The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-09-21
TORTURED AGED
WOMAN TO
DEATH.
Five Parhamites Under Arrest
at Zion City.
VISION TO CAST OUT DEVILS
Aged Mrs. Greenhauleh In Agony
From Trestment Of Religious
Fanatics.

CHICAGO. Sept n. Five people,
members Of the sect OF Parhamltes,
are under arrest In Zion City accused
OF torturing 90 death Mrs. Letitia
Greenhaulgh. slxty-four years old, 20
show their belief In the religion they
profess.
The people under arrest are Walter
and Jennie Greenhaugh. the son and
daughter OF the woman; Harold Mitch.
ell. Mrs. Harold Mitchell aud Mrs.
Smith. All OF them are accused Of
manslaughter.
Mrs. Greenhaulgh had been for TWEEN.
" years an invalid. suffering from
paralysis aud rheumatism.
The sect Of Parhnmites was founded
about a year ago boy Charles +. Par
ham aud numbers about 200. The
members ~ the sect originally belong
ed 10 Dowle's church aud believed In
the gift OF tongues. aud especially In
dlabollcal possession OF the body by
evil spirits
The condition OF Mrs Greenhaulgh
convinced her son aud daughter aud
the three persons arrested with them
that she must be- possessed Of the
devil. aud they determined 90 exercise
the evil spirit. The i've knclt boy the
bedside and after prayer commenced
their work The arms OF Mrs. Green.
hhulgh. stlnened by rheumatism. were
jerked and twisted about In order that
the devil nigh; bc driven out The
cries NJ the aged woman were cOnsid.
cred 10 be- those 81 an evil spirit and
were greeted with triumphant shouts.
After n course of this violent treat.
ment Mrs. Grecnhnulgh not only D..
came IN weak that she could not use
her iimhs. hut became Incapable u
making any motion. Thrn her neck
was twisted. and Tor some time this
treatment was kept W.
Walter Greenhaulgh testified NJ the
coroner's Inquest that Mitchell and his
wife Recently had n "ylslon" In which
Mitchell was ordered 10 quit work and
devote his time a. casting out demons
from the sick. Young Grrenhaulgh
declared that bis mothers consent was
obtained before the treatment was be-
gun. He asserted that hypnotic passes
were made before his mothers face.
and then followed the muscular force.
which. be- said. was strongly resisted
by the demons"
Mitchell took her by the hands" the
son testified. "and pulled her arm
away from her body. She screamed.
screamed terribly. jumped forward.
Mitchell held me back aud put his
hand over my mothers mouth aud
stopped her cries. lie said: OF course
shall not hurt her. Those cries are
not her cries That Is the screaming
OF the demons aud the devils n they
leave her. She IL all right
areenhaulgh told Of movements like
those OF a hypnotist that Mitchell
made above the prostrnte woman and
continued: Mitchell and his wife
again took her arms and drew them
out straight. There was n cracking
sound. found out afterward that
they broke the bones. They did tho
same with her legs. They pulled at
her head. They pinched and worked
with her flesh. She groaned and cried
out They said she would soon he all
right Then mother seemed % become
quiet She looked at me. She said:
4 was In hell. am In heaven now
thought she meant she was getting
better. believed that God was help
ing her. She was dead"
Mrs. Smiths part In the treatment
according 10 the testimony before the
coroner's jury. consisted In raising
Mrs. Greenhaulgh's head and holding
her while Mitchell and his wife AZ.
tempted 10 stralghten the woman's
limbs. which had been twisted by
years Of rheumatism.
0recnhaulgh broke down and cried
a. he told his story. lie said that for
some time his mother bore the treat.
ment bravely but at last the agony
became 20 great that she could not
restrain herself and exclaimed. 20
Lord. help mew a number Of times
According 10 Greenhaulgh. Mitchell de.
olared that her cries must not be heard
By outsiders, and he put his hand
across her mouth 10 smother them.
Ths Eve worked over the victim until
she died. After that, according 10
0rssnhauiGh, Mrs. Smith became the
leader In a resurrection scene" In
this efforts were made 10 restore the
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