The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-12-16
WILL GET EVEN
The Wounded Religious Fanatic
Swear Vengeance, on Officers.
He PLANS REVENGE

Him In street ROW-A f1CaDi
Story Of Fanaticism and Supersti
ton Told by One Of the Dupes II
the Holly Rollers.
Kansas City, Dec. Ill am no
going to die. I am going to get wei
and live to kill a few more police
men,"
That Is the assertion Of Loui
Pratt, self-styled Adam Cod tn
religious fanatic, who is lying in tn
general hospital, seriously wounde;
in a battle between his followers an
the police Tuesday night.
AS a result of the fight Pratt!
13-year-old daughter, Lula, anc
Policeman Alder o. Dalbow are deac
and two other policemen are In
critical condition.
James Sharp, known as "Elijaf
H." and who was the real leader Of
the little band of religious enthusi'
asts, is still at large.
Shortly after the shooting sTues-
| day he walked into a saloon, laid
down his revolver with the remarx,
L am satisfied; 1 give up"
AS there was no policeman present
and no one seemed inclined to take
him into custody, Sharp waited q
moment, then picked up the weapon,
reloaded it and walked out. He has
not been seen since.
Mrs. Pratt, with two Of her young
daughters, spent Tuesday night In
the matron's room at police head
quarters, but Mrs. Sharp, who f1red
two of. the shots that struck Police
man Michael Mullane, was confined
in the city jail.
"I've been in trouble before" said
Mrs. Pratt, and If I can be killed
for righteousness sake I shall be
eternally happy"
|, Mrs. Pratt bemoaned the death Of
her other daughter, Lula, aged IL,
who was shot during the second
stage of Tuesdays battle when the
woman and her children pulled on
In a rowboat in the Mississippi river
and attempted to escape.
At the hospital 1t was said that
Patrolman Mullane had small
chance Of recovery, but that Ser
geant Patrick Clark's condition was
slightly improved. A. j. Scissor, the
by-stander, who was hit by a stray
bullet, also Is expected to get well.
Mary Pratt, the little 11-year-old
sister of the dead girl, displayed the
same remarkable GOODNESS shown by
her leaders when questioned by the
police. She did not cry when old
of her sisters death.
Mrs. Pratt, in a statement to the
assistant prosecutor, told of the
bands work. "Mr. and Mrs. Sharp.
our leaders," said Mrs. Pratt, "were
known to us as Adam and Eve and
we believed their teachings. 1t was
revealed to Mr.. Sharp last summer
that our meetings were not to be
interfered with again. We armed
ourselves. II the police attempt to
arrest you, shoot our leader said.
They cannot kill me. I'll live for
ever The first I heard Of the
trouble Tuesday was when Lulu and
Mary came running down to the boat
and told me that the shooting was
going on.
Then the officers came and want
ed to take us away. I got my rifle
Town off the wall, told Lulu to get
4 gun, and we all got into a skiff
that was tied to the h%ouseboat.
sat in the bow with my gun in M
hand. l was not going to shoot un+
less 1 had to, because l had no
chance to ask either Adam or Eve
what to do. I'm sorry I did not re,
sist. I'm afraid I have lost my
ternal life because I think Adam
would have advised me to shoot.
Lulu got into the back of the
| :kiff, which was covered, and Mary
look the bars and we started acros:
the river. The officers began shoot
ing at the boat. We drifted up tt
the bank and when I saw blood o.
Lulu's ear / knew she was shot
Then Mary and I 60 out and huns
on the side of the boat until the'
captured u.s."
Mrs. Melissa Sharp, a slender Wo
man of middle age, whose statemen
was taken by another officer, detailed
the occurrences leading up to Tues
days fight and then told OF th'
wanderings of the band.
81 was born in Mount Grove. Mo.
81 years ago., on a farm" said Mrs
Sbarp. Il married Sharp, a farme.
twenty years ago and we went u
Arkansas. Later, we went to Okla
homa and. took up a claim. We ha'
no religion then. About six year
ago my husband came home on
night and said he did not think "
were living right.
He had had a revelation OF IN
faith of God. We began to read tn
Bible and a week later I got the rev
citation. Then we both repented to
two weeks, weeping and mourning
not because we wanted to, but be
cause we could not help it. We sol
orr farm and gave the money ava
to people who needed it, and STAR
ed on the march.
Since then we have travele