The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1882-03-15
The Peculiar People.

Yesterday an inquest was held at
Plumstead by MIR. Arundel Carttar,
Coroner for Kent, on the body of Abra-
ham Morby, aged 3, whose parents are
members of the religious sect known as
the peculiar People," The boy died
of smallpox on Sunday last, and there
being no medical attendant to sign a
certificate of death, the case was re-
ported to the Coroner. The inquiry
created much interest, and there WAS 3
large attendance of the Peculiar People,
the s'sisters" of the sect being especially
prominent in their Quaker-like dress.
The body lay in the parish mortuary,
where the jury, after protesting against
the risk to which they were subjected,
viewed it, most of them being satisfied
by looking in at the open door. The
foreman of the jury further complained,
on returning to the inquest room, that
they were endangered by being brought
into contact with the witnesses fresh
from a house ''reeking with infection;"
but the Coroner, while sharing the OBJ
jeciion, said there was no alternative to
proceeding with their duty. The first
witness was Rachel Morby, who said she
was the wife of John Morby, laborer,
residing at No. 49 Orchard Road, Plum
clC14. 1fCCOocC4f bhCA oOhg was CAE5
years and five months old, and had
been healthy until the 9th of Decem-
Der, when he was taken i'll with small
pox. She knew it was smallpox because
his elder brother James was taken with
it three weeks or a month previously.
Two others of the family had been at
tackled and were now getting better.
Deceased was no worse than the others
until last Sunday, when her husband
went for the elders of the church, and
one of them came, laid his hands upon
the child, and prayed to the Lord to saw
his life, but the Lord thought fit to take
him, and he died at four O'Clock in the
afternoon. The name of the elder was
Thomas Hines. The Coroner-Did none
of you seek medical aid? Witness-No ;
we do not believe in that; we trust the
Lord, who is all-sufficient for us. While
this disease was raging in your house
your husband and nephew have been
out and about as usualP Yes. Sensa-
toni My husband works for Mr. Ker-
sey, on the Park estate, and is a good
deal in the open air, but, of course, he
goes to the Office sometimes. Do you
think your creed authorizes you to muir
der street full of peopleP There is no
fear of that. Did you give notice to the
SANITARY duJuOTlIlcSE NOS VIC olu uOt
know that it was necessary to do so.
And you kept it a secret from your
neighborsP 1 do not associate with my
neighbors; they are ''the world" DR..
Alfred Sharpe, house surgeon, said he
made a post-mortem examination of the
body, and that the child had died OF
continent smallpox. He could not say
/ that medical attendance would have
saved the boys life, but it would GER
tainly have increased the probability Of
his recovery. Thomas Hines said he
was one of the elders of the Peculiar
People, and had seen deceased three
times during his illness. Last Sunday
: he laid hands upon him and prayed for
his recovery, as directed in the fifth
chapter of the epistle of James, verses
. IA and 15, and in many other parts of
the Bible. He did not advise medical
aid, as he considered it superfuous
while they had faith in God. The jury
returned q verdict of Granddaughter
against John Morby, and he was COM
mitted for trial, but allowed at liberty
on bail.-Lond0,l Times.