Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-03-19
ANOTHER JOE LYNCH
APPEARS At JONESPORT
Religious Orgies Came Near
Causing The Murder Of
Many Children.

lowing account of the doings of a Holi-
ness band in Maine will be strongly
reminded of the doings of Joe Lynch on
Chincoteague Island few years ago.
when families were broken up.
Lynch and his leading proselytes were
driven from the Island. and when last
heard from were at work in North Caro-
lima. We have an idea that this is the
same crowd under assumed names at
work in Maine. Here is the story If a
reporter:
4 reporter who visited Beals Island to
investigate the outbreak of religious
frenzy which nearly resulted in the sac
rifice Of child because its insane moth
er said God had ordered her To commit
the crime. has returned with strange
story of the fanatical scenes that have
been occurring among the 400 residents.
The fisherfolk are now outwaI dly
quiet, but divided one against the other.
Half the people who believed and still
believe in the religious doctrines as ex-
pounded to them during the last two
weeks. are angry because the holiness
evangelists have been driven away and
are bitter against the men who did what
they could to stop the meetings. Half
the town refuses to speak to the other
half. Families are divided. but there
are to be no more meetings on the island
at present. This is due to an edict of
the selectmen of Jonesport.
Three weeks ago gray bearded man
who called himself Elder Buck began to
hold series of meetings on the island.
The first meetings were of fervid char
acter. and were largely attended by the
women. Later Buck was joined by a
man named Buber, who assisted at the
meetings and whose fiery oratory and
doctrines added to the flames already
kindled by Buck. His doctrines are un-
like those of any known creed, although
savoring somewhat of the tenets of the
Shiloh faith.
iNttiuE tiit tAtit'thtut
creased until the arrival of "a third man.
more mysterious than either of the 9th
crs. This man called himself + A. AL
laby. Allaby is OF great height, nearly
seven feet tall. some said.
During the meetings the scenes were
spectacular. Buber preached hell fire
4 81 el.nt
they must give all their money, houses,
land, cattle and even clothing to the
preachers. His listeners. terrified by
the awful fate held before them. became
frenzied and performed all sorts of won
derful acts of expiation, doing ali that
they were bid and then beginning to re-
ceive divine revelations that were even
more grotesque than those suggested by
the leaders.
Amidst the excitement woman nam
ed Beal arose in the throng that packed
the meeting and announced that she was
directed by a divine revelation to kill a
certain cat. This act of cruelty was per-
petrated with much solemnity. and then
Mrs. Beal's second revelation was for
the killing of dog. and this was done.
as was that of the feline.
Thus far the religious dementia had
been confined to harmless channels. but
now the woman declared that third
revelation had come to her and cried out
that she must kill her own child and
then restore him to life.
A man named Wallace told the repor-
ter the story of this dramatic horror
Cries of protest rose from some who were
not quite SO frenZied as the rest, but the
majority of the congregation were with
the woman and the child murder was
about TO be accomplished when Wallace
interfered
Wallace told the reporter that in a
few minutes more the Beal child would
have been killed and others would have
followed. Wallace seized the boy dash
ed out of the door and held the crowd at
bay. while the frightened youngster fled
for his life, finding hiding piace among
the rocks. Beal fled to the mainland
for help and came back with some con-
stables. who arrested Mrs. Beal. She
was sent to an asylum. Another wo-
man was convinced that her baby must
be killed and her husband guarded the
child all one night from the frenZied
woman who had armed herself with IA
butcher knife.
The evangelists left the Island hur-
riedly when deputy sheriff told them
that the people of the mainland vowed
vengeance. Some of the people believe
that Allaby is one of the Mormons who
have been working in Maine. Others
think he was a member of the Holy
Ghost and Us Society of Shiloh. who
had come To the Eastern coast in Sandi-
ford's gospel launch last summer and
separated from his companions in search
for wholesale conversions and contribu
tions.
Other men believe Allaby is hypuo-
tist possessing great power and that
Mrs. Beal is under his spell. There was
l. Al 4