The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-10-30
.INVAs|ONs OF THE DEVIL
Religious Sect Of a Connecticut
Town Locate Him.
TAKE MEASURES TO EJECT HIM
"Holy Ghosters" of Old Lyme Dis
cover His Work i'm the A filictions
of an Old Woman and UHIncrci-
fully IIltreat- Her-sequel in the
County Court.

Old Lyme. Conn, Oct 80. There are even
! more Lymes than there are points of the
compass. but the Lyme here history is
making pretty fast tbesedays is Old Lyme
1t has been rulely awakened from
long stun Der am6ngIthe Dogs and rocks Of
the Long Island Sound coast ny .he dec
iatation that the devil is here, nianifesting
himself In bold conflict with God. The
declaration is made by Wilbur Anderson
of Wesleyan, recently "a postgraduate stu
dent at Yale.
Trr larger part of the tow nsfGlk were as
sembled in the little town hall at
O'Clock this ppurning. Mr. Andcrsou and his
| associates In alleged religious .anatcism
we're to be tried fof harshtreatment ofonr
| of their number. They W ould have other
counsel except the Lord.
Folty prominent persons met In private
houses two Years ago ana formed them.
selves into Band of Gideon, or Holiness
Band Holy Ghosters,' the villagers
call them. Their standing may Dc Judged
| by that of the prisoners Ia today's trial
| Wilbur Anderson, son of the founder Of tbs.
i
bert N. Caulkins has long been a business
| and political leader In New London county,
| and has been postmaster nearly four yeaTs.
| lie is well offs in this worlds goods. and he
and his wife were prominent in the Baptist
| Church. AnScI Champion resigned from Ia
| clcI kShip III a local store owned by reia
| ti1es because lie had scruples against sell
| ine patent medicines. The wives Of both
| nj lxri i'm unt ri "a nd
| Mrs Robert Greene, members of the band.
| WHO appeared only as witnesses, Dress Styl
isniy, aud cpersonalIy attra Give. ChaIlcs
Young, the other prisoner, is rudy
/ checked young farmer.
| Mrs. Alhue Mather, the central figure III
| the case. was a NJ ethodist Just half of her
| fifty-six years of life. When the hand
| lea rned that she wanted ba ptism ny inner
| sion they aimed tn accommodate her. For
| eight years she has been a crippi" from
| rheumatism, and Is a town charge. Despite
| protesta tion OF the selectmen she submitted
to be imme, sed three times in Blackhall
| Brook the last OF May, seated In her chair
during the operation.
Mrs. Nather's sister, Mrs. wellmina stin.
| son Bolton, recently wrote to Mr.. Banta,
gland Juror, to interfere and his investiga-
ton caused him t. make a complaint,chlrg
| ing the '.gbEters' with assault.
| When the prisoners were asked to-day in
courta TO their couh sci, Postma ser Caulkins
accused the Judge Of icing preiudiccd and,
waving a Bible, cried that Goo was their
| only counsel.
| Mrs Robert Green, at whose house Mrs.
Mathcr lives, described the meeting of
October IL, in Charles Youug's house
Mrs. Mather was carried there, and pla ced
| in the center OF the rooni while the &C
cusrd persons dased around her ami sang.
They decided she must walk. They rocked
het chair until she fen ON the floor shs
cried piteousiy doc help, saying she would
| die, but no cue responded. Mrs. Green tried
| {; } aid her, but sone. unseen power held her
back. The men jumped about the woman
| till about to fall on hsr. Mrs. Green pushed
hem as they fell in a heap, just in time
| to save Mrs. Mather from being crushed
Tho woIuan lay there groaung til the
meeting broke up at O'Clock III the morn
ing. No one ever brought her tie water
she cried for till at 400 o'clock. Caulkins
stii ne Lord had decided NOT to heal her
that night.
The rand said the devil W as in the roat
during the meeting, and opened the door d
| let him0ut MIS-, dTeeu didnot KNOW Whe'hei
he W eIt.
TIE judge ad pournesi court and went {,
Mrs. Mathers house takingthe law yers a nd
spectators with him.. She told how Amber
! son visited her he day ofthemeeting. When
he was in Rhode Island God told him to ~
TO Ola Lyme. lie did not know he was
wanted till be reached home and weM out
in the yard with his eyes shut. Then the
| Lord st1rtei him for Mrs. Mather Shpme
through. swamps and over hills. His haIEi
struck I club. The Lord babe him clutcf
it, Their his forehead hit an apple. Tn
Lord babe rim TAX one bite and then carr,
both as a ttken of Gods revelations Mrs
| Mather ha d no complaint to make and hel
| faith IS not shaken.
The Judge then returned to the hall ant
bound tn" prisoners over To the Superici
court.