European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 30, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Salem celebrates Witch history by Tony Rogers the associated press to her neighbors in 17th-Century Salem mass., Bridget Bishop was. ,. Well let s just say she had a reputation. She ran a tavern in her Home played shuffleboard with the towns Young men until the wee hours and wore flashy expensive dresses. And the townspeople whispered Bridget was a Witch. Bishop was among the Many a men As Well As women a to be accused of witchcraft in 1692 by a band of convulsive screaming girls and hers was the first Case tried in court. Evidence against her was to Puritan minds Strong in addition to her disreputable personality she had been accused of witchcraft before when a doll representing a person and stuck with hog bristles was found in her basement. For that Bishop was convicted of witchcraft. Eight Days later june 10, 1692, she was pulled through town on a two wheeled cart to Gallows Hill where two upright posts with a crossbeam stood. She was hanged As a crowd stood and watched. The town where the hysteria began Salem Village has Long since changed its name to Danvers. But the Folk of Salem where the trials and executions were held kept their name though realizing the town would never escape the Label of Quot Witch  now nearly 300 years later the Community stands ready to celebrate the historic witchcraft trials. It is an unusual Observance Given its chilling source but it comes after Many years of resignation to Salem s infamy. And there is even a lightness now about the trials that weighed so heavily on our ancestors. Police and firefighters Wear patches with the Silhouette of a Witch on a Broomstick. There san official Witch of the town. And there seven a Witch City bar and Grill and Witch City Auto body. One of few somber moments comes each halloween when local witches March to Gallows Hill to Cut a symbolic noose. A Salem has built a reputation for itself on the witches Quot said the Rev. Marta Flanagan of Salem s first universalist Church. Quot Here s this hot item we have that raises people s interest  and its getting hotter. As the 300th anniversary draws near officials in the City of 38,000 some 15 Miles North of Boston Hope to lure up to 1 million tourists. Events include an appearance by playwright Arthur Miller whose the Crucible compared the trials with the communist hysteria of the 1950s. There also will be a National television reenactment of the trials featuring Harvard Law school professors Alan Dershowitz and Arthur Miller not the playwright. There is a contest to design a memorial to the victims. And there s even a tercentenary Road race scheduled. But not everyone finds the occasion so rousing especially in Danvers where according to town archivist Richard Trask the descendants of Salem Village did not loosen up about the Witch trials for Many years. Laurie Cabot known a the a official Witch of Salem a says witches a a done to sacrifice animals or people or drink blood or eat babies or any of that stuff. Not Quot the attitude thing was in Danvers up until the 1960s. The Center of Salem Village tended to have the same families living in it that had lived there 300 years ago a people whose ancestors were hangers and hangers Quot said Trask. Talk to people on the red Brick streets of Salem where the trials and hangings occurred and you done to have to go far to find people concerned about the hoopla a especially the witches. Salem switches who claim they number More than 2,000 locally complain that they have been left out of the planning and that a fair picture of them won t be presented. They be even cast a spell on the City to turn the events around. A if we have a million people come through Salem and let them walk out thinking we Consort with the Devil Isnit that harmful Quot said Laurie Cabot dubbed the official Witch of Salem who sports flowing Black Robes and hair and wears a five pointed Star on her shoulder. Quot if they held a festival on native americans would they just show Roy Rogers pictures Quot Linda Mcconchie executive director of the committee planning the events admitted that Quot some people feel its shameful or inappropriate to discuss the trials Quot but added Quot we feel we have an obligation to confront  but Flanagan is less critical. Quot sure people Are going to try and make a Buck off this Quot Flanagan said. Quot but at the same time the trials have a powerful lesson whether its How we treat witches or Gay people or Blacks people who Are different without killing  the Witch hysteria began in january 1692 when a group of Young girls came Down with violent fits of screaming and shaking. There were reports some of them had welts and Teeth Marks on their bodies. Quot this was t just kids fooling around Quot said Trask the Danvers archivist. Quot if this happened today it would scare the hell out of  Folk tales say the girls including the daughter of the local minister became disturbed after hearing colourful tales of sorcery from tit Uba a West Indian slave. Some researchers have theorized the girls were affected by a hallucinogenic fungus on the local wheat. Others think it was a form of mass  action lonesome mail forwarded for 1 year after moved i have been told that if a package has been sent to a person with an Apo address prior to the person s separation but has not reached its destination until after the Date of separation the package will not be forwarded to the addressee or even be Given to the addressee if the person is willing to pick it up. Is this True if so is the Apo system legally accountable to the sender for its return or is it treated like a dead letter in the event an id Holder has mail ordered and paid for merchandise prior to notice of separation but it arrives after the Date of separation and the mail room refuses to Forward it does the person who paid for it have a Legal right to claim a refund from the mail order company i am curious because the clerk of my Agency s mail room once told me he would not be permitted to hand Over to me any package that arrived after my id privileges had terminated even if it had been postmarked on a Date on which i was still an id Holder and i were willing to pick it up on the German Side of this question because this is relate what Are the customs rules for packages sent through the International mail from the United states to Germany to addressees who Are no longer id holders in other words what is the German counterpart to the . $50 per addressee per Day for packages going from outside the United states into the United states Barbara Pines Munich Germany be Walter f. Bleiler jr., postal investigative officer . Army postal group Europe replies mail is forwarded to an individual who separates from the service in Europe just like mail is forwarded to individuals who pcs permanent change of station or ets expiration of term of service to the states with a few exceptions. We Are not Able to Forward second class or bulk rate third class mail such As magazines newspapers and Cata logs to your local Economy address in Germany. However first class letters priority packages and fourth class packages Sam and pal will be forwarded for up to one year based on the address you provided on your directory card to your former unit mail room and serving Apo mail forwarded by your former unit mail room or Apo to a local German address would be subject to German postal and customs Laws just like a piece of International mail sent from the United states to a German National. When you separate from the service you no longer enjoy the duty free privileges extended under the status of forces agreement sofa. All packages sent to German addresses from outside the country Are subject to customs fees. If we can be of further assistance please Contact us at ets 379-7837/7643 or write to commander . Army postal group Europe attn Teupe Page Ops Apo 09186. To write us readers action line is the readers Quot court of last resort Quot striving to answer some of the questions about life overseas in a military environment or questions about policies and guidelines when other avenues for answers Are not readily available. If you have a question and Don t know where to turn for the answer write to readers action line co the stars and Striper Apo 09211-4211. All letters must be signed and preference will be Given to those seeking information of general interest to our readers. Page 16 b the stars and stripes wednesday october 30, 1991