Daily Los Angeles herald., 1879-05-24
THE ANAHEIM STARVING CASE.

Result of District Attorney Thom's Trip
What Officer Ling Saw and Heard Of the
Manners and Customs Of the ''Societas Fra
ternia."
We noted yesterday the depart
ure of District Attorney Thorn for
Anahelm, to look Into the reported
abuse of an infant child by the
members Of The so-called "Societas
Fraternia." The matter was first
brought to public notice by the
Anaheim Gazette, whose article
was copied into the EXPRESS and
other Los Angeles papers. The
first version of the case WAS that q
child belonging to family in the
Society had been weaned when
eight months old, on n diet of
scraped apple, and had been cub
sisted on the same fare since, va
ried only by occasional indulgen-
ces in dried figs, oranges, aisins
or something of that sort; that, un-
der this rigid vegetarian diet, the
child had been reduced to
skin and bone, and was literally
perishing of hunger. The state
ment was further to the effect that
the mother of the poor famished
child, when demonstrated with on
her course, said that she was will
ing to sacrifice her baby to the
spirits, and, if it should pass away,
it would not be lost to her. The
matter seemed to be one of fanati-
cism carried to the length of insan.
ity, and one which called loudly
for official interference.
From Deputy Sheriff Ling, who
accompanied District Attorney
Thorn on his mission, we have OBJ.
tanned quite full statement of the
experience of the officers of the law
in dealing with the peculiar case.
The "Societas Fraternia,n So
called, consists of three adult per-
sons-Dr. Schlesinger, the founder
of the faith and President of the
organization, aud Mr.. and Mrs.
Hinde, chief proselytes and entire
congregation. Mr.. and Mrs. Hinde
have family of four children, in
Guiding the starved baby. The
members of the Society own aud
occupy in common small farm of
about twenty-five acres about four
miles northeast of Anaheini.
The dwelling is u very fine
structure, costing, it is said,
$4,000. 1t is as peculiar in its
architecture as the members of the
Society are in their habits of lite,
every room in the building being
circular in form. This style OF
apartments was adopted, DR.. Sles-
niger says, to promote ventilation.
He holds that, with the ordinary
square room, the air is liable to set
tie into the corners and become
staguant, whereas, with the circu-
lar wall, 1t can find no Judgment,
but must circle, round and round,
propelled by constant currents and
thus be kept pure. The twenty-five
acre farm seems to be all planted
i'm vegetables and fruits. Accord
ing to the modest way of living
adopted by the "Societas," the
lond is no doubt capable of supply
ing double the quantity of cold
turnip banquets aud green.pea COL
lations required by the little colo
ny. TO cultivate this land seems
to be about the only calling of the
occupants. Here they find their
living; more they do not want. AS
for money making by the pursuit
of any ordinary vocation, they
scorn 1t.
The members of the Society were
thrown into considerable conster-
nation when officer Ling arrived
and impaired the nature of his er.
rand. The mother of the child, es-
pecially, was in high dudgeo u.
She expatiated, at length, on the
abundance and excellence of the
nourishment furnished to her off
spring, enumerating among the
vast array of vegetables scraped,
dessicated and macerated, such
luxuries as rice.water and barley
water. She said the child was
teething and not very we'll any,
way, and that 1t would get better
il left alone. The poor little
thing, the officer says, was hardly
more than q living shadow. The
vital spark seemed to be only flick.
ering in its frail body. Though o
year old, it did not appear, from its
size, to be half that age. There
was not hair upon its head; the
face was bloodless and emaciated,
and, AS it lay upon its mothers lap,
it had not vitality enough appar-
emily, to move or utter a cry.
Much the same appearance, though
in a modified form, was presented
by the older children. They were
poor, gaunt and bloodless, and they
sinoped about as though they had
not a spark of ambition left in their
bodies. A lad about Is or 16 years
of age, the oldest of the four,had
the proportions of hop pole. In
deed, the whole family reminded
the officer of q growth of potato
sprouts in dark cellar. They
were totally morbid and wanting
in the attributes which should dis
tiuguish real. live human beings.
The adults presented much the
same bloodless appearance, and, in
addition, had pinched, wrinkl'
ed and weazened look about
their faces. DIR. Schlessinger
appeared 10 be an oldish man with
Hebrew-German cast of counte-
nance, hair and beard tinged with
grey. Discussing the matter of
diet with the officer, he said,
"What should we eat? Why, what
nature gives us, of course; fruits
and vegetables-not cooked, be-
cause then they are rotten; but
fresh, just as they grow. Do you
want me to eat meat and be an OK?
or eggs and be cock? or drink
milk and turn cow?n
While waiting for developments,
officer Ling stepped out of doors
and lighted cigarette. He had
hardly taken his second puff when