The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-12-23
MANIACS IN
GERMAN
VILLAGE.
Young Man, Returned From
America, Inauguratss a SsctOf
Mys,iCS With Fearful Rites

Berlin. Dec. 23.--About a year ago a
young man named Kaschlxe FASTENED to
his home I'm the village OF Datten, an
hours journey from Berlin. from the
United States. 10 inform his family OF the
approaching end OF the world Ills father.
well-to-do farmer had always been a
religious man. with leanings toward the
mystical In religion. lie was "A member
OF the rational church until the return OF
his son.
The young man while I'm America had
associated himself with a number of semi
mystical bodies. the chief tenet OF which
IS that the end OF the world is at hand.
Being persuaded of the approach OF the
second advent. he believed IL 10 be his
duty TO assist his relatives in preparing
for the coming OF Christ.
The young man found his relatives In
perfect readiness 10 accept his peculiar
views. Recently they assembled at the
kaSchke home. divested themselves OF
nearly all their clothing and began TO
chant litanies and psalms. The neighbors
saw them dancing about and careering
like maniacs across the farm yard.
They had resolved 10 take no food until
Christ came, and young Kaschke said
that those who f0lt the pangs OF hunger
nrst were those whom God had not elect
ed. Besides the farmer, his wife and son.
there were two other grown children, a
maid servant and four peasants.
Frau kaschke sank from want of food
after four days, and her husband and
said possessed her. They danced about
her and struck her madly with their fists
until the wretched woman fell dead on
the floor. covered with blood.
The blood gave unmiNed satisfaction to
the eight maT1faCs m the room with her.
When they saw IL flow they sank on tho
floor beside her, murmurinG feebly their
litanies and giving thanks that the poor
woman had ar last been accepted, for
without shedding OF blood there can be no
remission of sins"
In 10 tot Of V-a1f 1farf. .to hT
were found by the village authorities. who
broke open the doors and carried them
off, sKSeking and wailing. 10 the village
lock-up. Here they were handcuned ana
chained and marched by six armed gen.
dsrmes To the lunatic asylum.
In the village OF Sinan-Tekiya, in Bos-
MIA a singular Oriental sect an offshOot
OF the Greek church. has "A monastery.
For years the greatest secrecy was OBJ
served by the twenty monks who lived
there with regard TO their ritual and re.
has at last insisted upon knowing all,
with the result that the monks at Sinan-
Tekiya have been revealed as fanatical
set OF madmen closely resembling the Ma
hometan dancing dervlshes.
Twice every week they have a solemn
service. The monks sit on the floor in
the half light of-the- evening under the
dome OF the great hall OF the monastery:
The abbot in a long black "caftan,
stands In the midst and recites prayers.
One after the other the monks rise from
their places and begin TO sway their heads
backward and forward like a pendulum,
emitting with every motion forward a
deep groan.
In unison they then begin 20 sing the
Creed az first slowly but gradually in
creasing the time until II is wild gab-
BILE. accompanied by furious bendings
backward and forward. forward until the
tins OF the fingers touch the ground.
Drops OF sweat begin to appear on their
forehesds. and as the intensity OF their
motion increases they begin TO turn round
and round. at first slowly. but rapidly in
creasing In quickness until giddiness sets
in and, pale and sick. they fall TO the
ground one after the other.