NEW BAND OF FANATICS

Cortland Evening Standard, Tuesday, Aug. 3, 1897.

NEW BAND OF FANATICS.

"Holy Rollers" Making a Commotion In Western New York.

CALL THEIR LEADER "FATHER."

People Come From Miles Around to Hear Him Preach and Farmers Bring Their Cows to Camp So as Not to Have to Return Home.

   Not since Joseph Smith unearthed the golden tablets inscribed with the teachings of the book of Mormon on old Blue hill, near Palmyra, has been so stirred by subjects pertaining to religious belief as it is at present through the operations of a band of zealots calling themselves the "Holy Rollers," who have chosen Ontario county as their field of labor. Although the strange sect that has sprung up in the secluded little village of Bristol has for months back been attracting the attention of all Ontario county, it is only recently that other than vague rumors of the doings of the devotees of the new religion have become generally known.

   The original members of the band are N. L. A. Eastman and Emma Chase, the latter of whom is unmarried and upward of 40 years of age. Eastman's age is problematical.

   Eastman and Miss Chase originally appeared in Bristol late last winter. Eastman came first, and the woman followed within a month. They took up their quarters at separate houses. Miss Chase gave out that she was a dressmaker and a milliner. Eastman said he was a carpenter. Neither evinced a desire to follow their vocations.

   Eastman and Miss Chase from the first entered earnestly into the religions services held in Bristol and in the vicinity. The man soon became noted for his ability as an exhorter. He was powerful in prayer, and with tears running down his cheeks and hands uplifted would arouse the religious fervor of his hearers by his appeals to the unconverted.

   When winter gave way to spring, Eastman and Miss Chase inaugurated a series of bush meetings throughout the center of the county. With the coming of warm weather the country folk flocked to these assemblages from all parts of the country. Sunday after Sunday and night after night Eastman preached and Miss Chase sang to congregations numbering sometimes as many as a thousand people. Eastman would choose a stump, a dry goods box or whatever happened handy for his pulpit, while his listeners ranged themselves about him on the ground.

   Soon after Eastman and his companion had gained a hold on the people the man began to distribute religious literature printed on pink paper and liberally besprinkled with rough woodcuts, representing hell, the devil and other subjects appropriate to the text of his preachings. 
   When I reached Bristol last Saturday night, says a correspondent of the New York Herald, I talked with Eastman. The man was fresh from a scene of religious fervor, the like of which it is not possible to imagine. His eyes were shining and seemed to catch but a half way impression of the objects upon which they rested. He trembled like an ague victim, and marks of tears were on his cheeks. Broken exclamations of praise seemed to escape in voluntarily from his lips. His white cotton shirt was unbuttoned at the throat, and beneath could be seen his chest, heaving as though he had been running.

   At the Saturday night service there were present 500 or more of Eastman's converts. They came from far and near. Some drove from distant points in Livingston and Monroe counties. Most of the "Rollers" were prepared to stay overnight, as Eastman had announced an all day meeting for Sunday. Several farmers had brought their cows and pastured them near by, so as to avoid the necessity of returning home and caring for the cattle.

   As the "Rollers" arrived each of them sought out Eastman and reverently saluted him as "father." Eastman had a smile for each, and none went away without receiving upon the head a touch from the "father's" hand in a half way benediction.

   Shelter for a small percentage of the gathering was afforded by a tent 40 by 50 feet. Rough benches were ranged about a raised board platform, upon which Eastman took his position with a small Bible in his hands. By his side hung a lantern, the only light in the tent or about the grove, the tall trees of which broke off the keen northwest wind. The congregation was a motley one. Farmers and their wives composed it for the greater part. Children big and small were there in plenty. The youngsters were quiet and apparently awed by the surroundings. The whole assemblage bore a hushed aspect.

   Eastman opened the services with prayer. It was a long appeal. Gradually his voice increased in volume and his articulation in rapidity, until the words of adulation and entreaty poured forth in an unbroken stream. His sentences were short and his language carefully chosen. Suddenly he began to speak in a strange tongue. Owing to the vehemence of his speech it was at first impossible to distinguish either the language or the words. By catching a scattered phrase here and there I realized that Eastman was reciting, or rather chanting, the "Te Deum" in Latin. This closed the prayer.

   The excitement among the "Rollers'' displayed itself in loud shouted exclamations of praise. Men and women half raised themselves from their seats and clasped hands. They swayed back and forth to an ecstasy of enthusiasm, which apparently made them oblivious to their actions or the surroundings. From his station on the platform Eastman invoked divine aid for the unconverted in tones that rang out above the hubbub around him. The wind-blown flame of the lantern threw flickering shadows upon his lean form and transformed his face until it shone as though transfigured.

   Exhortation, song, appeal and prayer followed in rapid succession. Miss Chase was ill and I did not see her. The singing was led by Eastman in a ringing tenor. It was a weird scene. Women threw their shawls and wraps into the air and men tossed their hats high, regardless of what became of them.

   The excitement continued until one woman toppled from her seat with a shriek and fell senseless on the ground. Several sprang to assist her. Eastman darted from the platform and interposed.

   "Don't profane her by your touch!" he shouted. The woman was left where she fell, motionless and silent. It was after midnight when she recovered.

   Other women and several men succumbed in part or entirely to the powerful strain upon their emotions. Cases of semi-unconsciousness were common. Some seemed to suffer a partial paralysis of the members. One man raised his arm in the air and found himself unable to lower it.

   "Thank God," called out Eastman, "the Spirit of the Lord has touched him!"

   As the night wore on the attendance thinned out. The "Rollers" drove away home or else sought recuperation from the exhaustion which overpowered them by reclining under the trees in the grove, wrapped in blankets or carriage robes. When daylight began to glimmer in the east, there were still a hundred or more in the tent.

   Eastman brought the service to an abrupt close by dropping on his knees with his head in a chair. He remained in that position apparently asleep. His leadership was soon missed. One of the ''Rollers" aroused him and accompanied him to his lodgings.

   A short time ago Eastman baptized 380 converts in a body on the shores of Canandaigua lake. The converts were plunged bodily into the lake, although the day was chilly and the water nearly as cold as ice.

   At a recent meeting Eastman was preaching upon what could be accomplished by faith.

   "I myself could part waters and lead my followers as well as Moses," he declared.

   "I don't believe it!" shouted a man in the audience.

   "I can; I can part the waters of Canandaigua lake," reiterated the "father."

   "You lie!" yelled the unbeliever.

   His lack of faith in Eastman exasperated the "Rollers." The man was seized and would have been mobbed had not Eastman prevented it. The "Rollers" insisted upon casting him out of the meeting. The man went away still unbelieving. His wife, who is a "Roller," refused to live with him after the occurrence, and he has instituted divorce proceedings.

   In connection with the "Rollers"' outbreak of fanaticism, there is reported the only instance in Eastman's career at Bristol wherein he has rendered himself liable to the operation of the law. The case has to do with an unaccountable passion for the spiritual exaltation produced among the followers of Eastman evinced by a 15-year old lad of Rochester. John Bradley, whose parents are well to do, was sent recently to stay with relatives at South Dansville for the benefit of his health. Bradley is a delicate lad, with fine sensibilities and an emotional temperament.

   While Bradley was at South Dansville Eastman and Miss Chase visited the town and conducted services there. Bradley was in attendance and attracted the attention of Eastman, who sought out the lad and urged him to be saved. The influence of the meeting was great upon him. Finally Bradley ran away from South Dansville, joined the "Rollers," and established himself near Bristol with Eastman and the woman.

   Bradley preached regularly at the "Roller" meetings. The "Rollers" believed that the boy was inspired. Bradley's mother endeavored to induce him to return home. He refused, and she wrote to Eastman, pleading with him to use his influence with her son and send him back to Rochester. Eastman wrote in reply:

   "Your boy is saved. How can you ask him to leave us? You yourself are doomed to hell for trying to turn him from the holy path."

   A Bristol clergyman was induced by Mrs. Bradley to intercede with the "father." The clergyman failed. A justice of the peace then became interested, and through his efforts young Bradley was coaxed to return to his home. His health is shattered, and fears are entertained for his reason, all due, it is claimed, to the excitement which he underwent while preaching to the "Rollers."

Patrick Dolan.

STRIKERS ARE PASSIVE.

Obey Leaders and Maintain Peace and Order.

QUIETEST STRIKE EVER KNOWN.

Over Five Thousand Attended the Massmeeting—Only Twenty-nine Men Working in

 DeArmitt's Mines—Confident of Victory.

   PITTSBURG, Aug. 3.—The striking miners have broken all records both as to numbers attending their massmeetings and the excellent order and law-abiding behavior they have exhibited. They have been subject to the control of leaders who, profiting by former experience, have so forcibly instilled into the minds of their followers the stupidity of law-breaking that the peaceful attitude and actions of the strikers have been a source of wonder to all the prophets who have from day to day predicted dire happenings.

   It is conceded by all that in former times, under similar circumstances, riot and bloodshed would have resulted long ago from the conditions under which the miners have been placed during this strike.

   The massmeeting of miners at the McCrea schoolhouse was the greatest during the strike. More than 5,000 striking miners were gathered for an all-day session, and labor leaders harangued them, while bands of music served to stir up the enthusiasm to a high pitch.

   From early morning miners of every nationality were gathering at the school house. They came in big bands and small ones, but the one that set the camp wild with enthusiasm arrived from Turtle Creek. It consisted of 1,600 miners from that camp, and when they came in sight there was much cheering as has not been heard since the strike started.

   They came down to the camp at the schoolhouse with bands playing stirring airs and banners waving. Cheer after cheer went up from the camp and the marchers returned them with a will.

   When the miners of the two parties met there was [sic] some wild scenes. Men rushed around shaking hands, shouting and even embracing each other. A few minutes after the arrival of the Turtle Creek division the speakers arrived in a carriage.

   They were: M. P. Carrick, president of the Painters' and Decorators' union; W. A. Carney, vice president of the Amalgamated association; Mrs. Mary G. Jones, the female labor agitator of Chicago, and M. J. Counahan of the Painters' and Decorators' union. In addition to these the leaders of the miners were lined to speak as the occasion demanded.

   There was a rumor in the camp that Sheriff Harvey A. Lowrey would appear with deputies and force the meeting to disperse, but it was evidently unfounded. The speeches were not of an inflammatory character, and the big crowd was orderly during the whole day.

   It was announced that but 39 men were at work in the Plum Creek mines, while only two or three were in the Sandy Creek mines.

   The policy of the miners is to form camps at these mines, as well as at Oakhill, and maintain large parties on guard. President Dolan announced that he could get land from private parties on which to pitch his camps.

   After the meeting was over and the men had satisfied their appetites, they went back to their camp at Turtle Creek in an orderly manner, where they rested.

   Two new camps were instituted after the meeting. The one at Plum Creek will be known as Camp Resistance; the one at Sandy Creek will be called Camp Isolation.

   The force of deputies was kept busy. Every move was watched and trouble seemed to be in the air.

   The condition can be said to be critical. Both sides feel that there is a crisis near at hand. The officers of the New York and Cleveland Gas and Coal company gave out the statement that their forces were increased in the Turtle Creek and Sandy Creek mines, and more men were at work at the Plum Creek mine than there has been since the campaign against the company started.

   The hearing of Patrick Dolan, enjoined for taking part in public meetings, will be held before Judge Semmes of Turtle Creek. The miners' officials have retained attorneys and the case will be fought to the bitter end.

WAS AN IMPOSTER.

A Slick Swindler Who Has Victimized Two Cortland People.

   A successful swindling scheme was worked on two Cortland people Friday and Saturday by which two Cortland people were buncoed out of five dollars each by a well dressed man who operated under the name of George P. Squires of Marathon. On Saturday evening a well dressed man appeared at the house of Mrs. H. A. Bolles on Railroad-st., and represented himself as George P. Squires of Marathon. He claimed that he and his wife had been to Buffalo on a visit, and that he had been robbed of all his money. He asked Mrs. Bolles to loan him $5 until Monday morning, and Mrs. Bolles, with a desire to accommodate whom she supposed to be Mr. Squires, who was an acquaintance of her husband, the late Dr. H. A. Bolles, she readily gave him the money. Mrs. Bolles' suspicions were aroused when she saw the stranger pass through the back yard to Venette-st., instead of going to the depot where he said his wife was waiting for him. Mrs. Bolles at once started in pursuit, and when she reached Venette-st., the stranger disappeared up Greenbush-st., and has not since been seen. He wore a black cutaway coat, drab pants, light hat, light moustache and had sandy hair.

   A man answering the same description worked the same scheme on Josiah Hart of 57 Railroad-st. the night before, and has not yet returned.

HIS NECK WAS BROKEN.

Boardman Kinney Fell From a Haystack and Died Instantly.

   Mr. Boardman P. Kinney, who was well-known in Cortland and Homer, fell from a haystack on the farm of Samuel Caughey, two and one-half miles west of Homer village yesterday afternoon, breaking his neck and death followed instantly.

   Mr. Kinney has of late been employed by A. H. Watkins and George Latimer of Cortland and Michael Murphy of Homer in the capacity of a trainer for horses, and yesterday morning began work at haying for Mr. Coughey. The men had just begun work after the noon hour when the fatal fall occurred. Mr. Kinney was at the top of a stack engaged in topping it out. In some way he lost his balance and fell to the ground, a distance of 18 feet. He struck squarely on his head and shoulders, and with great force for he weighed nearly 200 pounds. A quantity of hay fell and covered him, and when this was removed be was just gasping his last. His neck had been broken, and death was almost instantaneous. Dr. J. H. Robinson of Homer was at once sent for, but on his arrival the unfortunate man was beyond medical aid.

   The body was removed to Mr. Caughey's house, and later to the residence of his cousin, Manley Kinney, west of Cortland, where the funeral will be held at 10 o'clock to-morrow morning. Burial will be made at McGrawville.

   Mr. Kinney was a single man, and is survived by one sister, Mrs. M. Seymour of McGrawville.

THE VILLAGE LEGISLATORS.

Business Transacted by Them in Regular Session Last Night.

   The board of village trustees held its monthly meeting last night at the office of the village clerk and a full board was present. Attorney I. H. Palmer appeared before the board and argued in favor of refunding certain taxes of 1896 to the Madison Woodruff estate. The matter was referred to Judge S. S. Knox for advice. Several walks were ordered repaired and rebuilt. The police were given instructions to light the gas lamp on Lincoln-ave. Isaac M. Seaman, the village collector, presented his bond, but it was not accepted owing to some technical irregularities, and the clerk was instructed to prepare a new bond.

   Bills were audited as follows:

   Police force, payroll, $252.03

   W. T. Linderman, expenses, 9.49

   W. T. Linderman, expenses, .65

   A. J. Barber, chief of fire department, 36.81

   W. J. Moore, health officer, 25.00

   Telephone rental, 7.50

   Telephone charges, .60

   Homer & Cortland Gaslight Co., 42.06

   Maxson & Starin, coal, 3.25

   W. B. Landreth, surveying, 10.00

   T. T. Bates, supplies and labor, 8.17

   S. B. & N. Y. R. R., freight, .63

   C. S. Bull, copying assessment rolls, 34.00

   F. A. Bickford, salary, 25.00

   Cortland & Homer Electric Co., 557.60

   Street Commissioner's payroll, 503.35

   Trustee Nodecker called the attention of the board to the tramp question and said that he did not favor the practice of the police department in gathering in the tramps from the railroads and making additional public expense. He did not think the railroads ought to unload tramps in Cortland. No action was taken by the board in the matter, and an adjournment was taken to Aug. 16.

TO LEAVE CORTLAND.

Mr. Herbert Longendyke Accepts a Desirable Position at Troy.

   Mr. Herbert Longendyke, for the past two years and a half the efficient correspondent for the Cortland Wagon Co. has resigned his position with the company to accept a very desirable position which has been offered him as secretary and treasurer of a stock company which is being organized at Troy to engage in the publication of a journal devoted to the interests of the carriage trade.

   During the past four years Mr. Longendyke has several times received propositions from an intimate friend who has been publishing a carriage trade paper at Troy, N. Y., t o join him in the enterprise. Last fall the proposition was again renewed and upon further investigation Mr. Longendyke became convinced that it would be for his interest to consider it. Since that time negotiations have been pending and it has been decided that increased profits can be made by widening the scope of the business. With this end in view a stock company has been organized to control the enterprise and the additional business which will be entered in to. The position of secretary and treasurer of this company has been offered to Mr. Longendyke and he has decided to accept. The final arrangements for the new corporation will be completed within a few days and further plans decided upon in reference to some proposed changes which the new company are contemplating in carrying on the business. Mr. Longendyke will enter upon his new duties in a short time, but will continue to make Cortland his home at least until spring.

   During his residence here Mr. Longendyke has formed a wide circle of friends who will regret that his interests are to take him away from Cortland but whose best wishes will certainly follow him to his new field of labor.

Judgment Affirmed.

   Mr. C. E. MilIen has received notice of a decision handed down by the appellate division of the supreme court in his action against the New York Central Railroad company to recover damages alleged to have been received while in the performance of his duty as brakeman on Dec. 31, 1891. The case was tried in supreme court last October at Syracuse and a judgment for $2,600 was rendered in Mr. Millen's favor. The company appealed, and the decision just handed down affirms the judgment of the lower court.

   The case was argued at Rochester in June by Miss Julie E. Jenney, the daughter of the senior member of the law firm of Jenney & Jenney of Syracuse, for Mr. Millen.

A New Enterprise.

   The Cortland Root and Herb Co., is the name of an organization recently started in Cortland for the manufacture of a blood and liver purifier called Longevity. Mr. C. F. Cogswell is the manager.

BREVITIES.

   —Ice cream will be served at Memorial Baptist church to-morrow night, Aug. 4, from 7:30 to 9 o'clock.

   —The Baraca Bible class in the First Baptist Sunday-school will picnic at Little York Friday afternoon.

   —New display advertisements to-day are—Chas. F. Brown, soda water, page 7; Kellogg & Curtis, Great Special Sale, page 6.

   —A number of ladies of St. Mary's church are entertaining the fresh air children by giving them a picnic at the park this afternoon.

   —The tobacco trust has put up the price of cigarettes. The higher the better for the health of the rising generation.—Utica Herald.

   —The Knights of the Maccabees will hold a regular meeting to-night in Vesta lodge rooms, and it is requested that all members be in attendance.

   — The annual meeting of the stockholders of the Cortland & Homer Traction company was this morning adjourned to Monday, Aug. 9, at 10 o'clock A. M.

   —A comprehensive and interesting review of the beet sugar industry in the United States, which appeared in the Scientific American of July 31, will be found on our editorial page to-day.

   —Mrs. Chester Babcock of 55 Elm-st. suffered a stroke of paralysis Sunday evening, and lies in a critical condition. She is attended by Dr. E. B. Nash. Her daughter, Mrs. John D. Benton of Fargo, N. D., is expected Thursday.

   —An excursion train of nine cars passed over the D., L. & W. R. R. at 9:15 this morning from Binghamton to Tully Lake park. The excursionists were members of the Binghamton Sunday-schools and their friends.

Assembly Park Notes.

   Assembly park, Tully lake, is now a postoffice. It has done more than $100 worth of business during the past month. The summer school is now in session and is well attended.

   To-day the Binghamton Sunday-schools hold their annual excursion and

picnic at the park. It is one of the largest excursions of the season.

   St. Leo's church of Tully picnic Saturday.

   Assembly opens on Aug. 11 with the Alabama Jubilee singers to entertain.

They remain three days and evenings. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 14 and 15, the famous Silver Lake quartet and Dr. C. H. Mead will be present.

   Hon. Chas. S. Fairchild, ex-secretary of United States treasury, will speak on ''Money" Monday, Aug. 16, at 2:30 P. M.

   A new steam yacht is now on the lake. All parts of Assembly park are attractive and it is fast becoming the popular resort for central New York.