Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1908-08-14
LEAVES JUMPERS.
WILLIAM ERIE TELLS EXPERT.
ENCES AS MEMBER.
Says He Was Locked Up Once When
He Tried to Escape from Foun-
tain House.

WAUKESHA Wis, Aug. 8.-[Spe-
cial. AFTER making his home six years
with the "Holy Jumpers" the weird,
fanatical religious sect, who occupy the
Fountain house, 16-year-old William
Erie, a Chicago boy, decided that that
Life was not for him and has left the
band to which he says he will never
return and is now earning his living
here, having secured a position with a
Local mercantile firm.
When 10 years old young Erie and a
brother We're placed in the orphanage
of the sect whose headquarters were
then at Chicago, by their mother. Young
Erie remained at Chicago for a time
but after the headquarters of the sect
was changed to this city he came here
He was for a time in the school and lat
er employed in the Burning Bush
printing office and as office boy in the
offices of Edwin L. Harvey and Frank
NJ. Messenger, who are at the head Of
the local Jumper" colony. In the lat
ter capacity it was his duty to make
the mails and it was while thus engaged
that he tired of his existence at the
Fountain house.
Fail to Escape.
Accordingly one night young Erie and
two boy companions decided to leave the
Fountain house. His daily trips to the
postoftice gave him ample opportunity
for running away if he SO desired, but
he was anxious, he says, to wear his
best clothes" which were denied him
except on Sundays and special occasions.
Securing possession Of their best suits
and throwing a portion Of their wearing
apparel out of the window the trio start
ed to make getaway, but some one
had overheard their plans and informed
on them and they were intercepted in
the hallway by Messenger, and young
Erie spent the night locked up. The
next day he was taken to Chicago,
where he was for time employed at
the branch at that city as painters
apprentice. Members of the sect, seeing
that he was determined never to perma-
nently identify himself with them, fin
ally permitted him to leave and he went
from Chicago to Watertown, where he
was for a time employed in a hotel and
then returned to Waukesha.
The lads mother. who is not mem
Der of the sect, resides at Milwaukee,
where she is employed as cook in an
orphan asylum. Two brothers are at
the Fountain house, James, aged IA,
who plays a cornet in the orchestra,
and Alvin. a lad of S years, who is in
the school.
Tells of Jumping Habit.
The Jumping" habit, which is char
acteristic of the peculiar religious dem
onstration of the sect, is, according to
Erie, drilled into the children almost
from infancy. Little children are taken
by the hand by elders and required to
go through the series of gymnastics that
later go to qualify them for member
ship in one of Americas most unique
religious denominations.
For some time, Erie says, he was con-
tent to live among the Jumpers but
the combining life at the Fountain house
and the lack of the healthy recreation,
sports and pastimes which he saw on
every hand on his daily trips to the post
Office, caused him to become dissatis-
fed and he longed for freedom. He
is making good in his new job and is
well liked by his employer, who says he
is a reliable and trustworthy lad.