WITCHCRAFT IN TOKIO

Shannon News, 24 July 1928, Page 4

WITCHCRAFT IN TOKIO

HOMICIDE TRIAL.

•BUDDHIST PRIESTESS BEFORE BAR,

RIDDING WOMEN OF “EVIL FOX."

Witchcraft bays were revived in a Tokyo law-court recently when a Buddhist priestess and a tradesman and his Aviie Avere on trial for causing the death of the tradesman’s aged mother in an attempt to free her of the spirit of an ev'il fox which, they believed had taken possession of her body. According to the testimony offered, the priestess, being generally conceded to have supernatural powers iu casting; out fox spirits, was called in to officiate in that, capacity by the-tradesman and his wife, Avho apparently were sincere in the belief that a fox inhabited the body of the man’s aged mother. In proof of the assertion the tradesman and his Avife both testified that the old Avoman frequently barked like a fox and,that she was sometimes taken with violent pains when-the. evil beast Avas gnaAving at her internally. After offerings to the fox shrine and various home cures luid proved unavailing, the couple called in the assistance of a priestess Avho Avas reputed to have effected marvellous cures Avhere fox spirits Avere concerned. As.4o the exact method of her treatment, the testimony differs. The tradesman naively' reports that the priestess pressed her/knees into the old woman’s body until the fox spirit, bowling with pain, fled from the scene. He contends that the treatment Avas highly successful/but for the fact that the patient unfortunately did not sur*, vivo the ordeal. The priestess main-' tains that she did not inflict any bodily injury but merely pressed her hands over the patient's body in the orthodox manner employed bv those who cast out foxes. She is unable to account for the woman's death.

After hearing thfc testimony of the various witnesses, the judge, after admonishing the priestess to be less violent in her priestly ministrations, ordered thd case continued. It is likely that- the verdict Avill be a suspended sentence or a dismissal on the ground that the crime, if crime .it Avas, Avas committed in ignorance.