Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1896-08-28
THE SANCTIFIED BAND
Attacked by Enraged Citizens
Who Attempt to Drive
them off.
A WOMAN KILLED,
OTHERS WOUhO
For Three Hvurs Bullets were
Sent crashing into the Arks.

One of the most violent and
DclliCOse demonstrations of an
ragged populace seen in Eastern
North Carolina within a genera
ton occurred Saturday morning
from 2 to ; o'clock Oh the Chow
al river, near MOntrose, ChoWan
county about , miles from Eden
ton. 1t was a terrific attack from
land Of a mob Of about 50 peo
pie, heavily armed, upon a crowd
Of heretics styled THE Sanctihed
Band" situated in boats about
fifty yards from the shore of
Gates county.
One woman was killed, and it is
thought that several men were
wounded.
A Suffolk correspondent of the
Norfolk Tirginiau gives the
following account Of the affair:
The Santified Band has been
located at Montrose for several
week, and members have been
conducting meetings throughout
the surrounding country for
many miles. The result was
that their religion was getting
tremcnduous following hundreds
OF Inen and women, mostly the
former, renounCing their allegi-
ance to other churches and aC-
cepting the doctrine of the sane
tilted people. Besides a large
number of persons who had
never been allied with any
church, were readily converted
and almost before the deacons
and elders of the community had
realized the extent of their fas-
cinating influence the congrega-
tons which had been regularly
attending the old houses Of wor-
ship had been disintegrated and
disrupted. It is also claimed
that the moral effect of the band
was of a most ba1eful character.
The charm exerted by the heres
tics and some OF their followers
became so attractive that parents
feared for their SONS and daught-
erS.
These are some of the causes
which originated a feeling of
repulsion among the natives
which was gradually famed into
a contempt and lOathing that
eliminated Saturday morning
III feroCiOuS attempt to Danish
the band from the confines of the
county. The conflict is describe
ed by a disinterested witness
who was safely sheltered behind
trees out of the bullets reach. to
be the most awe-inspiring spec
taCle he ever witnessed. The
men composing the mob were
fired with an enthusiasm and
determination inspired by the
apprehension that their homes
and domestic happiness were in
danger of being usurped.
The attack was made at mid
night. The Sanctifled people,
who are said to number Io3, had
been warmed by local covcrts,
and had moved their ;our arks
in which they live, off into the
stream that they might be less
exposed to intrusion. The crowd
of e11raged citizens came with a
rush, and when their commands
er called for halt at the river
bank, there was an onlinous rat
thug Of guns, rifles, pistols,
bowie-knives and swords. AS
volley after volley was poured
into the river craft the bullets
could be heard crashing into the
arks' sides. The inhabitants
disappeared from view, and it is
supposed that they got below
the water line, or more would
have been killed.
After a time a committee OF
citizens started out to propose
terms TO the band, but they were
ordered back by those on the
arks, who, however, arc said not
to have fired shot. The COM
mittee's return was signal for
another fusilade. The firing con-
tinued till about ; a. m, when