Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-11-20
INSPIRED TO KILL HIS SON.
The Horrible Crime OF n Mormon Fa-
natic-A Deadly Blow.

nattc-A A Deadly BLOW.
SAN Francisco, November 19-Josiah b.
Smith is in Jail at Westminster. Los An
geles county, charged with numbering his
son. He is fanatic and claims that he
was inspired by God to take his sons life.
He is man Of about forty years OF age
and is Mormon. He went to Westmin-
ster five wears ago, and since then, with his
wife and family, has been picking up a
meagre subsistence by odd jobs. Finally
the family settled down to fishing, estab.
lishing their home on a desolate island of
the coast which could only be reached by
boat. Occasionally hunters and fishermen
visited the island, and when they did so
hired boat Of the boy, who is now dead.
A few days ago some sportsmen called out
from the shore for the boy and were told
by the old man that the
Lord Had Inspired Him to XIII His
Son.
They gave the alarm and doctor and
constable went to the Island. Smith
pointed out the place where he had buried
the body. The grave was opened, rough
box, which the father had made, was
raised and the lid lifted, The sight is de.
scribed as most sickening. Decomposition
had set in to such a degree as to render the
moving of the body difficult and dis
agreeable task.
The unnatural parent looked on com
placently and spoke of the murder with
no feeling Finally in reply to question
as to how he struck the blow, he stopped
over the corpse, thrust his knife into 1t
and drew it out of the cavity without
sign of emotionr The weapon was an
Eight-Inch Butcher-Kntfe.
DR.. Mccoy carefully examined the body,
but aside from the fatal cut found no sign
OF any violence. One death-dealing blow
was struck Just in the center OF the chest,
and with sufficient power to cut the breast
bone and enter to the full length Of the
blade, making horrible cash, eight inches
deep and four inches long.
A few weeks ago Smith gave up fishing,
and, being asked why, replied that the
Lord had commanded it, and had promised
to hereafter provide for him., From
has commanded his family to make
No Effort 10 Gain q livelihood.
The boy, however, put no faith in his
fathers belief, and from time to time pur-
chased tea, sugar, ETC., with his own money.
A day or two before the murder the boy
purchased and took home some sacks OF
Hour, which angered his father. and this
was found emptied out upon the ground,
together with some other pTov'sions,i close
to the spot where the murder was commit
ted. Except few green apples nothing
eaiable was found in the house.
The crime was committed about three
hundred yards from the house. The boy
was taken out behind Chimp OF bushes,
both parents being present. They claim
that he r
knew He Was to be Sacrificed.
and made no resistance whatever, but
calmly knelt before them, ready to be
offered up. While in this position the
father struck the fatal blow. Both parents
declared that they would sacrifice their
other children II the Lord directed them to
do so. They were taken to Westminster.
At the examination neither Smith or his
wife made any effort to conceal anything
but told the whole story in its horrible
details. Smith pleaded guilty as charged
and was committed for trial on the charge
of murder. He is now imprisoned in Los
Angeles. From the first the murderer has
shown no feeling whatever and regards the
crime no more than he would the killing
of hog. He has been quite q purchaser
Of Canada lottery tickets, and said the Lord
was going to send him money from Canada
to pay the burying OF the boy. The family
are Mormons in good standing. They have
been considered eccentric, but not crazy.