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                               THE
                      WITCHES OF NEW YORK,

                        AS ENCOUNTERED BY

                Q. K. PHILANDER DOESTICKS, P. B.

       NEW YORK: RUDD & CARLETON, 310 BROADWAY. MDCCCLIX.


   Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1858, by
                        RUDD & CARLETON,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for
               the Southern District of New York.


                          R. CRAIGHEAD,
             Printer, Stereotyper, and Electrotyper,
                        Carton Building,
                 _81, 83, and 85 Centre Street_.




PREFACE.


What the Witches of New York City personally told me, Doesticks,
you will find written in this volume, without the slightest
exaggeration or perversion. I set out now with no intention of
misrepresenting anything that came under my observation in
collecting the material for this book, but with an honest desire
to tell the simple truth about the people I encountered, and the
prophecies I paid for.

So far from desiring to do any injustice to the Fortune Tellers
of the Metropolis, I sincerely hope that my labors may avail
something towards making their true deservings more widely
appreciated, and their fitting reward more full and speedy. I am
satisfied that so soon as their character is better understood,
and certain peculiar features of their business more thoroughly
comprehended by the public, they will meet with more attention
from the dignitaries of the land than has ever before been
vouchsafed them.

I thank the public for the flattering consideration paid to what
I have heretofore written, and respectfully submit that if they
would increase the obligation, perhaps the readiest way is to buy
and read the present volume.

                                                   THE AUTHOR.

  _Sept. 20th, 1858._




CONTENTS.


CHAPTER I. is simply Explanatory so far as regards the
book, but in it the author takes occasion to pay himself
several merited compliments on the score of honesty, ability,
&c., &c., &c.                                                       15

CHAPTER II. is devoted to the glorification of Madame Prewster,
of No. 373 Bowery, the Pioneer Witch of New York. The "Individual"
also herein bears his testimony that she is oily and water-proof.   27

CHAPTER III. wherein are related divers strange things of Madame
Bruce, the "Mysterious Veiled Lady," of No. 513 Broome Street.      51

CHAPTER IV. Relates the marvellous performances of Madame
Widger, of No. 3 First Avenue, and how she looks into the
future through a paving-stone.                                      73

CHAPTER V. Discourses of Mrs. Pugh, of No. 102 South First
Street, Williamsburgh, and tells what that Nursing Sorceress
communicated to the Cash Customer.                                  99

CHAPTER VI. in which are narrated the wonderful workings of
Madame Morrow, the "Astonisher," of No. 76 Broome Street, and how
by a Crinolinic Stratagem the "Individual" got a sight of his
"Future Husband."                                                  123

CHAPTER VII. contains a full account of the interview of the Cash
Customer with Doctor Wilson, the Astrologer, of No. 172 Delancey
Street. The Fates decree that he shall "pizon his first wife."
HOORAY!                                                            147

CHAPTER VIII. gives a history of how Mrs. Hayes, the Clairvoyant,
of No. 176 Grand Street, does the Conjuring Trick.                 169

CHAPTER IX. tells all about Mrs. Seymour, the Clairvoyant,
of No. 110 Spring Street, and what she had to say.                 195

CHAPTER X. describes Madame Carzo, the "Brazilian Astrologist,"
and gives all the romantic adventures of the "Individual"
with the gay South American Maid.                                  215

CHAPTER XI. In which is set down the prophecy of Madame
Leander Lent, of No. 163 Mulberry Street; and how she
promised her customer numerous wives and children.                 239

CHAPTER XII. Wherein are described all the particulars of a
visit to the "Gipsy Girl," of No. 207 Third Avenue; with
an allusion to Gin, and other luxuries dear to the heart of
that beautiful Rover.                                              261

CHAPTER XIII. contains a true account of the Magic Establishment
of Mrs. Fleury, of No. 263 Broome Street; and also shows the
exact amount of Witchcraft that snuffy personage can afford for
one dollar.                                                        281

CHAPTER XIV. describes an interview with the "Cullud" Seer Mr.
Grommer, of No. 34 North Second Street, Williamsburgh, and what
that respectable Whitewasher and Prophet told his visitor.         305

CHAPTER XV. How the Individual called on Madame Clifton
of No. 185 Orchard Street, and how that amiable and gifted
"Seventh daughter of a Seventh daughter," prophesied his
speedy death and destruction--together with all about the
"Chinese Ruling Planet Charm."                                     327

CHAPTER XVI. details the particulars of a morning call on
Madame Harris, and how she covered up her beautiful head
in a black bag.                                                    353

CHAPTER XVII. Treats of the peculiarities of Several Witches
in a single batch.                                                 371

CHAPTER XVIII. Conclusion.                                         395




CHAPTER I.

Which is simply explanatory, so far as regards the book, but in
which the author takes occasion to pay himself several merited
compliments, on the score of honesty, ability, etc.




CHAPTER I.

WHICH IS MERELY EXPLANATORY.


The first undertaking of the author of these pages will be to
convince his readers that he has not set about making a merely
funny book, and that the subject of which he writes is one that
challenges their serious and earnest attention. Whatever of
humorous description may be found in the succeeding chapters, is
that which grows legitimately out of certain features of the
theme; for there has been no overstrained effort to _make_ fun
where none naturally existed.

The Witches of New York exert an influence too powerful and too
wide-spread to be treated with such light regard as has been too
long manifested by the community they have swindled for so many
years; and it is to be desired that the day may come when they
will be no longer classed with harmless mountebanks, but with
dangerous criminals.

People, curious in advertisements, have often read the
"Astrological" announcements of the newspapers, and have turned
up their critical noses at the ungrammatical style thereof, and
indulged the while in a sort of innocent wonder as to whether
these transparent nets ever catch any gulls. These matter-of-fact
individuals have no doubt often queried in a vague, purposeless
way, if there really can be in enlightened New York any
considerable number of persons who have faith in charms and
love-powders, and who put their trust in the prophetic infallibility
of a pack of greasy playing-cards. It may open the eyes of these
innocent querists to the popularity of modern witchcraft to learn
that the nineteen she-prophets who advertise in the daily
journals of this city are visited every week by an average of
_sixteen hundred people_, or at the rate of more than a dozen
customers a day for each one; and of this immense number
probably two-thirds place implicit confidence in the miserable
stuff they hear and pay for.

It is also true that although a part of these visitors are
ignorant servants, unfortunate girls of the town, or uneducated
overgrown boys, still there are among them not a few men engaged
in respectable and influential professions, and many merchants of
good credit and repute, who periodically consult these women, and
are actually governed by their advice in business affairs of
great moment.

Carriages, attended by liveried servants, not unfrequently stop
at the nearest respectable corner adjoining the abode of a
notorious Fortune-Teller, while some richly-dressed but
closely-veiled woman stealthily glides into the habitation of the
Witch. Many ladies of wealth and social position, led by
curiosity, or other motives, enter these places for the purpose
of hearing their "fortunes told." When these ladies are informed
of the true character of the houses they have thus entered, and
the real business of many of these women whose fortune-telling is
but a screen to intercept the public gaze from it, it is not
likely that any one of them will ever compromise her reputation
by another visit.

People who do not know anything about the subject will perhaps be
surprised to hear that most of these humbug sorceresses are now,
or have been in more youthful and attractive days, women of the
town, and that several of their present dens are vile assignation
houses; and that a number of them are professed abortionists, who
do as much perhaps in the way of child-murder as others whose
names have been more prominently before