The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-06-04


strange work are recounted be!eW.
81 am brether of Mrs. Lay, whom
you saw buried this morning." began
Hon. W. W. sedgwick, one of the
Weslthiest and most prominent citi.
zens of Sandwich. About eighteen
months ago the Lays began talking
their peculiar doctrine in State Cen
ter, Iowa, and had trouble in Pres
byteriRn and Methodist Protestant
churches to which they belonged.
The town finally became so 'hct' for
them that they were compelled to
leave and returned here, their old
home, lesvin their large property in
Iowa. About three weeks ago I was
told that my sister had started on q
divinely inspired fast and I went to
see her about it. All the answer
could get oHt Of her WAS, I have
been told to do it. must fast, and
then che added: Better for me to do it
than discbey.' understand she re-
ceived her commands from the Lord.
I came to the belief that ths entire
family were insane on the subject.
She told me that her son Will wss a
prophet. I spoke to James Lay, her
husband, about the matter. and
wanted the fast broken, but got no
encouragement. told them my els.
ter would stafve to death. that there
was danger in eating heartily after q
prolonged fast. Finally, on Thursday
lset, visited the house, determined
to put an end to the fast, and for that
purpose l had some beef tea pre-
pared. tried to feed it to my sister,
but she refused to swallow it. At
that time heard the death rattles in
her throat. Will Lay came in and
said, We are prophets, true prophets.
Ylu got information from lying
spirits. You said that my mother
would eat and de- More of SINH
lar nature passed between Will and
me. My sister said in iaint Whis-
per, 4 have been told not to eat. 1t
will be better If don't than il do"
81 caused post-mortem exsmins
ton to be made, with the results as
you know"
"What about the little boy Royt"
she has been treated shamefully
under alleged divine instruction. He
was compelled to go hungry, locked
up in room most of the winter, aud
used outrageously- Mrs. Lay said
she had been told to starve the
boy. Some days instructions came
that Roy must have no dinner; again,
that be must have no meat; again,
NOTHING BUT AN APPLE,
and 30 on through the lis. OF articles
used for food. James Lay maintained
and encouraged bis wife in ali this
procedure. l think the whole affair
an insane freak, and am prostrsted
by mn sisters death"
"Are you another prophet the
correspondent asked a typical Missou-
rian, found in the po'to6ice, To 1e-
scribe the man "a typical Missou-
rian" will convey proper idea of his
personal appearance.
"My name is ] ] CraDmer, and
I'm from Hannibal. Missouri, where
l publish the Gospel Monitor.
Don't know anything about this
matter, do your
Eyes. I-Well-nobody knsws
ANYTHING about anything. I've been
nigh unto three weeks attending Mrs
Law, cause she sent fur me. You
see, my magazine Is devoted to re-
ligion. logic and literature. and IL
amt for any scots or creeds. l don't
believe on 'em. I've got lots of in
formation since I came here, and
it'll be valuable to me-"
'Are ysu q crsnkF
"(iuess must be. People out our
way has been ssyin' go for two or
three years.
"Do you believe W. K. Lay to be
the Prophet Elish?"
Dunno if be he. He's smart
enough, but that family has
BEEN AwFULLY MIsLED."
".Vbat will be the price of corn in
your town next iall?"
1.-TWO Bit, | guess"
DR.. BaIlou, one of the physicians
attending the post mortem. told your
correspondent the result of the exam
ination as published in these coll
umns.
James Lay called on DR.. BslIou
during the early part OF Mrs. Lays
fast, and was asked to call on her
after the expected birth. DR.. Ballou
replied: SIT have anything to do
with this matter | want to be at the
birth. I will not go after it has ia ken
place, because l don't want to be a
party to any fraud, aud think there
is chance to place child there and
then claim il to be the SOD OF your
wife" Nothing more vas SAID and
Mr.. Lay left the sturdy doctor.
Public opinion in Sandwich, among
all classes, is very bitter against
James Lay for permitting his wife to
starye to death, but not word Is
breathed against any member on any
other grounds. The physicians of
the place are of the opinion that the
whole family has gone mad on this
particular quesIion.-Louisville Com
meTciaL.