Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-05-02
FANATIC KILLS GIRL
Mother Found Child Dead With Re-
ligious Crank Praying Over Her.
THE HOUSE NEARLY WRECKED

wife Of Nazareth, Pa, Man, Accused
Of Killing Niece, Says Husband, Who
us God" Did Deed-OOlngs Of
Queer Sect
Allentown. Pa. April 29-No new
Developments have occurred in the sad
case at Nazareth where May Irene.
the hve-year-old child OF MI and Mrs.
Henry Smith. OF Alliance. was murder
ed by her uncle. Robert Bachman.
while he was in = religious frenzy.
Bachman IS confined ia the Nazareth
lookup and is not yet fully out OF his
spell. His wife, who was present and
who also was IN the same state OK re-
ligious excitement is under surveil-
lance at the home OF her mother-in-
law. Mr.. and Mrs. Smith are kept
under watch at their own home
Bachman's wife told the coroner
that the child had been killed by God
and that her husband was God.
Bachman is quoted as having said:
i needed a sacrifice and Il was nee
essary that the blood shed be as pure
and innocent as a chi1d's."
Bachman was the head Of a new
praying band, and last week got the
Smiths interested. They went 70 Bach
mans house last Saturday. They
prayed and held services and decided
70 remain until the spirit told them TO
leave
Late Monday night under Bach
mans direction In fighting the devil.
Smith broke three doors. kicked in the
fOOtboard OF a bed and Jumped on the
bed. smashing e.
Meanwhile Bachman was IN an ad-
Joining room with the Smiths only
child. May Irene. When Mrs. Smith en-
tered that room she found her daugh.
ter dead on the floor and Bachman on
his knees alongside In a religious
frenzy. The Smiths returned home az
once with the corpse. The child has
marks on the forehead and left tenn
pie as large az a silver dollar. and
scratches on the nose. the neck and
the shoulders.
About six months ago a queer sect
that had headquarters In Reading
came along this way on missionary
Journey. Its adherents met IN out-of.
the-way places or in the privacy OF
houses and read. studied and discussed
the Bible until worked up 10 furious
fits OF frenzy
Bachman became a convert. He also
converted the members OF his imme
diate household. Bachman's brother-in.
Law, Henry Smith. lives az Siegfricd,
about nine miles from here. and among
others Bachman tried TO convert him
On Saturday night last. Smith. his
wife and little daughter drove from
Siegfried TO this place on a visit. the
purpose OF which was 70 be converted. |
II possible
The services az Bachman's house
ran over Sunday and Monday on
Monday night came the climax. Neigh
bors in the viSinity say there were all
sorts OF noises In the house. yelling
and screaming and pounding and
stamping.
Furniture was broken. windows and
doors pulled down and dishes smash.
ed. holes punched in the ceilings and
even In the walls. In a word. the place
was almost wrecked.
The neighbors congregated outside,
but we're afraid TO go near. the whole
batch OF inmates yelling at them IN
frenzy and calling them devils"
BY and by things Quoted down. al.
though not until Mrs. Bachman her
self had been chased out OF the house
by Bachman as q devil" and forced
10 take refuge with her mother-in.
law.
At one O'Clock In the morning Smith
left the house and went to the home
OF a neighbor. where his horse and
buggy were quartered. To the man
whom he reused 20 get the rig he said
he was going back to Siegfried.
Here's my wife" he Is said to have
remarked. and she's got the little
girl. She's dead"
who's dead?" he was asked.
why. the little girl. OF course" he
responded. Then he and hts wife got
into the buggy, the wife bearing the
chiId's body, and they drove OF.