The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1874-07-29

reports Il the State, just published,
we find an amazing definition Of it.
It seems that Madame Feifl. a
worthy dame who lived in tho ely o.
Charlestown, under the shadow o.
Bunker Hill Monument, broke hei
leg. or WAS Injured in some such way.
in an accident which befel a horse
car Of the Middlesex Railroad Com.
any on the afternoon Of Sunday.
September G, 1868, in which she was
riding as a passenger. 10 q suit
brought by her against the railroad
corporation, to recover damages foT
her injury as caused by their negli-
gence, they set up in defence that she
was travelling Oh tue Lords day; %
which she rejoined that the allegation
was true, but that she was travelling
lawfully to attend divine worship.
And the parties butted and rcbutted
and surrebutcd until the issue was
refaed 10 this: That Dame Fetal
c5uid recover domagcs Tor her leg i
the services which she was travelling
10 attend were services Tor divine
worship: but otherwise, under the
benefccnt Jaw Of Massachusetts, the
careless corporation could 90 scot.
free
Tho ease was tried Oh this narrow
issue Madame Fetal, Il appeared.
was q Spirigal.st and usually attend
cd public religious services conducted
bv ministers Of Der own faith m her
own ne'rhborhood in CbariosioWn
But on this particular sunday amer
noon her meeting house was closed,
a-d looking around for somo other
.place 20 w0rship Der eye ie.l upon
ihe rewspaner entitled the B0HacrQf
Liqit. and fixed itseif on On adTer-
tsement q O. camp meeting to be held
in Maiden. 20 which Miss Laura
Ellis would give physical Manifesto
lions in atont. 20 which on ad%mittance
Zee of twenty-five cents would oe
CHARGED" Tie railway Of the Mid
dlesex Railroad Company runs to
MaldeE. and Madame Fetal was
dulv conveyed 70 the camp ground 10
the cars of that corporation, and then
and there attended the services con
Quoted By Miss Ellis, the hatuie Of
was testified 20 DC as follows:
Miss Ellis was put into a box with
her hands tied; music washeard COM
ing from the box, and when it was
opened Miss Ellis was found with her
united, and a ring that had been
on her finger was then on the end Of
her nose.1 It was on Der way home
these services that Madame
Fetal broke her leg. The counsel
the railroad company argued that
IBIS was not divine worship, but was
m sfdolatrous show" and was
ADAPTED not to the edifcation but to
he disturbance Of serious people"
The Jury. however, found that it was
worship, and gave Madame
Fetal $1,000 damages for her leg.
The question ofidolatry and juggleIy
we're afterwards gravely and exhaus-
lively argued before the six judges Of
he court Of last resort by eminent
ounsel on both sides, and the court,
fer solemn consultation, refused to
{ surb the verdict.
Wethink that the railroad corpora
ion were righteously mulcted.
heir plea Of Sunday travelling, to
void the Just penalty for their negli-
cnce, was a mean one at best. And
-e are prepared to dispute the ruling
six so learned Judges. We merely
Ill the attention of such Of our read
rs as reside in the good State OF
Massachusetts,, or are interested in its
fairs, to the fact that ifanybody has
1sthorn, or gathered seaweed, or
bed potatoes, in such way as to dis
lrb Miss Laura Ellis while she was
the box, whether the ring was on
er finger or on her nose at the time,
offender would not only have
cen liable to the ordinary penalties
IT the violation Of the Lords day by
necessary and uncharitable labor,
ut also to imprisonment in the jail
Of exceeding thirty days, or 6ne not
exceeding fifty for disturbing divine
-orship. Let summer visitors to
Massachusetts, heed and beware.