Superstitious Bohemians Rid Themselves of a Vampire.
The people of Bohemia (the most superstitious of all Europe), were formerly great believers in muroniea vampires and other uncanny apparitions. The most terrible vampire, and perhaps, the most popular one in the annals of that country. Made its appearance in the year 1706. In that year Hans Blow, a herdsman, died and was buried.
Says the St. Louis Republic. For years before his death Blow was suspected of being a murony, or living vampire. He was buried near Kadam, Bohemia, and within a short time after several deaths had occurred within the immediate vicinity, each victim being left with the characteristic vampire marks upon the neck, which consisted of a blueish raised wound directly over the left jugular vein. Having been suspected of being a murony during life, the deceased herdsman was of course, given the credit of causing all this mischief; the flocks were beginning to die off at a rapid rate - a misfortune also accorded to the agency of Blow’s vampire. When the grave of the dead herdsman was opened, preparatory to exercising the vampire, although he had lain in the ground nine weeks, he sat bolt up right in the coffin, and with a placid smile confessed that he was a vampire and that he was keeping himself alive on the blood of those with whose murder he was charged: he cursed the villagers for disturbing him, and openly defied them to prevent him from making his midnight raids.
A large stake was then driven through the coffin and the body of the herdsman far into the solid earth. This being done the vampire thanked them ironically and then closed his eyes as if in sleep. The grave was then refilled and several tons of stones piled upon it and a guard set to wait developments. That very night Blow’s vampire was again abroad in the village, and besides killing three of his tormentors, sadly depleted the herds near the graveyard. The following day the grave was again opened, the body dismembered and burned in plain sight of all the villagers and people of the surrounding country. Blood is said to have gushed from the corpse, and frightful cries and curses to have issued from the lips of the vampire while these superstitious barbarians were separating the limbs from the body.
Source:
- The Sedalia Weekly Bazoo - Sedalia, Missouri
- 22 Mar 1892, Tue
- VOLUME 22 NUMBER 38
- Page 9
- via newspapers.com