Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1901-04-18
COLONY.
History Of the Queer Freaks in Dona
Ana County.

NUd SOuNNJs
A correspondent of the III Paso
Times says that the famous Shalam
colony Is no lore. Last week the
socialistic religious colony that has
been so much written about in the
papers and magazines ceased to exist
as such and 1t will hereafter be spok.
en- OF with the many other failures Of
this kind that have existed from
time to time In different parts
OF the world. BY a decision
rendered last week in cham
bers by District Judge Parker the
property rcverts to A. VI. Rowland.
who has been chief of the colony for
many years. in fact since the death
Of DIR. Newbrough, the founder. II is
announced that the colony is abandon
ed and that a large sanitarium may
be erected on the ground In the near
future.
The colony was established some
twelve years ago by Or. N~ewbrough,
n New York dentist. lie was n spirit
ualist and medium and while under
the influence of the spirits he wrote
a book called "Oahspe. a New Bible
According to this book II Is unlawful
to eat meat or kill animals for any
purpose. II teaches a sort OF panthe'
istic religion and contains what pur'
ports to be n history Of the creation of
the world. II Ii a strange and weird
book. full of extraordinary illustra.
lions. and strange tales. The colony
| was supposed to have been founded
in obedience to the command OF the
| spirits and was located about n mile
Of bona Ana. n small village six miles
north Of Las Cruces. In a bend OF the
river. and occupied a very large tract
Of the best valley land. II had n rath'
or checkered career. Among the first
to reside there was DIR. Tanner. who
became noted for his long fast.
Mr.. Rowland vas one of the doctors
first converts, and after his death his
widow became the head OF the colony.
Few persons came there to locate and
fewer remained. Then was adopted
the plan OF collecting from all parts
of the country n number of homeless
and abandoned infants and raising
them In the doctrines of Shalam, and
from this reform the human race
They were allowed no meat and wore
but little clothing during the greater
part OF the year Mr.. n Mrs. How
land were for a long time the adults
at the colony. with the exception o
hired help.
According To the teachings Of Oah
spe Mr.. Rowland some years ag'
transferred the property under a dec
of trust to twenty-six of these chill
dren. retaining himself the supervis
ion as their trustee. the plan boini
that they should W IL In common
as their heritage. Seeing the plai
was a failure. however, he applied L
the courts to set aside this deed an,
restore the property to himself, agree
ing at the same time to see that the.
were all placed in good homes an
properly cared for. on these condi
tons his application was granted b!
Judge Parker.
Many thousands OF dollars wcr,
spent on the colony in improving thu
land and putting up buildings o
which there are several very fine an
substantial mes. There was alst
a fine system OF irrigation works b!
means of wells and windmills. Mr.
Rowland was quite wealthy and hai
spared neither time o money on hi
colony scheme. He is said to be
cousin OF the famous Mrs. Hett,
Green,