A LIVING SACRIFICE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3578, 29 December 1882, Page 4

A LIVING SACRIFICE.

At Westminster, Cal., Josiali B. Smith, aged forty years, and his wife, have been arrested for the murder of their son. They came to Westminster about five years ago, and hare been working at different pursuits until they finally settled down to fishing, and peddling the fish in Westminster, Anaheim, Orange, Austin, and Santa Ana. Besides the murdered boy, who was a shrewd, business-like little fellow, and generally accompanied his father on- his peddling trips, there were four other children, all younger. The family lived in a little shanty on an island a quarter of a mile off the coast, and about five miles south-west from Westminster. The murder was committed on the 4th of November, but no one knew of it until the 9th. On that day some hunters drove down upon the beach. A man in Westminster keeps a boat at the island to hire to persons who wish to hunt and fish, and the murdered boy has always had charge of it, and received a fee for his "trouble. Wishing to hire the boat, this man shouted across to the island, and was answered by Smith. On inquiring for the boy and making their errand known, the father stated that he had been inspired by God to sacrifice the boy to the Lord. In reply to further questions, he said he had killed the boy, and that the body was still in the house waiting for the Lord to direct them what to do. In the meantime no one was to see the corpse. He then suggested that one of the other boys could take them in the boat, and, strange to say, these men remained there all day hunting, taking no pains to inform the officials, only five miles away, of what had been done. A few weeks ago Smith gave up fishing, and being asked why, replied that the Lord had commanded it, and had promised to hereafter provide for him. From that time on he has made aud has commanded his family to mako no effort to gain a livelihood. The boy, however, put no faith in his father's belief, and. from time to time purchased tea, sugar, etc., with his own money. On the Wednesday before the murder the boy purchased and took home a sack of flour, which angered his father, aud this was found emptied out upon the ground, together with some other provisions, close to the spot where the murder was committed. The crime was committed about 300 yards from the house. The boy was taken out behind a clump of bushes, both the parents being present. They claim that he knew ho was to bo sacrificed and made no resistance ■whatever, but calmly knelt before them ready to be offered up. While in this posture the father struck the fatal blow. One of the first questions asked on the arrival of the family at Westminister was whether they would make further sacrifice of their children, aud both father and mother replied that if the Lord called on them to sacrifice all it would have to be done. Neither Smith nor his wife made any effort to conceal anything, but told the whole story in all its horrid details. Smith pleaded guilty _s charged, and was committed for trial on the charge of murder. From tho very first the murderer has shown no feeling whatever, and regards his crime no more than ho would the killing of a hog. Neither has he shown any tempei", but has been so quiet that a child could manage him. No one on seeing the man would imagine that he had or could have enough spirit to do so ghastly a deed. His quiet manner saved him from Judge Lynch. As is usual in country stores, a crowd collected, and hanging was freely spoken of, but as Eoon as tho persons saw the prisoner and his utter want of spirit they abandoned the idea. In everything but his nonsensical ideas of inspiration Smith is rational, and perhaps keen, but on this point ho is a lunatic. He has been quite a purchaser of Canada lottery tickets, and said the Lord was going to send him money from Canada to pay for burying the boy. His condition cannot be charged to undue religious excitement, as in all the time he has been about Westminster he has never entered a church, and no one ever imagined he had any religious feelings whatever. The family are Mormons in good standing. They have been considered eccentric, but not crazy. The mother begins to feel great remorse, and to doubt the divinity of their inspiration.