Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 26, 1915.djvu/298

 2 88 Obeah in the West Indies.

all his belongings being totally destroyed, caused Leon to draw all his monies out of their hiding-places, and to make them up in numerous parcels, which he wrapped in leaves and packed amidst vegetables and fruit, and sent in trays to his solicitor in Castries. This subsequently was found to exceed ^800 in gold and silver coins and colonial bank-notes.

It appears that the boy was left by Montoute at Leon's house, but presently, presumably becoming alarmed at being by himself with a person whose language he did not understand, nor did they his, followed the track taken by Montoute and eventually overtook him, and was immed- iately brought back by him to the house. There, apparently, they all remained for the rest of the day, and, being joined by St. Hill, who was considerably younger than the other two, they passed the night together there. The house ordinarily was only occupied by Leon, who also was an elderly man, living apart from his wife who dwelt in a cottage some little distance away with their daughter, which latter gave evidence at the trial as to the movements of the prisoner Montoute and her father on the day in question. This was the last occasion upon which the boy was seen alive.

What gave rise to suspicion of foul play with regard to the boy does not clearly appear from the evidence, but at all events a few days later a sergeant and corporal of police went to the house occupied by Leon, where he was seen with Montoute. The sergeant presentlyjeft the house for a few minutes, and on returning was just in time to see Leon trying to steal out carrying a tin pan with a lid over it. Upon his taking hold of it and removing the lid it was found to contain two human hands, cut off at the wrist, and a heart. Upon subsequent search the body of the boy was discovered in Leon's garden with the stomach cut open and the hands missing. Both men were thereupon arrested and brought into Castries.