The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-05-07

OtoSAoA SSAGUSPO0"VooO ~ = ~ = NVeos
NAZARETH, Pa, May 1.-TWO
or three shall be gathered together
in Christs name, and one of these
shall be taken"
This Is given by Robert Bach
man as part Of the creed of the
Devil Chasers," and because of It,
May Irene Smith, pretty child OF
5 years, was offered up as living
sacrifice to God.
Bachman was the leader of the
"Chasers," sect having a small
following in this county. It's mem
bers have held meetings at which
they worked themselves into a
bowling frenzy and then jumped
about wildly and broke furniture
in their efforts to drive out
devils"
Bachman invited Mr.. and Mrs.
Henry Smith, his sister and broth
er-in-law, to his house for meet
ing. With Mrs. Bachman they
prayed all of one night, the next
day and far into the next night.
Now has the new Nazarene come
to save u.s. they chanted hour aft
err hour, without halt for food. AS
time passed they reached a hysteri-
cal stage, and Bachman interject-
ed into the prayers demands for a
sacrifice.
Little May Smith, frightened by
their insane conduct, fled during
the day to the home of neighbor.
Late that night she was brought to
the Bachman house by her mother
and placed in a crib in the praying
room.
In the early hours Of the morn
ing she fell to the floor. Bachman,
with glaring eyes and the face of
demon, leaped to his feet, shrek
ing:
1.-The child is possessed Of the
devil. | must drive him out. She
must be sacrificed. All of you
leave the room while God works
his miracle"
please, please, don't leave me
alone with him." pleaded the child,
but under the spell of religious
fanaticism the parents and Mrs.
Bachman retired.
Bachman, with the strength OF a
maniac, lifted the tiny form high
in the air and then threw 1t with
crushing force to the floor. A pierre
ing scream from the victim brought
no response from the trio outside
the door They thought it to be
the cry of the devil with which the
child was possessed. Bachman
beat the PROSTATE form with all
his strength, and, as the cries con-
tinued encircled the child's throat
with his powerful fingers and beat
her head on the floor. When her
struggles ceased he shouted that
the devil had been driven out and
jumped on her. Then he threw the
body on the bed and called in the
others.
They fell upon their knees and
renewed their prayers to the new
Nazarene. Frenzied again by the
invocations, Bachman and Smith
began to wreck the house. Furni-
ture was broken, pictures and bric-
a-brac smashed. carpets ripped up.
bed clothing torn and holes punch.
ed In the walls of the house.
The crime was discovered next
day and Bachman and the Smiths
were placed under arrest. After the
coroner's inquest Bachman was
held for the grand jury.
Soon after the murder Mrs.
Smiths maternal instinct overcame
her religious craze and she was
Frustrated with grief,
Il was powerless, | was in a dazc,
| could ont interfere" she cried.
Bachman. with set features and
cleaning eyes, declared after his
arrest
by divine inspiration God indi-
Gated to me what He would have
done with that child; Faithful to
His mandates, ! chokej her untn
she died and then battered her
head on the floor will be cruci-