The Detroit times., 1910-06-13
.|lL-UsEO FAMILY
TAKEN FROM SHIP

PORTLAND, Me-, June 13.-Telling
tale of cruelty and suffering almost
without parallel In the annals OF
modern religious fanaticism, Mrs. Al
bert Whitaker and her four children
were brought before the supreme
court Of Maine in habeas corpus pro-
ceodings, after having been taken on
the Holy Ghosters ship, the Kingdom,
by order OF the court.
Mrs. Whitaker charges that the
Rev. Mr. Sanford, the Elijah H." OF
the Holy Ghosters, has held her
against her will; that one OF her chill
dren died Of starvation while she was
thus being held. and that Elijah"
lives on the fat OF the land on q
palatial yacht, while his followers,
who have turned all their money over
10 him, starve on thin lentil soup.
Mrs. Whitaker has brought suit
against Sanford for $4,000 damages,
charging false imprisonment.
Atty. Comedian, former private sec
rotary 10 Speaker Tom Reed, who rep
resents Mrs. Whitaker, says III
there Is anything In the law that can
reach SANFORD and Sandfordism, we
intend to find II and drive the Holy
Ghosters out Of Maine"
Mrs. Whittaker's condition is pitt.
ful. since her husband, who is entire
ly under the influence of Sanford. re-
mains with the Holy Ghosters' flock.
The wife and children are penniless.
The Whittakers. came under the In
fiuence OF Elijah" Sanford 13 years
ago. They sold little farm they own.
ed, turned the greater part of the pro
ceeds over to Sanford, and went Ia
live at Shiloh. After several years OF
the ascetic routine OF the Shiloh com
inunity Whitaker was appointed
high priest" and the family Joined
the expedition that Sanford led to
the holy land with a view to estab-
fishing colony there.
On this trip one OF Mrs. Whittak.
er's children died. II had no food, and
could get none," she says. "The little
one grew worse, and each day watch
ed 1t grow thinner and thinner They
would not give me food. II asked
for II the answer would send me away
ashamed that had asked One day
the little eyes closed. and as Rugged
the quiet little form to my heart |
knew II was gone. They had starved
II to death. They said that IL was
only the carnal spirit that needed
food"
After the colony had been estab-
,tshed under the walls OF Jerusalem,
Elijah" decided to take cruise
around the world In his yacht. He
! left Ralph Gleason to supervise the
colony.
I Gleason at once set up claim OF
kinship and supernatural communion
with God. This broke the faith Of
Mrs. Whitaker, who then began Il
lay plans 10 escape. When the home
sick colonists were brought back Il
Maine Mrs. Whitaker managed Il
srnuggle ashore the letter that brough
her freedom. The court sent Sheriff
Tefethen of Cumberland to the shift
with an order, and mother and chill
dren were brought ashore.
Mrs. Whitaker Is but thirty-three
but she looks fifty. The privation she
has undergone during the past decade
has made her prematurely old wo-
man. Her oldest child, Edna, a bright
girl OF sixteen, has had but little edll.
cation, and has seen practically moth.
ing OF the world. When she came
ashore she had never ridden on a troll.
icy car, had never seen an automo-
bile.
In their efforts to get service upon
Stamford in the $4,000 damage suit
brought against him by Mrs. Whittak.
er, Sheriff Trefethen and his posse. in
launches, are making systematic
search of the maze OF inlets along the
coast, while a swift auxiliary schooner
Is patrolling the waters of shore.
1t IL believed that Sanford, In his
yacht, the Coronet, is hiding in some
unfrequented inlet. The officials are
bending every effort to locate and sur
round the Coronet, as they fear that
Sanford may escape to the high seas
and thence to foreign waters.
Business-like Printing. No fuss and
no feathers The plain. neat kind that