The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1882-11-30
SACRIFICED HIS SON.
a Mormon Father Kills His Child while
T.aboring Under Alleged Divine Thspira-


A Mormon Father Kills HIS Chnd while
T.aDoring Under Alleged Divine Thsplra-
4ion.
Josiah b, Smith, tho father who killed his
boy because, he said, he had revelation from
the Lord To do 80, is forty years old. He came
to Westminster five years ago, and since then,
with his wife and family, has been picking up
a Eneager subsistence by odd jobs. Finally the
family settled down to hshsffq, establishing
their hom on desoIate island of the coast,
which could only be reached by a boat. II was
seldom visited except by hunters and fisher
men, who 1r d the boat which tho murdered
boy hal charge of The murder was
committed on the 4th ttfst., bat was
not discovered until last Thursday,
when a party of hunters who called out
from the shore for the boy, we're told by old
man Smith that tho boy was dead and that he
had been inspired by the Lord TO kill his
child. The hunting party secured the services
of younger boy. and coolly went on with
their sport, only reporting the crime to the
authorities that night. A constable and
doctor went out next day no the scene OF tho
crime. They drove down to the beach and
shouted to Smith, and he rowed over to them.
On making the object OF the visit known he
gave himself up quietly. The mother and
chiIiren were then brought from the island,
and the entire family taken to Westminster
Friday morning. Before the officers arrived
from the house.
On arrival of the prisoner and family at
Wes m nster, inquest was ordered, and
Justice Aldridge, accompanied by Dr. James
Mccoy and others, Sm tn included, returned
10 the beach and rowed across to the island
Smith pointed out where the body was
buried, the grave was opened, a rough box
which the father had made, was raised aud
the lid lifted The sight is described as most
s.ckeninR. Decomposition had set in TO such
a degree as to render the moving of the body
a ticu.t and disagleeable task. The un-
natural parent looked ON cOmplacently and
spoke of the murder with no feeling. Finally
in reply to question as to how ne struck the
blow, he stopped over the corpse, thrust his
knife into it, and drew it out of the cavity
without sign Of emotion. The weapon was
an glt-inch butcher knife. Mr.. Mccoy care
fully examined the body, but, aside from the
fatal cut, found no sign of any violence. One
deathdeaIng blow was struck just in the CEN
ter of the chest, and with sufficient power to
cut the breast bone and enter 10 the full length
of the blade. making a 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 that time on he has
made, and has commanded his family to
make no effort TO gain livelihood. The boy,
however, put no faith in his fathers belief,
ana from time to time pun. hased tea, sugar,
etc, with his own money. On the Wednesday
befofe the murder the boy purchased and took
home some sacks of -four, which angered his
father, and this was found emptied upon the
ground, tog ther w tn some other provisions,
close to the spot where the murder was COM
mitted. ExceDt a few green apples, nothing
eatable was found in the house.
The crime was comm tied about three hum
dred yards from the house. The boy was
taken out behini a clump of bushes both
parents being present. They claim that he
knew he was TO be sacrificed. and made no
r sistance whatever, hut calmly knelt before
them, ready to be offered up. While In this
position, the father struck the fatal blow.
One OF the first questions asked, on the ar
rival of tie family ut Westminster was
whether they would make further sacrifices
of their children, and both father and mother
replied that III the LOsd called on them to
sacrifice all, it would have to be done. At
the examination neither Smith nor 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 muir
der. He is now imprisoned in Los Angeles
From the first the murderer has shown no feel
ing Whatever, and regards the crime no more
than he would the k Hing of hog. He has
been quite purchaser of Canada lottery
tickets, and said the Lord was going to send
hiui money from Canada to pay for burying
the boy. The family are Mormons I'm good
stand ng. 1hoy have been cons.d .dered eccen-
tric but not crazy. The mother begins to feel
great remorse, aud 10 Doubt the divinity of their
inspiration.-Sdn FrGnctsco Special 10 st. Louis
GlObc-DeEnocT1t