The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-02-27
STRANGE TEACHINGS
OF AHISH SECT
Salt Lake officer Returns From
MOSer Trial,
KILLED HIS FAMILY
ANIMALS VALUED MORE HIGH
LY THAN CHILDREN.

officer Palmer, Who for several days
past has been IN attendance as wit
ness in the sam Moser murder trial in
Pekin, Ills, returned from that place
last night. It will be remembered that
Moser was captured here last summer.
At the police station last night he told
an interesting story of the trial as far
as il had gone and gave a vivid &C
count of the eccentric teachings of the
Anish people, to whose religious be
liefs is attributed the horrible murder
for which NOser is now being tried One
of the fundamental teachings of the
religion, the officer said, was that mem
beTs of the church must not, on any ac-
count. show the slightest sign of affeC-
ton for their children, but must con-
centrate their undivided affections on
the minister of the church. This teach
ing and its rigid enforcement constitute
the cause, as claimed by the defense,
that drove Moser to murder his wife
and three children, after being severely
scored by the minister for soothing his
weeping babe IN church.
The feeling, said the officer, is strong
ly in favor of Moser, and bitter against
the Amish church, and it is generally
believed back there that MOser will be
cleared of the terrible crime with which
he is charged. The ca sc, the officer said,
was being fought hand on every point
by the prosecution, backed by the
Amish people, and it required the eX-
animation of $50 men before a jury of
twelve men could be selected satisfac-
tory to both sides. One of the ques-
tions put to each man and one which
il is said caused no end of contention,
was: do you blame a man for loving
his children" Invariably the answer
was, no" and it is said that the Amish
people would object to that man.
10 ion ha fF7s EfafG re
case when Officer Palmer left and it
was expected that it would require
much time yet MOser maintains strict
silence about his crime and even his
attorney has not been able to get a
statement from him. From the pris-
oner's family not a word about MOser
nor his crime can be gotten.
Peculiar Teachings.
Speaking of the teachings OF the
Amish people, officer Palmer said that
they required of men, women and chill
dren that they greet the minister with
kisses, pay him large sums of money
and obey absolutely his behests. They
are also commanded to be most atten-
tive to their animals, but not the least
sign of feeling must be manifested by
parents for their offspring.
To illustrate the absolute disregard
which the Amish parent has for his
child, the officer told a shocking story
Of the injury. neglect and death of the
10-year-old daughter of the minister
at the place where Moser lived. Ac-
oording to the story, the father saw the
girl riding a nayTake behind a runaway
horse and made no effort to save the
child, but told her TO stop the horse.
The girl was thrown into a wire fence
which literally tore her face of. The
child, still alive, was taken to the
house and left without attention, while
the horse that had been hurt was i'm
mediately placed under the care of a
skilled veterinary. The child had no
medical attention for over a day and
only then because the affair was report
ed to the city authorities at Pekin.
When the doctors arrived at the house
Of the minister and asked why no med
ical aid had been summoned. the IA
Their replied in an uncOncerned manner
that it was the will of the Lord that
his child should die and it was not for
him 10 interfere.