to what extent mary beth 's occult powers furthered her goals is a very significant question and there is a variety of evidence to help one make a series of educated guesses as to what went on behind the scenes to the irish servants who came and went at first street , she was always a 'witch ' or a person with voodoo powers but their stories of her differ from other accounts which we possess , quite markedly , and must be taken with the proverbial grain of salt .