The Sun.
London, England, 1824-10-05 00:00:00

EXTRAORDINARY FANATICISM.

CORONER'S INQUEST AT ASHTON-UNDER-LINE,
[Prom the Blanchester 'Guardian.]
On Saturday lait.Un Inquest was held at the
Colliers' Arms, in Hurst, in the parish of Ashton-under-line,
on the body of Daniel Orimshaw, a child of fourteen days old,
who died on the Thursday previous, in consequence of bar-
ing been circumcised by Mr. Henry Lees, of Milton, about six
days before.
It appears that for some time past, the followers of Joanna
Southcote, who are still very numerous in and near Ashton-
under-line, have in that neighbourhOod, and, we understand,
in sonic others also, adopted the strange notion that they are
bound to comply with the injunctions of the Mosaical law re-
specting the rite of circumcision. All, or nearly all, the male
believers in that neighbourhood have consequently submitted
to the operation, and have had it performed upon their children,.'
on the eighth day after birth, in obedience to the directions
contained in the book of Genesis. This lamentable delusion,
rtiotillieliqp:ittit:iiiiielltteels:ll:ole4rii:orsarvagsyntxtrase,pnhswrdaseeii:lvtdniliti.oatsmsissetopneretaviiirnelalinenedgialtielnietwsdtaa.slimited degree for several
years, though we are not aware that it is in any way inculcated
in the writings of the prophetess.. Of late it has made a very
The case excited a very intense interest in the neighbourhood,
and there was a great crowd collected about the house where the
mucho stated
emaciated.that e
. ee w
AboCillytuwna'Perfectly He fo u
healthy;n found thee o n contents so of
the
then proceeded to
describe the appearanCes exhibited by other parts. He bad no
doubt that the operation which had been performed on the
child was the cause of its death.. The wound had not been
properly treated, and had mortified.-
Robert Orimshaw, a collier, apparently not more than 20
years of age, and the father of the child, said his own ,step-
lltiitlitelre.absoogiydeonf,
ositeirageecoean,sedof
mother carried the child to the chapel to be circumcised ; hav-
ing been repeatedly directed so to do, by Mr.' Lees, Mr:
Swire, and Mr. Wroe. It is a law amongst the followers .of
Joanna Southcote, to take the male children on the :eighth
day lifter birth, to be baptised and circumcised; and.accord-
ingly, when the child was eight days old, it was taken to their
chapel; and given into the hands of Mr. Henry Lees. Wit-
ness did not see the operation performed himself, having turn-
ed his head away. There were 30 or 40 persons present, and
during the operation the musical instruments in the chapel
were playing, " in order (as the witness said) that the cries of
the child might not be heard by the world." Witness was
circumcised himself about Whitsuntide last : no band played
then, there
obeingno occasion for it. The instruments with
which the operation is performed are a knife, a pair of scissors,
and a piece of silver, about the 'size of a crown piece, with a
hole in it. .
Cirinashaw, step;mother of the last witness, proved that,
before the operation, she delivered the child to. Mr. Henry
Lees, and saw-the instruments in his hands: but, standing at
the head of the child, she did not exactly see the operation
performed.
Two of the musicians of the chapel were then examined,
but they did not throw any additional light on the transaction.
Both stated that they had themselves submitted to the opera-
tion ; one said that he was circumcised by a gentleman at
Gravesend, whose name he would not mention. 'he other, in
cauntsnwceisretdo
aati qilireasitlifuonrd.
st from the Coroner, said, that he was dr-
COttoEa.—Well, it would be a long time before they
would persuade me to be circumcised.
Witness.—More pity, then Sir.
Joseph Grimshaw, the grandfather of the child, saw the
operation performed by Mr: Henry. Lees and describ-
ed the manner in which it was effected. Witness was Circum-
cised himself; the only other person, except the child, whom
he had ever seen circumcised, was Wroe, " our prophet."
Just as the witness was about to go away, the Coroner said,
" You seem to have a long beard : pray, when were you
saved ?"
Witness.—About three weeks ago.
coRONER.—What is your reasons for wearing it so long ?
Witness (stroking his head with great self-complacency)—
To look like our forefathers of old, Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob. _ _

This was all the evidence adduced. The Coroner then said,
that as the case was one of complete novelty, before calling on
the Jury for their verdict, he should write to 'Mr. Raincock,
the barrister, and take his opinion on the subject. To give
time to do this, he should adjourn the inquest to ' the Friday
following. Probably when they next met, there would be no-
thing for the Jury to do but to record their verdict. The inquest
was then adjourned.
On Friday, accordingly, the Jury re-assembled at 3 o'clock,.
at the Commercial 'lnn, in Ashton, when the Coroner pro-
duced And read an opinion which he had received from;
Raincock. It was, ineffect, that if any persons chose to per-
form such an operation as circumcision, unless it was surgi-
cally necessary, they must take the consequences upon,them.
selves ; and if death should ensue from their unskilfulness,
they. would, in his judgment., be guilty of manslaughter. The
Learned Gentleman added, that there would perhaps be an ex-
ception in the case of Jews, who were expressly enjoined by
their law, to perform the rite; but as it was no part of the emit,
minces of the Christian religion, no Christian would be justified
in performing it.
• • The Jury: deliberated for a short time, and then returned a
verdict of " Manslaughter" against Henry Lees.
Mr. Lqes was in the house, m the custody of the constable of
Ashton, and `will; of course, be committed to Lancaster to take
his trial for the offence.

We understand that, since the fatal event which gave rise to
this inquest,' the rite of circumcision has been performed, in at
least one instance, at Ashton.

4 .
A most, extraordinary affair happened at Trent Foidrielge,
near Colne, on Tuesday se'nnight. A sect has sprung out of the
Joannahites, or Southcotarians, which has adopted the ancient
Jewish rite of circumcision. This sect having .embraced and
propagated its peculiarities with n peal worthy of abetter cause,
has mule proselytes to its singular tenets; and several persons
have submitted. to the rite. Tuesday was the day appointed for
the circumcision of a child whose father was a proselyte to the
new sect ; the time fixed becoming knoivn to the public, that
curiosity which is everon the alert for the marvellous became
quite aroused ; hundreds, if not thousands, flocked to the ap-
pointed place. The mother of the child opposed its submission
to the rite, anti a goodly number of the crowd took her part;
the father, on thevtlier hand, with his partisans, insisted on his
authority over the child, anti titat, the rite should beperformed
on it. The opposition increased ; the oppesing.partiei became
turbulent and violent ; the constable, and persons of influence
in the neighbourhood, were called .up to keep the pence. The
poor child was almost pulled to .pieces in the a ay, which,
however, terminated in its escapitog the pain consequent on the
performance of the ceremony, as the party which had joined the
mother proved much too.numerous and powerful, for their op.
ponents.—( Leeds Aftiviry4

Mrs. II ENltle ,FAIINTLEHOY fs daughter of the
late Captain Jottx YOUNG, of the Royal Navy, but not
sister of Miss FRANCES and Miss ELIZABETH Yourto.