Connecticut western news., 1874-11-13
TERRIBLE FANATICFSM.
Scot of Enthusiasts Exterminated by
 Their Countrymen.

A Scot of Enthustasts Extermfnated by
 Their Countrymen.
 For some years past small portion of the vast flood of immigration from Northern Germany has been directed to Brazil, and in the Province of Alegre white settlements of the race have been founded, which, until recent events disturbed them, were hourishing enough. ..a. ..-,e.
 They had, says the London Daily NesUs, advanced so far as to have their own local newspaper in that resonant language, which, according to Arndt, makes any land where it is spoken part of Germany, and the particulars now before us are transmitted direct from the Deutsche Zeit,tn0. of Porto Alegre, the paper in question. The settlers were almost universally of the Prussian State or Evangelical Church, and were rent by no political or religious dis. sension. They were distinguished by their attachment to the old Fatherland they had left, and the subscriptions sent from the colony for the benefit of the sick and wounded in the war of 1S70--71 astonished those who knew how young and struggling @ community it was collected from. ,.
 All went we'll with them, in fact, un- til this summer, when their domestic peace was suddenly disturbed by the pretensions of certain Jaoobipa Maurer to divine inspiration, and her claims to be worshippei by all man. kind. These pretensions would have mattered little oe themselves, but Jaco- bina was one of large family in the village of Farrabraz 1; and her relations first and then her neighbors success sively adopted her views and declared themselves true believers, with an ease which history tells us was not displayed in the instance of Mohammed. On what proof the claims of this German edition of Joanna of Southcote were founded does not appear. But it is certain that her followers gave her the name of Christussin," or "the Fe- male Christ that regular worship was established for her, and that her first convert or confederate is hard to say which Hans George Maurer, was in due form appointed her high priest.
 This person appears to have been a man of some intellect and remarkable ambition, for he not only brought over his neighbors to the new faith, but con- ceived the idea of imposing it on the whole settlement first. then on the world at large, by the force of arms. Under his guidance the Maurerites, or Mucker, as they were nicknamed by their opponents, carefully armed them- selves and stored up abundance of ann munition. It was not until these pre- liminaries were thoroughly complete that they declared in the course of last hny nd moned the nearest of the settlers to join the new church forthwith. At tempts at enforced conversion of course produced violent opposition, and this was repaid by the Maurerites with open plumber and i'll usage, as well as by threats of death. As they numbered, including the women who bore arms, Q determined band of over fifty adults, there was no hope in the individual re- sistance of scattered settlers and in a few days the unconverted inhabitants of the district were all seeking shelter in Porto Alegre, while their homesteads were stripped and laid waste by the order of the prophecies. Volunteers were now enrolled to the number of one or two companies, but it was thought better to wait for the arrival of the government troops who were asked for than to attempt an advance into the bush unaided, for the fanatics were familiar with the ground and were known to be better armed than their adversaries and prepared for desper- ate defense. .....- a.. na ..a a4s.! las
 In July the expected forces, came provided with field guns and rockets, and 8 general advance was made, but apparently with extreme caution. By the 18th, however, the fanatics were driven in on position they had care- fully intrenched round a large house, of which they had formed keep. The light guns, as we'll as the rockets, en- tirely failed to dislodge them, and 1t was only after . very prolonged skir- mishing that the works were carried with a rush. The defenders then fell back on their keep, and, when this was fired, escaped from it, with some loss, into the bush behind, in which they had secretly prepared another strong position. For the time it was not thought well to follow them to their new fastness. In recohnoitering 1t on the 21st and 26th there were two more severe skirmishes; and, though in each of these Maurer's followers had the ad- vantage. the German volunteers being on one occasion abandoned by the troops who should have supported them, the numbers of the sect had now been gradually worn down by repeated casualties. One prisoner was taken who revealed the fact that fewer than twenty of the desperate band were left On the 2d of August their last strong | hold was surrounded and carried by overwhelming numbers, though with considerable loss to the assailants. The demand made previously that the Maurerites should lay down their arms was sternly rejected, and they died fighting to the very last, the prophecies herself being actually bayoneted through the body by one of her devoted followers, while she encouraged the rest not to yield. Only Hans George Mauref and one other of the band, Jacob Fuchs, werc missing, who are supposed to nave deserted their com panions before or during the assault.
 1t adds an additional touch of horror to this catastrophe to know that the young children they had had with them are not accounted for, and to hear that it was reported that they were all slain
 by Jacobina's commands story which is supported by the fact that the body of one has been discovered buried with it's thu oat cut, close to miserable hut which was the prophetess' last shelter. The havoc caused by tho extinct sect during its short sway over the outlying settlements is so serious that it is stated that it will take years to restore the colony to the prosperity it was en- loving before this extraordinary out burst of fanaticism brought misery on its members. saa 's"-
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