The San Francisco call., 1904-08-21
HOLY JUMPERS
TRADE WIVES
Little Florence Lynch Tells
of Loose Social Relations
Among Members Of Band
DIVORCE UNNECESSARY
Claim Is Made That Former
Marriages Were Not OF
God and Therefore Sinful
SPECIAL Dazp1seA to Tns CAL

SAN RERNARDNo. Aug "a
Florence Lynch. the little girl who
promises 10 break up the religious sect
called the Holy Jumpers" in
California made a sensational afi-
davi1 to-day, IN which she accuses ths
members OF the sect Of committing
bigsnly She claims that all who join
must renouncs former marriages and
select wives from among the members
Of the sect
Her own father and mother did this,
she claims. She also says her father
no1 only left her q prisoner, but bru-
tally beat her, eliminating his attack
. by pulling q handful Of hair from her
head She offers the hair as an exhibit
The affidavit follows:
To whom Il may concern-F1orence
Lynch. being first duly sworn, deposes
and says i am Of the age Of is years
and the daughter Of James Lynch and
Lizzie Lynch, both members OF the or
ganizarion known as Holy Jumpers
1Ly parents Joined the same when
vas years cid and we have been
members ever since That upon joining
said organization they renounced their
former marriage and my father chose
Sarah Z Collins as wife Ny mother
chase J. r Hudson as husband Both
Ms Collins and AIr- Hudson were
married and their husband and wife
chose other members as their wife and
husband
That neither ny father nor mother
weus ever divorced nor married except
as they TeEe married By the church
ofhcez Married people joining the
Holy Jumpers must give up their
former husbands and wives and choose
from among the members, as the for
mer marriages 50 they teach, are
wholly sinful and can never be OF God
I have e half sister, whom my mother
has told and who each one Of the
adult members Of the band living at S44
Third street well knows has for a
father J. p Hudson and whose mother
is my mother, Lizzie Lynch Other like
conditions exist and are openly adYo-
Gated by the members
As TO the charge that deserted the
Holy Jumpers because Of my willful-
ness, VIII state I have never been
willful or disobedient, except as my
own mother insisted that 1 should
marry A Mr.. Hike, a worthless member
Of the band In this I did disobey and
VIII continue 10 do so. The accusation
most unkind that I have kept COM
pany, or even been with persons Of
questionable character other than Holy
Jumpers is absolutely false. 1 have
never been with any one, male or
female, other than Holy Jumpers and
] have $50 on deposit in the San Ber-
nardino National Bank, which I will
give 10 any one proving that I have
been.
AS 10 my cruel treatment. well,
] have in my possession two punches
OF hair that my father pulled out Of
my head last Sunday evening, which
was done, as well as choking, in the
presence Of the members Of the Holy
Jumpers. and not a word or act in
my behalf was said or done. I have
left the Holy Jumpers for reasons
OF III treatment. for vicious and low
conduct Of its members.
That the Rev. J. ". Miller, quoted
in this mornings issue Of the Sun, de-
serted his wife and two small chill
dren in Florida TO join the Jumpers,
and to cover up his identity went un-
der the name Of John Williams until
he learned Of his wife's death. and his
two children are now with the moth
er's parents in Florida. This fact is
known by all the members Of the
Third-street band. (Signed) FLOR
ENCE LYNCH"