New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-01-27
Extraordinary Fanaticfsm.
A Honesdale, Pennsylvania, correspond
emit of the New York World writes:

emit OF the New York World writes:
Crissey Hacker, an intelligent young lady
living at Whites Valley, sixteen miles ives,
of this place, deliberately burned herself t.
death recently, while under the influence
of extraordinary religious fanaticism. She
| wealthy and prominent farmer of this
county. For some five. six years past
she has at times been sfRY It to temporary
insanity, during which II Is she imagined
that she had committed Sins against "her
| Emmanuel" which could only be absolved
by the making of burnt offerings. While
laboring under this delusion she would
erect affairs in the fields of her fathers
farm and sacrifice lambs, and also burn
clothing and household articles Of different
kinds. Her father (her mother being dead j,
fearful that she might during one Of these
intervals do herself bodily harm, kept a
strict watch on her movements.
Yesterday Mr.. Hacker had occasion to 90
TO neighboring village, and as his daughter
manifested signs of the recurrence of one Of
her insane intervals, he charged his hired
man to watch her during his absence. At
noon the man vent to his dinner, leaving
the young lady in the kitchen reading the
Bible. For some reason he did not return
to the house until Mr.. Hacker came back,
which was about two O'Clock. When the
latter entered his kitchen he was paralyzed
with horror at the sight that confronted
him. On the ashes and Goals of what had
evidently been one of Miss Hackers affairs
lay the body of his daughter literally
burned to a crisp. Both legs and the left
arm were entirely consumed, and the abdo-
men was reduced to ashes. The hair was
all burned Of her head, but her face was
not burned. Notwithstanding the intense
agony she must have endured, her face was
not distorted in the least, but wore an ex-
preston OF calmness and peace, her lips
being parted in smile, as if she died be-
lieving that through that fiery ordeal she
was to pass into joyful eternity.
Hackar had formed out Of set of quilt.
ing frames pyre or altar. On this she
had spread some carpet and made herself
pillow. At one eide of the altar she had
piled up quantity of combustible wood,
and when all was in readiness, had fred it.
from which the flames soon spread and
envelOped the altar.
In the family Bible, which was found
open at the book of Job. the following note
was found, in the. hand writing Of the |
deceased:
"DEAR FATHER-My Emmanuel appeared |
to me to-day. He reveals to me the Fact |
that have committed the Unpardonable |
Sin; which 1 can only obtain forgiveness
for BY passing through the cleansing of |
FIRE. l will intercede for you my dear
Father You will find my purified body in
he northeast corner of the house. l wish
% have my ashes buried in my Immanuel's
round at the northwest corner of the house.
food bye. Meet me on the Eternal Ground.
~ "CRISSEY."
Mr. Hacker went to the corner of the
ouse indicated in the note as the spot
7here the remains were to be buried, and
ound that his daughter had staked out
here space for her grave.
Martin Prentiss summoned jury and
eld an inquest on the remains. A verdict
l accordance with the above facts was
endereG.