The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-04-29
Maa Who Slew Little Girl
in Religious Frenzy,
Threatens JailerS.
Two Days of Half Insane
Rites End in Murder
to Chase Devil.


trampied five-year-old child 10 death
'to exercise the devils" from her. after
a ;wo days meeting o. the Devil
ChaseTs-or which sect he declares ne is +
God and chi~s-had Whipped MIN into a
mur6eroUs frenzy made he jail ring
today with his shouts and i1preca-
tions. lie threatens 10 blast his keepers
If they 90 not let him go. and has
torn most Of the long, shaggy hair from
his head and beard. and the clothes
from his lean figure. In his transports OF
rage.
i am God" he snouced. "and will
blast you with my almighty lgntnings
If you do not let me 90. L crushed the
devils out Of the chrI. She was fun
OF them. and 1 chased them from her"
In an adjoining cell. his wife, a DOOR,
wan woman, racked 10 a bright-eyed
skeleton by religious mania, told the
authorities her husband was God and
that the awful crime OF which he was
accused was committed in his divine
right The father Of the tiny victim.
May Irene Smith, and brother Of Mrs.
Bachman, is rated in Northampton
county as a millionaire. lie is Council
man Henry smith. OF Alliance. Pa.
Meet at Farm in Hills.
The Orgy Of the Devil Chasers. which
eliminated in the terrible death OF the
little girl was held on Bachman's
farm in the hills near Nazareth. Pa.
Smith IS a cement manufacturer Of
Alliance. Untl- he became a convert 70
the weird worship OF TIE Devil Chasers.
the brother-in-Iaw, Bachman. was
I Ie-~.. .4r--r
Eachman became a convert through
the missionaries the Devil Chasers sent
out on recruiting work through the
headquarters OF the band Is said 20
De IN Reading. One OF the tenets Of
their creed Is personal eNcoriation md
the bodies OF Bacllman and his sri5s
5re covered wish sears anC -Gratca.f
many of them fresh Bachmln, who.
since his conversion 70 the Devil
Chasers, mas been a constant visitor ar
smith g factory. made such an impress
sion on his brothCr-in-law thai Smith
on Saturday agreed with his VIE and
hve-year-Old child, May Irene. 10 attend
a two days meeting OF tie sect.
The worship Of tho Devil Chasers be-
gan late Saturday afternoon under the
trees in tnr back Of Bachman's place
Child Scared by Wild Rites.
The low groal ! of religious frenzy and
the sight OF men and women half clothed
rolling on the ground and shrieking that
the devils were passing from them. ter
rlfed the child. and she screamed 50
loudly in her fright that BaChu,an. en-
ragged at the Interruption Of his ritual
demanded that she be locked up, where
she could not distract attention from the
rites OF his followers.
Smith and mis- wife, who. after a te"
hours seemed TO be crazed by their re--
ligious devOtiOns. agreed, and the child
was promptly locked up
one OF the rules OF the sect is that
no food shall be ca, IN during deV0loh
From time TO time the hungry little
daughter Of the Smiths appeared at the
window and cried, but she was waved
back, her hunger and thirst overcome
by terror at the sight of Bachman 5
weird lean. dancing figure.
Stop in Mad Dance for Child.
It was not till late on Monday that
Mrs. Smith, the mother, seems TO have
PAID any attention 10 the child Then
the little ones cries became 50 pitifuI
and insistent that even the crazed devil
exorciscrs stopped in their frenzy for
moment 20 see what allied her
In a shouting singing swirl they
waItzed round the house. crying on
their god to cast out the devils they be-
ueved possessed the crying child. while
Bachman and the Smiths er-ered the
house.
The scene that ensued. as related TO
the county authorities who reached
there d few hours later by some Of
the worshipers who followed he Bach
mans and the Smiths into the house is
almost incredible. Bachman, clutci
ing a long, ragged stah he had torn
from 3. tree on the mountain side. was
irsI. AS soon as he entered the house
ne shouted that the devils driven from
the worshipers were in possession of II.
Drive them forthr he shouted
every last one, drive them FORTH
House Wrecked in Devil Chase.
lie picked UP d chair arc then shout
ed that the devil that had crouched. be-
meath It had hidden under a chiffonier.
The SrGirhs and Mrs. Bachman broke
the chinonier to pieces with their bare
hands Then a shout arose that a
devil had Hghted on Mrs. Bachman.
Wringing her bleeding hands, she was
driven with curses and blows from the
house. Bacbman and the Smiths then
gave themselves up 10 their frenzy and
demolished everything in the room. As
a climax thev broke down the cell
ing and smashed windows and doors.
Suddenly E-.l-luan beckoned TO the
Smiths and the few timid wOrshipers
VINO had followed him into the house.
arc told them they must leave him
alone From behind the locked door
of the room where she was confined
came the cries Of the starving child.
Her Last Terrible Shrek.
According to the story they told the
police later. the little group in the
wrecked house saw Bachman enter the
door and then resumed their rites out
side. After about half an hour. how
ever, Mrs. Smith, startled by terrible
cry. declared she must go 20 her child
A few seconds later her shrieks ap-
pr1sed the half crazed thr0ng that
something serious had happened. They
rushed into the house and found the
woman are Bacnman 6neSling beside