In 1929 it was a sensation, "the most notorious witchcraft trial since Salem." Today it's all but forgotten. Let's talk about the York Count
On This Day (December 27) in 1894 John Blymire is born in York, PA. His family are prosperous farmers and also known to be powerful brauchers, practitioners of the folk magic known locally as pow-wow.
At first it appears John is going to follow in his family's footsteps, but as a teenager he seemingly loses his powers and goes on a quest to regain them. Eventually he comes to believe he has been cursed by a fellow braucher, the reclusive Nelson Rehmeyer.
On November 25, 1928 Blymire and two teenage accomplices call on Rehmeyer, beat him to death, and then try to burn down his the house to cover their tracks. It doesn't work, and they are soon arrested and put on trial for murder.
The resulting trial is an embarrassment to local officials who fear it makes York look backwards and superstitious. All mention of pow-wow and witchcraft is forbidden in the courtroom. The three murderers are convicted and spend years in prison.
Blymire's sentence is commuted in 1953 and he is paroled shortly thereafter. He died in 1972, having never recovered his supposed mystical abilities.
(You can learn more about the whole strange story in our episode "Bound in Mystery and Shadow": https://order-of-the-jackalope.com/bound-in-mystery-and-shadow/)