The Morris County chronicle., 1907-09-24
FAITH LEADS SECT
TO FATAL TORTURE
Woman, Long an Invalid, Put to
Death in Zion City.
TO CAST OUT EVIL SPIRITS
Parhamites Wrench Her Limbs and
Shout Joyfu1ly When She Screams
Son and Daughter Aid-Five
Fanatics Held For Grand Jury.

Chicago, Ill.-Five persons, mem
bers of the sect of Parhamites, are
under arrest in Zion City accused of
manslaughter in torturing to death
Mrs. Letitia Greenhaulgh, sixty-four
years old, to show their belief in the
religion they profess. The prisoners
are Walter and Jennie Greenhaulgh,
son and daughter of the woman; Har-
old Mitchell, his wife and a Mrs.
Smith.
The sect of Parhamites was found
ed about a year ago by Charles F.
Parham, and numbers about 200. The
members of the sect originally be-
longed to Dowie's church, and be-
lieved in the gift of tongues, and es-
pecially in diabolical possession of
the body by evil spirits.
Mrs. Greenhaulgh had been an in-'
valid for twenty-five years, having
suffered from paralysis and rheuma-
tism. Her condition convinced her
son and daughter and the three per-
sons arrested with them that she
must be possessed of the devil, and
they determined to exercise the evil
spirit The five knelt by the bedside,
and after prayer commenced their
work
The arms of Mrs. Greenhaulgh,
stiffened by rheumatism, were jerked
and twisted about in order that the
devil might be driven out. The cries
Of the aged woman were considered
to be those of an evil spirit and were
greeted with triumphant shouts. After
a course of this violent treatment
Mrs. Greenhaulgh not only became
so weak that she could not use her
limbs, but became incapable of max
ing any motion. Then her neck was
twisted and for some time this treat
ment was kept up.
Walter Greenhaulgh testified at the
Coroner's inquest that Mitchell and
his wife had recently had a vision"
in which Mitchell was ordered to quit
work and devote his time to casting
out demons from the sick. Young
Greenhaulgh declared that his moth
ers consent was obtained before the
treatment was begun.
Greenhaulgh broke down and wept
as he told his story. He said that
for some time his mother bore the
treatment bravely, but at last the
agony became SO great that she could
not restrain herself and exclaimed,
20 Lord; help mel" several times.
The five worked over the victim
until she died. After that, according
to Greenhaulgh, Mrs. Smith became
the leader in resurrection scene.
In this efforts were made to restore
the dead woman to life. When these
had failed the announcement of her
death was made.
The Coroner's Jury held Harold
and May Mitchell, Miss Louise Smith
and Walter and Jennie Greenhaulgh
to the Grand Jury for the death of
Mrs. Greenhadlgh. The autopsy
showed that both knees, both elbows,
the left collar bone and the neck had
been fractured. Dark discolorations
on the left groin, the right side and
the forehead gave proof of other vio-
lence.
DR.. Taylor's statement to the jury
was that there was no question as to
the cause of Mrs. Greenhaulgh's
death.
The shock coming from these frac-
lures alone" he stated, would be
enough to cause death to much
stronger person than she. Each of
them was a complicated fracture
The bones through long invalidism
were like dry sticks, and they broke
not only crosswise but longitudinally.
They splintered and pieces of bone of
several sizes are found in each of the
| fractures"
Harold Mitchell and his wife were
held as principals, the others as ac-
cessories. The jury said; "We find
that certain practices are being car
ried on in Zion City under the leader
ship of one Parham which are both
disgraceful and dangerous to society,
and we believe that these practices
should be thoroughly Investigated by
the proper authorities.