The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-09-20
Five Members of New Re-
IigiOus Sect Arrested
for Her Death.
son AND DAUGHTER IN IT
Former Followers of Dowie in
Zion City, Calling Themselves
Parhamites, Torture Mrs.
0reenhaulgh in ExOrcis-
ing Evil Spirit.

CHICAGO, Sept. 2O.--Five people.
members of the sect of Parhamites.
are under arrest in Zion City accused
of torturing to death Mrs. Letitia
Greenhaulgh, Ga years old, to show
their belief in the religion they profess.
The prisoners are Walter and Jennie
Greenhaulgh, the son and daughter of
the woman; Harold Mitchell, Mrs. Har-
old Mitchell and a Mrs. Smith. All of
them are accused of manslaughter.
Mrs. Greenhaulgh had been for
twenty years an invalid, suffering from
of Parhamites was founded about
year ago by Charles F. Parham and
numbers about 200 members, who orig
inally belonged to Dowie's church and
believe in the gift of tongues, and es-
pecially in the possession of the body
by evil spirits.
The condition of Mrs. Greenhaulgh
convinced her son and daughter and
the three persons arrested with them
that she was possessed of the devil,
and they determined to exercise the
evil spirit. The five snelt by the bed
side, and after prayer, began their
work. Mrs. Greenhaulghs arms. stiff
fened 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 the evil spirit
and were greeted with triumphant
shouts. After a course of this violent
| 4..ar, IL.
weak that she could not use her limbs
and was incapable of making any mo-
ton Then her neck was twisted, and
for some time this treatment was kept
up.
Walter Greenhaulgh testified at the
coroner's inquest that Mitchell and his
wife 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 de-
clared that his mothers consent was
obtained before the treatment was
begun. He asserted that hypnotic
passes We're made before his mothers
face, and then followed the muscular
force which, be said, was strongly re-
sisted by the demons
Mrs. Smiths part in the treatment,
according to the testimony before the
coroner's jury, consisted in raising Mrs.
Greenhaulgh's head and holding her
while Mitchell and mis- wife attempted
to straighten the womans limbs, which
had been twisted by years of rheuma-
tism.
Greenhaugh broke down and cried
as he told his story. He said that for
some time his mother bore TIE treat
ment bravely, but at last the agony
became so great that she could not re-
strain herself, and shrieked "Oh, Lord
help me-" number of times Accord
ing to Greenhaulgh, Mitchell declared
that her cries must not be heard by
outsiders and he put his hand across
her mouth to smother them. The five
worked over the victim until she died
shortly before noon. After that. ac-
cording to Greenhaulgh, Mrs. Smith be-
came the leader In a 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 case will be further investigated
today by the authorities of Lake Coun-
ty, in which Zion City is situated.