Improve Your Knowledge with Religion & Slavery

Obeah and poisoning often went together in laws and criminal cases. It was believed the obeahmen and women were good with poisons made of herbs. It was also believed that the various paraphernalia of their craft were meant to cause harm or negatively influence the minds of other enslaved people.

1752. Polibus did hide, put and conceal in the Ground under a Certain Stone or step in the yard adjoining and belong to the Mansion...of Cornelius Hinson a certain Poisonous Matter or Mixture of sundry ingredients wrapt up in some Raggs As also a certain Poisonous Liquor or composition of a blue Colour in a certain Glass Phiol...Witness said it was like blue stone water, and that the Mixture appeared like Grindstone mud, and the pairings of Nails and hair etc smelt of Rum.

Found not guilty.

April 1776. Slave named Winter. Evidence: Deponent, on searching prisoner's house, found sundry matters such as egg-shells tied up in plantain trash, fowls' feet, fish-bones, feathers, and sundry other matters in a basket; also a coney-skin, or some such thing, stuffed in a bottle, which those who practise Obeah commonly make use of, &c.. 

April 1767, Mary, for having nurtured in her possession relative to the practice of obeah or witchcraft. Not guilty.

July 14, 1772. Sarah, for having in her possession cats’ teeth, cats’ claws, cats’ jaws, hair, beads, knotted cords, and other materials, relative to the practice of obeah, to delude and impose on the minds of the negroes. Sentenced to be transported.
 

1776. Solomon, for having materials in his possession for the practice of obeah. To be transported.
 

April 21, 1777. Tony, for practising obeah, or witchcraft, on a slave named Fortune, by means of which, said slave became dangerously ill. Not Guilty.
 

July 9, 1782. Neptune, for making use of rum, hair, chalk, stones, and other materials, relative to the practice of obeah, or witchcraft. To be transported.

October 6

On Friday last week, a negro man, named George, the property of one Ned Welch, a free Mulatto man, who lives on Lysson's estate, was tried at Morant Bay, before James Donaldson and Joseph Orr, Esqrs, and a jury of three freeholders, on the Obeah act, on a charge for laying obeah, and procuring a phial of strong poison to destroy the white people on Stanton estate, in the parish of St. Thomas in the East. The prisoner confessed that he gave the poison to the negroes belonging to Stanton; a majority of whom, knowing his reputation among the slaves as an adept in the occult sciences, applied to him, and asked his assistance to finish their overseer, and others to whom they had taken a dislike, although no sufficient cause appeared to cherish or excite their diabolical enmity. After a fair and impartial hearing, the prisoner was found guilty by the jury, and the following sentence was pronounced...Sentenced to death by hanging, then to have his head severed and stuck on a pole on the roof of Stanton mill house. This was done.

It seems that another negro, who was to have been tried as an accomplice with George, fell down dead immediately after he was carried before the Court.

Colonial Office Correspondence for Trinidad, 1801

It appears by the sentence of the Court, this day given, that the Negroes Pierre Francois and Bouqui were found guilty of poisoning, and that Leonard a mulatto was vehemently suspected of being an accomplice. In consequence of which Pierre Francois was condemned to be burned alive, Bouqui to be hanged, his head to be cut off and exposed on the St Joseph's Road and his body burned, and Leonard to be for ever banished the colony.

Pierre F. McCallum Reports on the Case, 1805

The case of Pierre Francois, executed December 1801, by order of Governor Picton, for Sorcery, Divination, Knowledge of the Black Art, poisoning by means of Charms, &c.
7th case. Sometime in December 1801, a negro slave belonging to a Mr Patrice, was carried before a commission (already noticed) illegally formed by Governor Picton, for the purpose of trying persons accused of sorcery, divination, and poisoning by means of charms, &c. This slave, Pierre Francois, was repeatedly examined upon these charges before this tribunal, when, in all instances, he uniformly and solemnly protested his innocence. During the different examinations, which secretly took place in the jail, where these ignorant and infamous commissioners met in one of the rooms, he was confined in the stocks. Without hearing any defence from the prisoner, he was ordered to fall down on his knees, and adjudged to be _burnt alive!_

He was then conducted to the chapel, where he was first heavily ironed, and after that heard prayers.

A little after three o'clock, pm, poor Pierre was conducted by a file of soldiers to the gallows, where they chained him to a stake, and covered his body with a shirt loaded with brimstone. Faggots begin placed round the stake, they were set on fire by the executioner. Another negro, who had just been executed, was ordered to be taken off the gallows, his head cut off, and placed alongside of Pierre, when both the living and the dead were consumed in the flames.

It is stated that the frequent burnings of this sort which took place, together with the smell of the brimstone, obliged many, who lived near the gallows, to leave their houses. What may be deemed remarkable, is, that though the negroes rushed off with horror from these barbarous scenes, yet it was a matter of astonishment they did not instantly massacre the white population.

Stephen Cottrell's report to Edward Cooke, 1805

This Negro slave belonging to Mr Patrice planter, residing in Port of Spain Trinidad, was in the year 1801 carried before a Commission illegally formed by Governor Picton and consisting wholly of Frenchmen for the trial of certain persons accused of sorcery, divination and poisoning by means of charms, upon these charges Pierre Francois was examined repeatedly before this Tribunal none of the members holding any judicial situation, being private individuals equally unacquainted with the provisions of Spanish or of English law. It appears that the prisoner had no defense appointed, nor was there ever a lawyer of any description present at this extroardinary examination nor any escrivano publico.

Pierre Francois uniformly protested his innocence in the most solemn manner. He was confined in the stocks during the investigation which took place secretly in the jail, where the Commission appointed by Governor Picton for trying him, met in one of the rooms--After closing the evidence called against Pierre Francois, but without hearing any defence for the prisoner he was ordered to fall upon his knees and then adjudged to be burn alive.

The wretched creature heard the sentence in silence transfixed with horror. He was conducted to the chapel and there heavily ironed--prayers were then read for him--About 3 o’clock in the afternoon Pierre Francoise was conducted by a Guard of soldiers to the place of execution, where he was chained to a stake, after having had his body covered with a shirt loaded with brimstone. The prison slaves were ordered to place faggots around the stake, which were set fire to by the executioner. Another Negro named Bouqui who had been previously hanged was taken down from the gallows and decapitated. The headless trunk was tied to the stake opposite to Pierre Francois and both the living and dead were consumed together in the flames.

The dreadful smell occasioned by the sulphur and dead bodies obliged many persons who lived near to leave their houses and numerous negroes who were present at this barbarous scene rushed off with such horrid yells of dismay, as to occasion well grounded fears that a massacre of the white population might have been the immediate consequence.

In the Supreme Court of Judicature Grenada to wit the Jurors for our Lord the King upon their oath – present that one Pierre of the Parish of Saint David in the Island of Grenada being an Obeah Man and a Person of an evil disposed mind and pretending to have communication with the Devil and other evil spirits on the second day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty three and in the fourth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord William the Fourth with force and arms, at the Parish and Island aforesaid feloniously did prepare and give and cause to be given a certain noxious drug composed of Conch Shell Rum and Honey in the practice of Obeah to a certain slave named Florentine attached to La Sagesse Estate in the said Island against the form of the statute of the said Island in such case made and provided and against the peace of our said Lord the King his Crown and Dignity.

And the Jurors aforesaid upon their oath aforesaid do further present that the said Pierre on the said second day of October in the said year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty three and in the fourth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord William the Fourth with force and arms at the parish and Island aforesaid feloniously did cause to be given a certain Noxious Drug in the practice of Obeah to the said slave named Florentine against the form of the statute of the said Island in such case made and provided and against the peace of our said Lord the King his Crown and Dignity.

And the Jurors aforesaid upon their oath aforesaid do further present that the said Pierre on the said second day of October in the said year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty three and in the fourth year of the reign of our sovereign Lord William the fourth with force and arms, at the parish and Island aforesaid feloniously did give and cause to be given a certain Noxious Drug in the practice of Obeah to the said slave named Florentine against the form of the statute of the said Island in such case made and provided and against the peace of our said Lord the King his Crown and Dignity.

And the Jurors aforesaid upon their oath aforesaid do further present that the said Pierre on the said second day of October in the said year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty three and in the fourth year of the reign of our sovereign Lord William the fourth with force and arms, at the parish and Island aforesaid feloniously had in his possession Materials known by the name of Obeah the same being notoriously used in the practice of Obeah or Witchcraft and state of Evident preparation for carrying on such dangerous and nefarious practice against the form of the statute of the said Island in such case made and provided and against the peace of our said Lord the King his Crown and Dignity.

And the Jurors aforesaid upon their oath aforesaid do further present that the said Pierre on the said second day of October in the said year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty three and in the fourth year of the reign of our sovereign Lord William the fourth with force and arms, at the parish and Island aforesaid feloniously had in his possession certain Materials the same being notoriously used in the practice of Obeah or Witchcraft and state of Evident preparation for carrying on such dangerous and nefarious practice against the form of the statute of the said Island in such case made and provided and against the peace of our said Lord the King his Crown and Dignity.

And the Jurors aforesaid upon their oath aforesaid do further present that the said Pierre on the said second day of October in the said year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty three and in the fourth year of the reign of our sovereign Lord William the fourth with force and arms, at the parish and Island aforesaid feloniously did cause to be given certain Deleterious Matter commonly called Obeah in the practice of Obeah to the said Slave named Florentine against the form of the statute of the said Island in such case made and provided and against the peace of our said Lord the King his Crown and Dignity.

And the Jurors aforesaid upon their oath aforesaid do further present that the said Pierre on the said second day of October in the said year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty three and in the fourth year of the reign of our sovereign Lord William the fourth with force and arms, at the parish and Island aforesaid feloniously did cause to be given certain Deletrious Matter commonly called Obeah in the practice of Obeah to the said Slave named Florentine against the form of the statute of the said Island in such case made and provided and against the peace of our said Lord the King his Crown and Dignity.

And the Jurors aforesaid upon their oath aforesaid do further present that the said Pierre on the said second day of October in the said year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty three and in the fourth year of the reign of our sovereign Lord William the fourth with force and arms, at the parish and Island aforesaid feloniously did cause to be given certain Deletrious Matter commonly called Obeah in the practice of Obeah to the said Slave named Florentine against the form of the statute of the said Island in such case made and provided and against the peace of our said Lord the King his Crown and Dignity.

[signed] Wm Darnell Davis

a true copy Owsley Rowley

[back of enclosure]

Grenada

in the Supreme Court of Judicature

The King

agt.

Pierre

Indictment

True Bill

(sd) Jno. Stokes

Foreman

Witnesses

Florentine

Henry Carrige

Charles

Joseph

Mary Susan

Luicese [Lucrece?]

Pierre Marie

Dennis

Liddy

Guilty