The herald., 1898-10-28

point, and, instead of giving up, as she said
she had done with Ellinger, she stuck tc
the claim that she had not tried to induce
Nellie to fast. While she taught her follow
ers that fasting was sure means of hitting
the bullseye of salvation, she had never sent
Nellie cunning in this way. In fact, she
had advised the woman to take some nour
ishmept, but Nellie had refused. Minerva
denied having advised Nellie to sleep in the
river bottom, or to 60 out on the hilltops
and pray, or even journey into the wilder
ness.
1t was claimed, however, by others that
Minerva had told the Thompson woman she
should 60 to the wilderness and fast and
pray.
As Nellie had no money to pay her trans
portation to the Mojave desert, she took
the next best substitute, the Los Angeles
river bottom, and there held forth. After
her period Of fasting in the improvised
wilderness" Nellie went to the home OF
Mrs. Williams, which is at ALT Seaton street,
in the rear of the Arcade depot. This resort
is known as the Saints Camp" Efforts
to provide the woman with food were made
by the neighbors, but they were refused ad-
mittance to the holy ground of the Saints
Camp" and not until the woman died was
any person not members of the sect ad
mitted.
Minerva was asked to explain why she had
placed the padlocks on all the gates leading
into her yard. 1t had been naturally sup,
posed that this had been done to keep the
cloven and unclean hoof of the unbelievers
off of the holy ground. This proved to be an
error, for 1t was vigorous and prolific peach
tree which caused Mrs. Williams to manifest
so much exclusiveness. "Yo see," she ex-
planned, II went away one mite and some
body, tink it was some low down niggars,
dem outcasts,'" and here she looked signific-
antly in the direction of Prof. j. Milton
Combs, one of the witnesses against her,
what stole into my yad, and carried off a
whole lot O ma peaches. Course had to
go an pray up at ma church, SO done put
de- padlocks on to proteck ma fruit while
I'm gon'.'
well, then, it was not to keep the people
off Of the ground?" inquired Coroner Camp
bell, IKE ggravely.
groun'."
Gertie Fungus, a mulatto girl about 10
years of age, said that the Thompson woman
had had consumption, all her folks had, died
of it and she had not died of starvation at
all. In view of the previous testimony of
DR.. Brainard on the point of the deceased S
condition, the non-expert testimony of Ger
tie did not carry much weight.
cohu w iiiduAp, Cue earthly uu6DdnQ OF
Minerva, was called. He is a well-groomed
darky, similar to other young husbands of
elderly colored wives, SO prevalent in the
south. John threw some light on the
methods of the priestess, but from his state
ments he does not now appear to be in the
running as much as he had been in pre-
vious years. Williams wore black suit of
clothes, low-cut vest, a "biled" shirt, and
looked the picture of crap-shooting, cake
walking, sporty negro.
"No, sab, doan' wuk," he said in answer
to a question. "My wife she prays and de
Lord provides. Sometimes we eats and
sometimes we don't eat" Judging from his
appearance Williams had not been lacking
for food recently. "Yo' Sc, ma wife, she
trusts in de Lord, and trust in her. fused
to be in de fol- and member OBJ her chuch,
but I fell from the lite, and am got in dark
ness" He looked it too, for he was as black
as coal Regarding the relations of the
priestess with Basse, the German, Williams
did not venture any explanation but the
neighbors are pointed enough in that mat
ter. Williams was asked about the source
of revenue for the church. "Well, deed,
boss, / doan' no nuthin' bout dem; ma wife,
she looks after dat. Dey amt been good
1ately, dough, for didn't hav nuthin but
apple fa' ma brekfas' dis mawnin.' saw
ma wife once wild $l70."