992
Ah heard dat if yo' wanta git a light fine, if dey take yo' down fo' speedin'. If yo' kin git chew a Bible an' read de 32nd Psalm fo' nine mawnin's - if yo' stay in dat long, read it fo' nine mawnin's. Git up in de mawnin' an' don't say a word tuh nobody, jes' go 'head an' read de 32nd Psalm fo' nine mawnin'. Dey say de judge would be light on yo'.
Entry 8993
Yo' wanta know 'bout whut ah would do to keep people 'way from me. Ah go ketch one dese wild birds an' ah pull a feather out of his right wing an' burn it, an' burn quick- silvah with it, an' ah sprinkle this around the co'thouse do'. Well, dat beat 'em in all sech case.
(That is to beat a lawsuit case.)
Entry 8994
If there is enough money involved, most all the root doctors, they goes to work and see the judge privately an' say, "I've got $100, " an' say, ''here's $50." Yo' understand? "Here's $50 I got $100 for the job." Well, de judge will dismiss him. Well, this fellow, weak-minded fellow, he thinks that this man [root doctor] did it. See, he's a root doctor but he's faking his way through the world. I've seen that happen 'cause I worked for a judge an' seen 'em come up dere - the root doctors. [For another example of a doctor influencing a judge, see my experience with Doctor Washington of Charleston, S. Car., No.9024.j
Entry 8995
Like if yo' are in jail an' yo' wanta get out. If yo' in jail, yo' have to go to court an' yo' don't know whether yo' going to get out. Yo' take yo' a broom an' yo' sweep yoreself fo' nine mornings. [Since there are a number of sayings in Hoodoo stating that a person swept by a broom will go to jail, the situation is believed to be magically reversible: you can get out of jail by sweeping yourself down.]
(How do you sweep yourself?)
Sweep yourself down for nine mornings with a broom.
Entry 8996
Yo' take those ole buckeyes, yo' see, an' yo' carry one in yore pocket; an' jes' lak if yo' had one, get to de co't, why yo' take it an' chew it.
(That's to influence the judge.)
Entry 8997
Git de buckeye an' red peppah an' John de Conkah root an' jes' pound that up into a powder an' sprinkle it in de co'troom, an' dat makes a deal of dif- ference. (Well, what do you use of the buckeye, the knob [shell] or - the knob or what?) De knob.
Entry 8998
Ah hear'd dem say once, say a man had killed somebody, but ah don't [know] who he is. Ah jis' heer'd dis thing now, dat a man had killed somebody yo' see. An' he went up tuh de judge, went in de co't an' see a buttahfly fly aroun'. Come in de co'thouse an' fly aroun', aroun' where de judge goin'. An' den aftah dat, say in courtyard in de front, dey see snakes been crawlin' on de wire. An' aftah dat, he [judge] tell de man tuh go on back home. But de case wus thrown off for a certain time, but ah don't know how he [rootman] do it.
(Well, how did that butterfly and snake get in there?)
Ah don't know how he git in dere, but dey say de rootman musta carry 'em in dere. [For snakes in the cOurthouse, See DOCTOR BUZZARD OF BEAUFORT, SOUTH CAROLINA, No.3070, pp.891-905.] (Oh, the rootman brought them in there. I see.) [This account is marked lowland dialect, meaning that it is not too well transcribed.]
Entry 8999
Ketch a fellah an' take him down tuh de judge. If it's so an' dat he has some friends an' dey kin git to him an' kin give him somepin tuh he'p 'iml self. If dey do, why dey sends out tuh de drug sto' an' buys 'em 15 cents of incense. Yo' kin git it now in small packages. It use'ly cost yo' 25 an' 30 cents. Git 'im some incense an' git 'im 'some cayenne peppah. Lak yo' got a friend some place dat chew wanta be good to 'em. Git dat cayenne peppah an' dat incense an' 'bout half of a teaspoon fullah salt. Take a silver [dime] an' put it in yore mouth, an' when yo' lay dat undah yore tongue to yore mouth, why yo' goes back an' read de 23rd Psalms. Dat says, De Lord is mah shepherd. Ah shall not want. Well, yo' repeats dat nine times. An' when de judge calls yo', yo' take dat peppah an' holds it in yore han', when he call yore name, an' rubs it. Yo' hol' dat in yore han' rubs it. An' evah time de judge says somepin, yo' mashes [squeezes] yore dime an' still rubs yore peppah. An' when yo' do 'gin [begin] tuh think dat he's gittin' really rough wit chew, yo' takes an' yo' brushes yore han' lak dat. Well, de fellah dat is clost tuh yo' is goin' burn a candle on yo'. When yore trial begin tuh come, yo' burns dat candle, once in de mawnin' befo' de sunrise, an' in de evenin' jes' as de sun go down. An' whatevah it is, yo' see, yo' makes dis wish 'cuz yo' know at de same time dat chew burnin' dis candle, yo' burnin' it fo' 'im. Well, if he don' turn a-loose, he'll make it easy fo' 'im. Prob'ly he won't git no time an' if he do, he may git a light fine.
(What color candle do you burn?)
Yo' bums a perfect white candle.
(What do you do with that incense that you bought. What happens to that?)
De incense is fo' de luck an' yore success. De red peppah an' salt kills all evil spirits. Dat keeps de judge from believin' hard witness ag'inst chew.
(Where is that incense burned? Is it burned or what? Who burns it?)
Yassuh, it's tuh burn. De one dat burns de candle burns de incense, at home with de little taste of sugah in it. An' de peppah is on de stove. Yo' have tuh burn it, yo' know, fo' it's somepin hot. An' dat salt, he has hit himself. But no one cain't use no salt outa dat box fo' nuthin else but jes' fo' his use. An' aftah he git out, he takes de salt an' take it tuh de rivah an' throw it in run- nin' watah. Dat throws away all his trouble.
(He only throws away the salt?)
Yassuh, aftah he git out. Why he comin' out. Well, he goes ovah an' throw dat salt in de rivah an' don' even look back. His bad luck is gone. Jes' pitch it in dere an' walk on off.
Entry 9000
If yo' know de judge's name. Yo' know 'is name? Two days 'fo' yuh is goin' tuh court - two days 'fo' yuh go dere...
(Yes?)
Listen me well now. Two days 'fo' yuh go dere, yuh know 'is name. Put 'em tuhgethah. Yuh puts some cinnamon an' sugah in a saucah, an' put 'is name undah dat saucah. Dat's tuh sweeten 'im up, yuh an' 'im. Dat's right. (That's all you have to do?) Dat's all yuh do. Jis' git 'is name an' yuh name tuhgethah, an' put de cinnamon an' sugah, an' put it in a saucah an' put de candle- on top 'is name, undah dat saucah on de table.
(What kind of candle do you put on that saucer?)
A black - ah, ah white candle.
(White candle.)
Plain white candle.
(I see.)
All yuh gotta do.
Entry 9001
Uses de Bible on dat. Ah uses - take de 13 chaptah of Ezekiel [for] dat, but ah takes it backwards, read it backwards. Aftah when ah read it back- wards an' sit down an' write chure name, yore crime dat chew committed, an' yore luck [fortune], all onto hit. See. Fold it up an' give to yo' an' sent yo' tuh court say, "Go an' ah'll go wit chew." Yo' go tuh co't at nine 'clock. Ah'm goin' be workin' directly fo' yuh at nine 'clock through de Bible, an' light two candles. On dese candles ah have judge's name an' yore name. De candles is a Wax candle. Lights a black candle. An' ah would have 'em white an' colored - all, tuh git a very low sentence an' a lot of 'em would git loose.
(Where do you buy these candles?)
Ah orders all of mine from Kingston, Jamaica.
(Kingston, Jamaica - I see. What is the name of the firm down there?)
Peterburg Factory - Peelburg, Pillsburg. Dat's where ah orders all mine, dese candles from.
Entry 9002
Well, if de individual is in de courthouse - yo' know dat simple rock candy - dat rock candy if yo' can get it, to get to de individual dat is locked up in jail, having 'im overnight to put dat rock candy all around de bunk dat he sleeps in or de bed. See. Taking some of dis perfume dey call Coty's.
(Coty's, yes. [I spell the word!]
C-o-t-y?) Absolutely. [In other words, do not use a cheap perfume, use a well-known brand.] Saturating his underclothes well with it - shirt also. Next mawn- in' puttin' on de clothes on de wrongside - shirt also. In three hours he will be acquitted from de case.
(I see.)
Entry 9003
[The following two remarkabie stories in numbers 9004 and 9005, both stories about a disappearing black cat, complement each other and should be read in the order listed here. The first story is a second-hand account, a valuable one, the one that was floating about in the air. Then by sheer luck I found the actual man, the man of the story, and persuaded him to relate his personal account of what hap- pened. For this, read following 9004.] Dere was boy heah [St. Petersburg, Fla.] killed a fellah 'bout fo' yeahs ago [1935], shot 'im peepin' in de window. He was peepin' in de window watching fo' somepin an' he shot through de window an' killed dis fellah an' put 'im in de car [automobile]. He didn't think he was dead. An' he carried 'im out heah on a lot an' throwed 'im off, aftah he found out he was dead. An' he went up heah to Charleston, S. Carolina. He may have went to dis same man mah uncle went tuh, ah don't know. But it was done about fo' yeahs ago, an' dey said he went dere. Ah did know de fellah's [killer's] name. Some of dese boys out heah [waiting to be interviewed] probably do know dat fellah's name. But anyhow, he went dere [to Charleston] an' he talked wit dis man [doctor] an' he tole 'im how it was. De man charged 'im five dollahs. Says, "Yo' gimme five dollahs an' yo' kin go right on back to St. Petersburg." He says, "Don't go an' give up but drive round wit yore car" - he had de same car an' ever'thing - "an' let de officah 'rest yo'." He [killer] said de man put a black cat in his [killer's] auto - a real black cat didn't have a white spot on 'im. He said, "When dis cat jump out, yo' jes' go 'head. Don' yo' put 'im out, let 'im jump out." Winnie Miles! Dat's de negro's name. He says - Winnie tole me, me an' Winnie is good frens, he says, "We driv 'bout 40 miles outa Columbia [Winnie was passing through Columbia, South Carolina, on his way home to St. Petersburg] an' dat cat layin' dere. An' directly ah looked round, de cat was gone." An' he come on to St. Petersburg. An' he druv all around an' dey 'rest 'im on [Something] Drive, dat was 'fore it was built up, up heah. An' dey 'rested 'im an' carried 'im down dere, an' dey carried 'im tuh Clear- Water an' he come clear. Dey turned 'im loose. He says dere's somepin to dat man [the doctor]. He didn't tell me de ole man's name but dat he he'ped [helped] 'im.
(Was his name Buzzard?)
Ah've heard of Dr. Buzzard but it wasn't Buzzard.
Entry 9004
[Logically the story within this number follows the preceding one, and for continuity both should be read in that order.] Ah went tuh a hoodoo workah sometime ago in Ca'lina [South Carolina]. Ah was intuh a lotta [trouble]. Ah didn't know jes' what dey did wit it, but dey tole me. Dey giveded me a black cat. Ah was drivin' a Ford car an' dey tole me when ah git to two fo'ks [forks] of de road, de cat would be gone, tuh come on back home. Ah didn't wants tuh come back, ah was 'fraid of de law; but he insisted on me tuh come back, dat evah'- thin' would be all right. Ah come on an' when ah got tuh de two fo'ks of de road, why dis cat disappeahed from me. An' dat cat disappeah an' ah don't know where de cat did go. Well, anyway ah come back an' he tole me - dat was in de month of July - an' he tole dey would have mah trial on de 9th day of Novembah, which was purtty much tuh three months. He tole me dat dey would set it fo' de ninth day but it would be a mistrial. He was goin' make 'em be a mistrial. An' he giveded [me] some sulphuh an' he giveded me twelve [12] goldeye needles, an' he tole me tuh weah mah garment tuh mah skin turned wrongside out three mawnin's.
(Three mornings when?)
Three mawnin's befo' de trial. An' pin dōse needles, six of 'em tuh each side wit de points turned tuhwards de earth, an' ah would be all right. Well, ah did so. So ah was all right. (Well, when you went to see this man, how did [the subject of] that black cat happen to come up? Just try to remember when you went there, what he said to you.) Well, when ah first - he giveded me a bag, a li'le bag tuh tote. Tole me tuh git a bottle of perfume, of Hearts Perfume an' po' a li'le on it, po' it on it 'bout seven 'clock dat night. Evah evenin' about seven 'clock ah must dress it. An' he calleded dis cat tuh me an' he ginen [given] it tuh me. He sont dis cat wit me. He tole me dat he wasn't worryin' but he was gonna send somepin wit me. An' he tole dat when it git tuh de fo'k [fork] of de road - aftah goin' about twenty miles, he said, he'll come back. He'll be back here. An' so ah did care [carry] dis cat about twenty miles.
(How did you carry it?)
In mah left ahm. He giveded it tuh me in mah left ahm [arm].
(He told you to hold this cat in your left arm?)
Dat's right, in mah left ahm. An' ah cared [carried] it about twenty miles an' it disappeahed.
(Were you walking or riding?)
Ah was ridin'.
Entry 9005
Heard of 'em say yo' take a black cat, yo' know, an' kill 'im an' put 'im up on de do'. Say yo' cain't stay dere. Nail him up on de do', say yo can't stay dere. (Well, I would see them if they did that, wouldn't I?) No, dey fix so yo' couldn't see, yo' wouldn't know it wuz dere. Ovah de do' or on de do', ah disremembah.
Entry 9006
Yo' got a case yo' know. If a person has got a case in co't, yo' use a black hen aig, de yellah of a black hen aig. Have tuh throw de white away an' use de yellah. Take some rum an'
[this egg yolk and] make pills an' give 'em. Dat's all ah've evah seen 'em do wit dat.
Entry 9007
De aig is a lucky aig in de line if yo' in trouble an' if any- body wants tuh git chew outa trouble. Well, dey take a black chicken aig an' boil it an' carry it tuh yo' while yo' in jail, an' let chew jes' keep dat aig in yore han' parta de time. Jes' lak yo' says, "Ah'm gon'a eat dis aig, '' but yo' nevah would eat it. Jes' do dat way. An' fin'ly yo'll git outa jail.
Entry 9008
Dey say dat yo' could take a aig from a black hen an' if yo' in any kinda trouble or wanta git out, an' yo' bust it up ovah yore do' or eithah jes' on a gatepost. Jes' lak dat yo' could even go tuh de place where, where yo' are tuh be tried at, an' bust it up on dere. Dey say dat yo' would come clear. [In this rite and the two preceding, we must remember that intention, though unexpressed, is the magic power. The following rite expresses the intention.]
Entry 9009
Why he'll jes' take a fresh aig an' when he go tuh co't, one of his people kin jes' carry dis aig an' jes' bust it up on de co'thouse, an' tell it whut dey want it tuh do. Why it will come all right.
Entry 9010
Yo' take dis aig, a black hen's aig, an' yo' go tuh wherevah de trial's goin' tuh be, an' throw dis aig 'cross de co'thouse or jailhouse, whatsomevah it is. Throw it 'cross dat. Dey say dat's O.K. (That settles the case.) Yo' done control 'em, yo' see, an' dey throw de case out.
Entry 9011
An' anothah thing, jes' lak yo' got somepin in co't, yo' kin take a aig an' throw it on de side of de co't when it is on [during the triall.an' jes' one time. An' throw it up dere, an' call de person name dat chew had fuss wit an' dey have sue yo' yo' say, "Ah hope tuh God,"' call her by name, 'dat dey will throw dis outa co't, In de Name of de Father, [omitted and the Son] an' de Holy Ghost," an' throw it up dere on de co'thouse an' let it jes' scattah. (And that person will be dismissed. They won't be put in jail.)
Entry 9012
Now, yo' goin' tuh handle a case in co't. Whut chew wanta do, yo' goes anywhere dat anybody is got any rotten aigs. An' if yo' kin find out de judge's name, yo' writes de name on it, an' let dat be jes' befo' de case come off - yo' undahstand, befo' han', when yo' write 'is name on it. An' jes' lak if yo' got somebody dat's goin' be tried dere tuhday, yo' jes' take it an' throw it up on de co'thouse an' let it bust an' run down - whensomevah dey git ready tuh be tried. Dey mo' den apt tuh come cleah.
Entry 9013
Take lak mah brothah wuz in jail fo' makin' whiskey. Ah'm jes' sayin' dis. Well, ah go tuh a [hoodoo] man an' tell 'im - go an' jes' take de case tuh him. An' he ask whut sheriff caught him. Well, yo' give him de sheriff's name. An' lak de recordah, yo' tell 'im where de recorder works. Well, he say, "When dey goin' have him tried?" Yo' say, "Dey might have it 'bout Wednesday, Monday or Wednesday." Says, "Well, ah does it fo' five dollahs." Yo' pay 'im five dollahs, an' he say, "Take a aig an' write dis one's name on it, who in trouble. Write his name on it an' de sheriff's name who cause it. Write an' jes' makes a list, yo' know, de clerk of de co't, an' write all dose name on dere. An' go right roun' de co'thouse an' throw it 'cross de co'thouse, an' it'll bust on dere, if yo' throw it hard enuff tuh throw it 'cross de co't- house, or bust on top of de co'thouse. If yo' cain't throw it up dat high, throw it high up on dere as yo' kin, jes' 'ginst de co'troom wherevah dey's goin' have de trial at. An' he'll tell yo', say, "Ah carry it clean out." Yo' know, ah carry, bring 'em out, de sheriff or nobody. If dey can't clear yo', dey git chew a stay.
Entry 9014
Well, ah heard dat chew kin git chew a black hen aig, see, an' carry it home an' boil it. But yo' have tuh go tuh de graveyard fo' dat. Yo' have tuh go tuh de graveyard an' dig down in dere by de person's haid where he was buried, up tuh yore elbows, yo' know, an' git a handful of dust an' come back, an' put it intuh dis pot what chew boil dat aig in. Put dat dirt dataway an' den take de aig an' carry it on up tuh de co'thouse. Jes' lak yo' de one wants tuh git out an' ah slip yo' de aig, an' yo' carries dat dere wit chew. Den yo' jes' let it drop somewhere on de floor an' bust it, an' dat'll help yo' tuh git a light fine. Sometime it cleahs yo'.
Entry 9015
[This is an unusual religious rite, my only example of the Sacred Host ever being mentioned. One would expect this to happen in New Orleans, not at Sumter, S. Car. Or is in- formant referring to the Lord's host or hosts, the angels?] Said if a man wuz in jail an' he's want some he'p [help] - if a man an' his friend dat know him an' he had a great habit dat might be tuh his relief, git de aig dat is laid, de aig dat is laid from a black hen. Dey [must be] dressed. Write de name of de twelve apostles, yes, an' 'be de Host's Bighty help, ' an' carry it - have him side face [face sideways] [and pray] dat God would he'p dat aig an' de twelve apostles dat dey name was written on dat aig [would help also], yo' understan' - to he'p de friend tuh come out of his trouble, don't chew understan'.
(What would they do with that egg, then?)
Carry it befo' - wait, lak, fo' ten mens tuh come 'long an' break it dat dey night walk ovah it. [I do not understand waiting for ten mens tuh come 'long. Does the waiter. bope that some of these men may be Jurymen or connected with the trial in some Way? Why ten?]
(That will get him out of jail.)
Entry 9016
Well, dere wus a guy roun' heah dat supposed tuh been a wise man. An' So ah'd got in a li'le trouble. An' mah wife she went tuh 'im tuh see could he he'p 'er. Well, he claimed tuh he'p 'er. He give her a red onion dat wus fulla straight pins, fo' her tuh keep. [A number of examples of the term wise man occur in Hoodoo as a synonym for witchcrafter, herb doctor, hoodoo, healer, two-head, etc. This word, old in English, is familiar to use from wise men from the East (Matt.2:1) King James Version; but translated by the New English Version as astrologers.]
(For your wife to keep?)
An' he give her a couple of aigs to bring to de jail where ah wus, an' when she start up de stairs, to drop one an' bust it. An' in de way of comin' in, take one an' throw up against de side of de jail, but how it wus fixed ah do not know - how it wus dressed.
Entry 9017
(You do what?) Dey take a frizzly aig from a frizzly chicken. [For friz- zly chicken, see Doctor Friz- zly, p.59f. and elsewhere.]
Yes, an' write on dat aig an' go roun' de co'thouse three time an' throw it on dere, an' if yo' got anybody in prison, dey will come out.
(What do you write on that egg?)
"Lord depart chew from dat trouble."
(Then you throw it on that courthouse.)
Entry 9018
If yo' git in trouble, see if yo' in trouble, in jail, or some of yore relatives in jail, or friends an' dey want out. Well, yo' kin take three aigs, right fresh aigs - see, right from de henhouse. See, not cold storage aigs. An' take an' write - yo' know de judge dat's goin' try yuh, put his name on de aig. (On just one egg?) No, on de three aigs. Put his name on de three aigs, de judge'g name. Yo' know he's goin' try yuh. An' de man dat caught chew, goin' up on de stand against yo', see, yo' put his name down on de aig. All right. Den yo' take dat aig an' chunk it up on de top of de buildin'. If yo' can't git a chance tuh chunk it up on de top of de buildin', if yo's in jail, send out someone an' git chew three aigs an' jes' in dis li'le stall [cell] heah, when de gang away, jes' put it up against de wall, say, "Ah put dis aig up 'ginst de wall In de Name of de Father, Son an' Holy Ghost, an' ah'll' [add any petition]. An' yo'll come out okay.
Entry 9019
In a lawsuit, dey say dey uses a fresh aig. Aftah dey go ahead an' fin' out de man dat's goin' try yo', dey puts his name on de aigs, an' dey puts dis name at de bottom an' yore name on top. An' dey puts de solicitor's name - ah think dey puts his name on de aigs. Dey puts de solicitor's name on de aig, too. Dey use three aigs. An' dey gotta go somewhere close by where dey has tuh sits, an' throw dem aigs up ovah de place an' busts dose aigs. Dat's all ah been told. An' make yore wishes. [In English usage, a solicitor belongs to that branch of the legal profession advising clients, representing them before lower courts, and preparing cases for barristers who try them in the higher courts. In American usage a solicitor is an officer who has charge of the legal business of a city or town.l
Entry 9020
All right, if yo' got some of yore friends in trouble an' wants tuh git 'em out. Prob'ly yo' got a purtty bad case an' yo' wants tuh git 'em out. Well, yo' kin go tuh de graveyard at night, twelve a'clock at night - let it be daid on de minute twelve aclock. Yo' go dere at night at twelve aclock an' yo' run yore arm down in de graveyard as fur as yo' kin git it down dere, right in de centah [a quincunx rite]. Yo' git a han'fulla dirt an' yo' take dat dirt an' git chew a plain white pocket han'ke'ch'ef dat don't have any streaks atall about de pocket han'ke'ch'ef - so it's plain white. An' yo' take dat dirt an' tie it up in de cornah de han'ke'ch'ef, puts it in yore pocket an' brings it on back. Well, yo' bring it back tuh de house an' when yo' git back tuh de house, yo' git chew some sage or sompin at night. Do all dat dat night. Bring it back tuh de house an' git chew some sage or sompin an' tie it up in dere wit dis dirt an' yo' takes it up in de jail, wheresomevah dey's in jail at, an' give it tuh de person an' tell 'em tuh weah it in de bottom of dey shoes. Well, dey weah dat in de bottom of dere shoes dat night. Prob'ly dey goin' have trial tuhmahah. An' dat night befo' dey goin' have de trial, yo' have some of yore friends tuh go tuh dat co'thouse, dat nex' mawnin' or dat mawnin' befo' day - sometime befo' dey'll have de trial - an' throw three aigs on topa de buildin'. An' be shu' dat evah' one of 'em is bust. If dey don't bust, it's not any good; but chew have tuh be shu' dat de aigs is bust. An' let 'em weah dat sage an' dirt in de bottom of dere shoes, an' dat'll cleah hit up.
Entry 9021
Now, ah don't know whut dey do, but dere wus a man in West Florida, his daughtah killed a woman. Dey come from up heah in Georgia somewhere. An' he'd taken three hen aigs. De reason ah know how he done dis, ah wus wit 'im. (Any kind of hen eggs?) Not a duck's or lak dat - jes' hen's, chicken's. So he'd taken dem three aigs - ah don't know whethah he cooked dem, or whethah he did or not. An' 'fo' dat co't set, he went dere dat night - befo' co't settin' tuhmahrah. He went dere at twelve a'clock an' he chunked one of dem aigs ovah dat co'thouse. He chunked dat firs' aig back towards de nō't. Well, he come back in de mawnin' jes' at daylight an' he chunked dat othah aig back ovah tuh- vards de west. De mawnin' dey carried 'is daughtah up fo' trial, when dey called co't tuh ordah - people all rushin' in tuh co't - he throws dat othah aig out tuhwards de east. Dey didn't try 'er. De reason ah know he done dese things, becuz ah wus transferrin' 'im in mah car back tuh de house, but he would nevah tell me who tole 'im dis. Tell me jes'...
(They set his daughter free.)
Entry 9022
It jes' lak if yo' Wanta go tuh win a case. Yo' take dese three black hen aigs an' do de same thing. (How do you do that?) Well, yo' take de three aigs an' go tuh de fo' cornahs of de road, gotta be where dirt at. (And these three eggs are black hen eggs?) Black hen aigs, yeah. An' yo' jes' set [demonstrates] one heah an' one heah - undah de sand jes' lak dat, not too deep, so de automobile couldn't mash it. [Egg buried at right angle, not in a straight line.] Set de othah one on dis cornah an' set one on dis cornah...each automobile jes' accordin' tuh how it's [egg is] set, jes' go by dese two aigs an dey bust on dat side. Den de othah yo' could take it an' bring it back. Write an' tell 'im whut chew want done. Pass de case [to the eggl. Man goin' be 'lectricuted. Dat goin' bring 'im back.
(You write this all on the egg. What time do you go out to that crossroad?)
Yo' be dere twelve on de minute. Yo' start dis off at three minutes tuh twelve. THIS IS A SINGLE DIRT ROAD - YOU CAN TAKE ONLY 1 OF 3 (At night.) ROADS AHEAD - SET EGG IN RUT EITHER SIDE OF ROADS Dat's right an' yo' stay dere an' watch dat job.... 3 DOTS OF DIAGRAM =
(Until the automobile runs over it?)
3 NAILS OR NAMES. Dat's right. Yo' see a man on each one of dem automobile.
Entry 9023
Yo' know dere's a bone in a black hen, a right black hen. Whut's de name of it? But it in de chest heah [the wishbone]. But yo' kin take dat bone out of a black hen, see an' pull it apart, an' de biggest end yo' keep in yo' pocket. An' if yo' happen to git in jail, see, yo'll come out. [And you can keep it] fo' luck.
Entry 9024
Ah'm a doctor! Now, if [you have] a case in co't, yo' in trouble. Yo' might be in trouble fo' bootleggin' or transpo'tin' [transporting] likkah. Yo' kin make money go tuh verk doin' dat.
(Yes, I would. What do you do in that case?)
All right, den ah'll care [carry] yuh ovah de fence. It'll take me a good li'le while but ah'll tell yuh. Yo' come tuh me. All right. Who ketch yuh? State man [I mean] State Attorney? Or de Fed'ral? Or de County man? Dat's t'ree [three] ain't it? Well, if yo' git de t'ree dat's de foundation. Git dat, dat's yore text. Keep dis in yore mind. Well, a Fed'ral man ketch me. [Doctor says this for me.] Ah says, "Well, yo' know, did he ketch yuh doin' any verk?" Yes sir. [Doctor answers for me.] Ketch yuh in de cah [= car = automobile]? Yes sir. [Doctor answers for me.] Well, how many viskeys? Fo'ty [forty] cases! Well, he got chew daid tuh rights, ain't he? Yeah. [Doctor answers for me.] Well, one mo' question ah gotta ast yuh. Dat yure firs' time or second time? Well, it de second time. [Doctor answers for me.] Well, de third question. HAVE YUH GOT ANY MONEY? Yes. [Doctor answers for me, but forgets the $50 I was supposed to say!] Well, all right, fifty. It'll run from $50 tuh $100. Now, if yuh vanta git cleah [clear], ah'll cleah yuh fo' $lOO. DAT MONEY NOT BELONG TUH ME, DAT BELONG TUH DE STATE, TUH DE GOV'MENT. Fer yuh tuh git out dat t'ing, fo' de second charge, it'll cost yuh $150. [I do not understand doctor'8 preceding statement in capital letters. Is he going to pay a state official for my release? For bribery of court, see No.8994. Does he actually be- lieve this money is going tuh de gov'ment?] Ah want chew tuh stay out from jail. Now, if dey don' cleah yuh, don' pay me nuthin, but AH WAN' CHEW TUH HAVE $50 IN YER POCKET VHEN AH TAKE YUH DOWN TUH BROAD STREET. AN' AH'LL DO DE TALKIN'. YO' KEEP YER MOUT' SHET. YO' DON' KNOW NUTHIN. YO'LL BE [MAH] COUSIN, OR MAH NEPHEW, OR MAH UNCLE, OR [I'LL BE] YER BRATHAH. NOBODY can't 'spute [dispute] it. Dat's whut ah kin do! Well, anyhow, if yo'... Ah kin make yuh talk. Ah got de tools on 'em. Can't turn me doWn. AH TALK VIT DE MAN WHO GOT DE POWDAH IN 'IS HAND. "ALL RIGHT, AH SEE' [SAYS DE MAN WHO GOT DE POWAH IN HIS HAND]. "VELL, DOC [WASHINGTON], DIS IS HIS SECOND OFFENSE. IF IT VUS DE FIRS' OFFENSE, AH COULD LET 'IM OFF VIT FO'TY TUH THIRTY DAYS, OR $50. BUT IT'S HIS SECOND OFFENSE. AH COULDN'T TURN 'IM ON DE STREET FER A DOLLAH LESS DEN A HUNDERD DOLLAHS OR 30 DAYS. AB'VE TURNED PLENTY PEOPLE OUT. DAT'S DE BOOK OR RULES." Ah [Doctor Washington] got wit 'im [was ready to compromise]. All right. Ah haven't any $100. Ah see [says the go-between]. [Doctor Washington, not wanting to fail] told him, all right. Well, ve'll fix it dataway den. Push de man an' let 'im go. De man [supposedly the author] when dey call 'im tuh co't - co't called. Gon'a call dis man firs', yuh see, an' jis' git 'im out de way. But chew gotta have a lawyah. $150 wouldn't hit [do]. Cost $200. Or nuthin less den $175 - at cheap- est. De lawyah wanta have $25 tuh $50, cuz ah gotta use 'im. Ah can't go befo' de bah [bar], got no license. But ah kin settle or turn de t'ing on de othah side through mah friends. Well, ah pay de $lOO an' turn de man loose. Ah git nah special lawyah an' git his $25 or $75. Well, now how yo' do dat? Vatch! De minute ah agree wit de man [go between?] ah want two black hen outs 'is yard.
[I finally speak for myself!]
(Two black hens.)
If he ain't got 'em, yo' [author defendant] buy 'em. Dey cost $lO apiece. [This was an excessive price at the time, back in 1937 during the Great Depress- ion!] Bring dem two black hens tuh me. An' whut ah take off doze hens is de lef' toe.
(The left toe. Off each foot?)
Off each foot. An' den if dey lay, ah wan'a aig from dem; if dey don't, ah'll git a - use hen's hen aig [egg from an ordinary hen] cuz ah got de [ordinary] hen in de yard [at homel. Well, ah cut off dat lef' toe off. Ah could lose dat case. Ah'll git it. Dere ain't doubt of it. Don' put nuthin on it [the toes]. Jis' cut 'em right off. Ah put dem toes lak dat [demonstrates].
[I describe his actions.]
(Put the toes on a stick with the points of the toes sticking together - the gravevine.) [Whether this last word is gravevine or grapevine, I no longer understand its meaning. Evidently at the time the word had a symbolical significance.] Dat's right. An' git some silk thread an' vrap dat. Vrap it tuhgethah an' den give dat guy. [I am a guy.] VHEN AH HAVE DAT VERK DONE, AH VANT DAT MONEY VHUT CHEW HAVE. YO' KIN TAKE MUCH AS YUH PLEASE, BUT VHEN AH GIT DAT FER YUH, DERE AIN'T NO MO' BUT MONEY FER ME; NOT UNLESS AH LOAN YUH FER IT [CHARGE IT TO YOUR ACCOUNT] AN' ALLOW YUH TUH PAYS HALF AS MUCH [IN INTEREST!]. Now, when yo' come up dat neah an' got $100 an' got $25 fer me an' owe me $25 more, ah'll let chew go wit dat, but ah'll have yuh promise to come right down an' pay me. Ah give yuh dat. All right. In 24 hours ah'll ketch dose hens, each one. Dey got a sharp tongue, yo' know. Cut off jis' about dat much of each of dem tongue.
(The tongue? Inside the mouth?)
De tongue. Ah cut 'em off, cut 'em right off wit a sharp knife. Git a good sharp needle. Ketch 'em [chickens] an' put 'em [tongues] on de sidevalk, cut 'em [tongues] off, turn de [tongues] ends tuh end [demonstrates].
(You turn them and put those ends together.)
Take dem same [tongues and] silk thread an' vrap dat [into a package]. Den ah tote dat. Ah tote dat an' ah talks tuh de man [client] on de street. An' when ah meets 'im on de street, ah turns dat back tuh 'im. Den he got all rule. Un- til ah turn dat back tuh 'im, he done call me pahp' [papä]. [The latter sounds like a Cuban element.] (He has to tote both of these things, the toes and the tongues, but he hasn't all the power until you give him both of them. And you don't give him these tongues until he is out on the street.) Dat's it. Don't give him dat tongue until dey put 'im on de street. Dey [the tongues] send 'im back [to the street, free him]. Now den he kin owe me $25. Here's whut vill happen. AH TELL ME DE TRUTH ABOUT DE THINGS. AH'M BUSINESS MAKIN' NOW. Ah kin give 'im dat tongue [the 2 tongues wrapped together are one]. Dat's de tongue he goin' tuh talk wit more den ah got now. Nuthin but a tongue-racket [tongue-hand] den. But 'is tongue wit 'is way - he kin go ahaid wit it [this tongue used as a hand]. Ah'm not gonna vorry. An' if he don't pay dat money, in de length of time he said he'd give me satisfaction, [ah] goes back tuh dat same hen [the hens that lost their tongues] an' gits de longest feathahs anywheres in de long side of de tail. Turn dem dataway [demonstrates]. (The longest feather in the wing and the longest feather in the tail and put them together.) An' put dem tuhgethah an' vrap dat same [thread] from dat same ball of silk t'read. An' care [carries] dem tuh de rivah an' t'row 'em de way where de watah goes [throw downstream]. An' he go dere right away [jump in and drowns].
(But they pay you as a rule?)
Yes, ah'll keep de hen an' de hen gits fat, an' ah vait till ah gits paid, paid off. Dere yo' are.
(You keep these two hens in your home?)
In mah home, right in mah yard, takes care of 'em. Now, when ah cut doze toes - mind joo, when yo' cut doze toes an' dat hen's daid [that is, if the hen dies], yo' got de devils ole time tuh beat dat case. De only way dat chew kin figure it den is one more jump tuh go on. Double right back on 'em quick as yo kin. Calls on anothah one. He's [the contact man?] de one did it. [Get another contact man.] Have de case "go over till next veek, " in time tuh git 'em back, when yo' have tuh take 'em tuh co't, go tuh [the judge]. Go tuh do it in fifteen minutes, git dere an' put 'em off. An' when yo' cut 'em off [stop proceedings], den yo' put dat [everything from the chickens] in [a] jah [jar] an' blow [your breath on] 'em nine times. Screw 'em up [in the jar]. Ah clean it up [start all over again] cuz dere haids go [the chickens lose their heads] lak dat [demon- strates]. [In] case yo' missed [with] de firs' ones [chickens], gotta go back an' git - quick an' ketch two mo' hens. Do it quick, an' dese hens - an' yo' work on it. Okay.
(Well, what did you do with that jar, after you screwed these...?)
Ah take dat jah an' dig a hole an' bury it in it [a grave]. Dig a deep hole down tuh de elbow. Now, DON' BREAK DAT JAH OR NUTHIN, dat be de second time. Listen gOOd, now. AH DON' WAN' CHEW TUH KILL OR HURT NOBODY. Dat SeCOnd time don' care dat jah tuh de graveyard. Yo' care dat jah an' bury it in de back of yer yard. IF YO' CARE DAT JAH TUH DE GRAVEYARD, EVAH ONE OF DEM DURN OFFICAHS [CONNECTED WITH THE COURT] WILL DIE.
(All the officers?)
[Am I awed or incredulous?)
Yo' don' care it tuh co't eithah.
Entry 9025
That same woman I'm telling you about now, she was making whiskey and they had her up in Bowling Green [Va.] Court. She went there and she got a four- leaf clover and put it in her left pocket, and made a wish to get clear, and went to the court and they dis- missed it. The power that was in the four-leaf clover and her wishes and her power banished the court. [Fredericksburg, Va., cylinder 44, by Ediphone.]
Entry 9026
Ah heered dem say, if yo' be in trouble or anything, why [here is] whut dey do. Jes' lak if yo' had a lawsuit yo' know, in co't, sompin lak dat, yo' kin git chew a package of needles dat ain't nevah been used, an' stick 'em straight up - stick two straight up dis Way, dis way [demonstrates].
(In your hair.)
Yes sir. Cross, ( cross 'em. An' den take two an' stick 'em 'cross de same way right chere. (Over your breast.) Yes sir. An' take a piece of chalk an' cross undah yore right feet - make a cross undah dere. An' put a dime in de bottom of yore shoe in dat [chalk] cross an' wear it. An' dey say yo'll win.
(How many needles do you use now?)
Say yo' use two up heah an' two heah. See, dat would be fo'. An' yo' jes' take a chalk an' cross undah yore feet an' wear dat dime undah dere. (You cross two needles up here in your hair and you cross two down on your breast?) Yes.
Entry 9027
Well, this devil's-shoestring, yo' take dat an' yo' tie it in three knots. An' as yo' carry it ovah an' tie it, yo' look through it [the open loop before tying] an' yo' say sompin In de Name of de Lord. Ask de Lord tuh do sompin fo' yo', jes' whut- somevah yuh want him tuh do fo' yo', see. An' yo' tie dat three times [make 3 knots in the loop]. An' evah time yo' tie dat three time, yo' hold it up an' look towards de sun, see, an' ask de Lord tuh do sompin fo' yo' - whutsomevah, jes' lak yo' in co't, say, "Don't let 'em sentence me, let de case go ovah, " or "Let 'em give me a chance, " or sompin lak dat. Dey three things dat chew ast dem; diff'ren', see. Evah time in tyin' dis devil's-shoe- string an' dis [knot?] yo' puts dat in yo' mouth an' yo' chew it. An' de whole while yo' chewin' dat root, yo' got de co't on yore mind an' de Lord, askin' Him in yore mind tuh do sompin fo' yuh.
Entry 9028
[This rite could also have been indexed under many blowing breath ex- amples in Hoodoo.] Yo' take dirt daubah nest. Yo' kin be in jail. Ah've done done dis. Yo' kin be in jail an' yo' kin git chew a piece of dirt daubah nest, but don't let it fall. [This is one of those don't-let-it-touch-the- ground rites.] If it fall, don't chew bothah wit it. Cheo git dat [nest] chureself. Yo' mix it up wit table salt an build yo' a li'le fiah, an' yo' burn it as de people do in ole ancient time, sacrificin', In de Name of de Fathah, Son an' Holy Ghost. An' make yore wishes fo' whatevah yo' want tuh be done. An' yo' keep a-blowin', an' evah time yo' blow, say, God de Fathah, Son an' Holy Ghost till words 'mount tuh nine times. An' evah time it'll be yore way. An' if things ain't yore way, evah time yo' burn it, if things ain't zactly, yo' burn it ovah ag'in an' keep a-burnin' it ovah ag'in till things come zactly yore way.
(This is in a court case, you say?)
Yes sir. [For the mystery, awe and magic concerning the dirt dauber nest, See especially the interview, 'TOMB OF DE BABE OF BETHLEHEM," pp.1325-1335, v.2J