A FAMILY SEIZED WITH RELIGIOUS MANIA.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2629, 18 May 1889, Page 2 (Supplement)

A FAMILY SEIZED WITH RELIGIOUS MANIA.

A stkanok case of religious madness is ieporled from Romberg, a small village in Austria. Yesterday week tho Burgomaster of Iteinberg appeared at the Prefecture of Suheibhs to say that a family of five peoplo re-idiug in bis village had been seized with a religious frenzy. The family consisted of a peasant name 1 Artne;', his son, and his three daughters, all adulls. None of them had been seen outside the house for three davs, no smoke issued forth from the chimneys, the house was bhut up, and through t.h'J windows the inmates were seen mi their knees praying and singing When the burgomaster and bis assistants tried to force an enl.ranee they wero liicd a.l. thrciigh the window. When they entered the stables they found the cattle had been several days without food. Tho physician residing at Scheibbs, accompanied by two warders from a neighbouring lunatic asylum, proceeded to lleinberg, where they ascertained that a young girl who bad paid tho family a visit on the previous day had not been seen since. When they approached Artnor's house a pi.sl.ol was tired at them, and the shot, grazed the doctor's neck. Eventually, the house was surrounded by peasants, while the doctor, assisted by the two warders and four gendarmes, forced open two doors simultaneously. Tho Artner family resisted, and it was only after a desperate struggle that they wero overpowered and put into strait waistcoasts. The fiii-l who had been detained by them was unhurt, but she bad been obliged to pray and sing, and had received nothing to eat or drink. According to her account they spent day and niifht on their knees praying to the Almighty and his eaints, and cursing the devil and all his associates. 'I hey h: d al .vavs In en bigoted, superstitious people, and believed themselves to hive bcenbovviiehe.l by a Village crone.