The Devil Chasers of Nazareth

In 1908 there was a very bizarre murder committed in the borough. The victim was a small child, May Smith. The murderer was a borough resident, Robert Bachman, head of a religious cult. According to our research, the girl's life was taken, by trampling, as a human sacrifice during a ritual of Devil Chasing within a house in the borough.

The religious group, called "Church of God," often met in Nazareth to worship. On April 26-27 the Smith's, Henry and his wife, traveled from Borough of Alliance (now Northampton) to Nazareth to worship at Bachman's home. In the evening, the 5 year old girl had been put to bed but had become restless. Bachman interpreted the girl's behaviour as the work of a devil...possession...and decided to kill her to rid her body of the spirits. This was with the alleged consent of the girl's parents, both of whom were followers of Bachman.

Accounts of the ritual from passers-by indicate that it lasted through the night and involved chanting, singing, and shouting and eventually escalated to near destruction of the house itself. A neighbor discovered the crime as the parents attempted to load the body onto the horse-cart, presumably to travel back home. The Bachmans and Smiths were arrested and chanted and sang as they walked to their cells. Bachman's wife and the Smith couple were eventually freed. Bachman and Mr. Smith we noted as seeming quite mentally mad during their initial incarceration; often flailing about and chanting and praying in their cells.

We found the house were the events occurred. It is an innocent looking two-family home on the west end of town. The front porch has since been removed and many families have come and gone...surely many were completely unaware of what had transpired within over 100 years ago.

News Articles (1908):

The Child Was Sacrificed (source unknown)
Fanatic Kills Little Girl (NY Times)

Fanatic's Child Sacrificed (NY Times)

Slain Girl's Parents Free (NY Times)

Child is Sacrificed (Wash. Times) Below:

Thanks to:

Loyal Weird Nazareth reader Sharon C. for the idea & Moravian Historical Society for a bit of research help