The herald., 1898-12-02
ONE OF HER DUPEs GOES TO THE
INSANE ASYLUM
SHE is RAvING MAD HERSELF
Her Life History Rehearsed-Warn.
ings to Reporters-Packed Off
TO the Hospital

seven years she has been preaching on this
coast the weird doctrines that she has con-
ceived to be the truth and the basis OF re-
ligious wisdom, and now she is under de-
tention at the county hospital for the pur-
poses of observation and report as to her
sanity.
Of late the woman has been holding meet
ings down on Fifth street, three blocks
east of Main, where she has gathered wild
eyed lot of followers, who have come to
regard her as a prophet or the direct mes
senger of God, and who have fallen so per-
fectly under her influence that they have
done whatever she has instructed them
to do. Some have tasted until half dead,
others have paid her money, and yet others
have left their homes and wandered about
under the delusion that they were called
upon to save the world and bring on the
millennium.
A worse nest of fanatics it would have been
hard to find, and some have gone insane
completely, and at least one died, as the
doctors say, in consequence of blindly fol-
lowing the counsel of their dusky leader
The papers have contained more or less OF
these things, the nightly meetings of the
deluded company having become notorious.
The matter came to the attention of the
authorities again a few days ago by the
arrest of one of Mrs Williams dupes,
George Beasse, who has been held at the
county hospital pending examination for
lunacy, brought on through her influence.
This was held yesterday before Judge Allen,
Drs. Fl. H. Maynard and w. LIE Moyne
Wills being the examining physicians.
Beasse is German, Al years of age, ac-
cording to his reckoning, and native OF
Essen, in the fatherland. He is almost
blind, his eyes being weak and nearly closed,
and by fasting he has brought himself to
physical condition bordering on starvation
Mrs. Williams was summoned as wit
ness in the case and sat beside her hus-
band, John Williams, a coal-back negro,
when Beasse came in. A smile spread over
their faces and Mrs. Williams addressed
him. Don't you know me!" 10 this Beasse
replied: "No; am almost blind and can
not see you"
Mrs. Williams arose and passed around
to the head OF the table and shook hands
with her convert, who at once recognized
her "Why, yes," said he. $50 it is you'll
Bless the Lord!"
sit is blessed thing to suffer for the
TRUTH continued the priestess, to which the
German assented in a hysterical manner, al
most falling on her neck and slapping her on
the back.
The doctors began the examination, and in
response to their inquiries the German said
he came to America in 1881, to California
five years ago and to Los Angeles shortly
thereafter His business, he said, was
working for the Lord" and his church "the
church of Jesus Christ"
Being questioned regarding the peculiar
influence Mrs. Williams had acquired over
him and as to the fact OF his presenting her
with 5000, all the money he had, he replied:
"The colored woman has no power in her
self, but she is Christian and imbued with
divine power 1t is no ones business whether
gave her money or not. That lies between
me and my God"
''Dr." Milton B. Combs, chiropodist in or
dinary to Chief of Police Glass, said Beasse
had tasted for fifteen days in pursuance of
Mrs. Williams advice, at the end of which
time he could barely totter along, being
so weak that he was all but dead. 10 this
the German responded that he had kept his
fast because he had determined to live
Christian life and to overcome all lust after
the flesh and said he had been of that dis
pUslllOu lOI IuOIe lHdH year.
Combs cast much light upon the doings OF
the priestess and her disciples, telling how
they followed her around until they thought
her perfect god and influenced their friends
to visit her little "shack," where she hyp-
Noticed the whole outfit. His wife confirmed
his statement, but the evidence OF lunacy
on the part of Beasse was SO thoroughly man.
ifested in his own appearance and expressed
opinions that the court was readily con-
vinced of the desirabiity of restraint.
Among other things, the German said:
"God has spoken to me, when lived in a
tent and in log house. His voice was
sometimes in a whisper and again like the
voice of thunder, and l could understand
his commands. What is life or money to
me if [ but convert the world, or food or
answer only to my God"
Regarding these fasts and the requirement
of money from her followers, Prof. Combs
said:
when she sees her patients are slipping
away from her, she tells them to go and
fast. They do as she tells them and become
so weakened in mind and body that she can
control them afterwards. She tells those who
wish to come in contact with her faith if
they have any money they must get rid OF 1t;
to bring it to her and she will apply it
to the benefit of the saints, and," the witness
naively added, there are only two OF them,
she and her husband
''To force them to reveal their possessions,
she will frighten them with the story of
Ananias and Saphira, telling them what
frghtful things will happen to them if they
ignore the voice of God, speaking to them
through her, and the poor fools believe her."
Beasse was ordered to be committed
though the priestess and her husband stoutly
held out that he waA only moved by the
spirit Of God and in full possession OF his
mental faculties.
When asked to be sworn, Mrs. Williams
refused outright, on the ground OF con-
scientious scruples, but her husband, who
returned from states prison less than a
year ago, was less punctilious. He swore
readily enough, but Minerva affirmed
In this, connection it may be said that
Williams served a sentence at Folsom for
assault with deadly weapon. The act was
committed in 1884, when he slashed a wo-
man of color with razor and ran away
Two years later he was captured and con-
victed for that oifense, for which he received
a sentence of four years Imprisonment at
Folsom, being taken north on April 20, 1896,
by Deputy Sheriff Byam. Credits for good
behavior resulted in his recent discharge.
After Beasse was disposed of, Mrs. Will
Jams related her experience to the assem-
bled crowd, finally breaking out into an
mpassoned harangue, in the course OF which
L 4 :. l.