The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-05-26
RELIGIOUS MANIA.
A singular Case mt Kalamazoo, Mich.-A
Whole Family Gone Mad.
correspondence OF The Detroit Post.


Correspondence Of the Detroit Post.
Last fall man named John Heisler,
German umbrella maker, was, after
much difficulty and great resistance, ar
rested and confined in the asylum for
the insane. For months previous him
self and family had carried on at their
house In the extreme north part of the
village, on the edge of the swamp a Sc
ries of crazy freaks wonderful to behold
and which attracted to his humble
abode crowds of people, much to the
frenzy of Heisler, who would attempt
to drive off all who came. He seemed
sane enough on all other subjects but
religion, but on that he and his whole
family, consisting of a wife and five
children, are staring mad. The house
these they paid devotion to. A deform-
ed daughter was placed every day upon
the house-top, and then all the others OF
the family would kneel and worship
her. At intervals they would all 60 out
into the open field and pray aloud for
hours at time. These, and great
many more eccentricities, excited the
curiosity of the people. 1t was unsafe
for people to pass, for Heisler would of
ten assault them, and his neighbors
complained of the family as nuisance.
If food had not been given them, and
forced upon them, they would have
starved to death. When the police and
poormaster went to the house it became
necessary to force their way in. Finally
it was decided to arrest Heisler and put
him in the asylum and see what the eff
fect would be on the family. He re-
NAMED there two or three weeks, and
DR.. Van Deusen said that he was en-
tirely sound in all other respects, save a
religious mania, and on his suggestion
he was allowed to come and 90 to the
institution as he wished, and after
while he did not come back. Since
then, up TO the present, Superlntend-
ent Brownell has provided the family
with all the necessaries of life, and with
him have visited the afflicted family
prominent Germans of the village, who
in many ways befriended the Heislers.
But the same religious frenzy, though
somewhat subdued. has prevailed with
all the family through the winter, and
two weeks ago they refused to accept
charity or any food whatever. To pre-
vent starvation for days together they
have locked themselves in their shanty
and resisted all efforts of outsiders to
enter, the old man keeping stout hick-
DRY clubs and loaded gun at hand to
these six unfortunates-all the children
are in some measure deformed, and one
is but very small babe-Superintend
cd To tp,,,
gent measures. Determined that they
should not starve if he could prevent it,
he went to the house with some Ger.
mans who were friends of Heisler's, and
by force effected an entrance. A terri
| bic picture of suffering met the gaze CT
the visitors, but the family refused to
accept any food or assistance unless IT
were given in the name of the Father
Son and Holy Ghost. Mr.. Barney Lo
cher, who was among those who visited
the place with Mr.. Rrownell, became sc
indignant at what he saw, that he seized
the crosses and emblems that were tC
be seen on every side, and broke them
to pieces Every effort was made for q
week afterward, by daily visits, to in
duce the family to partaSe of food, but
with only partial success. Yesterday
Mr.. Brownell decided to arrest Heisler
and see if he could have him put into
the workhouse, and by separation OF
the family at the poorhouse, put an end
to this strange delusion, which must
otherwise soon result in the death OF the
entire family. 1t is one Of the most OBJ
stinate cases on record; the efforts OF
the Catholic priest. of Heisler's old
friends, and of others, to provide fol
the wants of himself and family, and
to aid in every way, have had no effect
A late dispatch says Eeisler has been
tried by a jury on IA charge of vagrancy
and sentenced tie one year in the House
of Correction. He must eat now or &c
| to glory on an empty stomach. tie, still
refuses to eat. Mr. Brownell went tC
the house yesterday afternoon and took
the woman and children to the County
House. She changed her views decid
edly, and begged hard, saying she would
feed the children and not act SO any
more. But it was thought best not tC
yield to her opportunities.