Salt Lake Herald | 1890-10-19 | Page 1 | Religious Fanaticism

RELIGIOUS FANATICISM Among Southern Negroes is Leading Them to the Commission of Murder Special to THE HERALD Examiner Dispatch COLUMBIA S C Oct lSA species of religious fanaticism brought on by the frenzied teachings of crazed preachers has broken out among the negroes in the Privateer Priva-teer section or Sumter county and already one of the number has been murdered by the inspired saints because he refused to confess his sins to them Several days ago tho coroner was summoned to hold an inquest in-quest over the body of Primus Jones who died suddenly on the plantation of T J Tuomly exUnited States marshal I i reported that during a protracted religious meeting he would not confess to the Holy Ghost who struck him dead on the spot Investigation by Deputy Coroner Norris developed the fact that for several days a religious revival had been going on among the congregation of the new church which was led by the minister the Rev A M Durant It seems that by some means ho had wrought them to the highest pitch of excitement a few of the members going so far as to claim that they had been insoired by theHoly Ghost to do all manner of things even to the killing of any wicked person who would not confess his sins and the presence of theHoly Ghost in them Primus Pri-mus Jones was one of the attendants at tho church and on Saturday evening was to enter the ministers house where a number of the inspired were gathered About 1 oclocE nfextday Sunday Durant reported Jones was dead An examination of the body by the coroners jury and the physician physi-cian summoned showed his neck was broken There was the mark of a blow upon the neck and there were finger marks encircling the throat He had already been prepared for burial when the coroner and his associates arrived One witness testified that Jones bad been sittingin a chair and fell out and broke his neck Another said that he was sitting in a window and fell out on the floor and still a third that he stood by the wall and fell The reason assigned for the fall was that he refused to obey the instructions of the Holy Ghost A H Durant the minister and Richard Campbell were arrested and have been committed to jail Warrants of lunacy were sworn out against Lucy Durant Du-rant wife of the minister and against Susan Glisson they claiming to be inspired and having authority to kilL They were examined yesterday by the doctors but pronounced sane Their excitement has I worn off since Sunday The negroes in the Privateer section are overwrought with excitement and unless the religious frenzy soon abates there promises to beworkfor a quantity of asylum officers