The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-25
A CASE IN WHICH FAITH FAILED.
A Woman Who Refused Medical Attendance
The COrOner's Inquest.

PHILADELPHIA Dec. 24--One of the most
peculiar inquiries ever made by a coroner was
the examination to-day by Coroner Powers in
the case of Emma Kitzmiller, thirty three years
of age, residing at No. 1915 Davis street, who
expired on Saturday night last The deceased
the wife of Lewis B. Kitzmiller an artist.
Several weeks ago Mrs. Kitzmiller complained
of illness, but having, like her husband, become
a convert to the faith cure, and placing firm
reliance on the efficacy of prayer, she declined
to have medical treatment. They were mem
bers of THE Heavenly Recruits" an organiza-
ton similar to the Salvation Army, and
many OF their relatives were also worshipers
in the same school. The testimony sub
mitted at the inquest was probably the most
remarkable series of statements on the coroner's
docket. The husband q pale, slender man with
chin whiskers, was the first witness. He stated
that his wife taken i'll about four weeks
ago. DR. Lepman came in on Dec. g. and pre-
scribed powders. He called again, but his wife
refused to take the medicine, saying she did not
require doctor. She took one of the powders
and afterwards said she felt badly. Thinking
she was becoming worse, she kneeled and
prayed, believing that faith would cure her as
it had cured worse cases Three brothers and
sister Of the deceased were called as witnesses.
One of the brothers, William Mcknight, was a
believer in the faith cure" and he declared
positively that his sister had told him she did
not want physician, us she had sufficient faith
to cure her.
George Mcknight. another brother, who was
not believer i'll the peculiar theories entertained
by his sister and brother-in law. testified that he
saw his sister on Dec. 3, when he asked permits
sion to go to her room She said that Jesus
was her only physician" but he became so dis
gusted with the talk that he heard that he de-
termined to send for physician, and he directed
DIR. Lepman to go to the house.
Mary Gardner of 1898 Master street. who
gave her occupation as missionary, said that
she is believer in the faith cure She said
that 1.-The Lord Jesus Christ can do all things.
Everything was done that could be DONE She
didn't believe in doctors, but believed in God.
AS she finished her testimony she cried out:
Praise the Lord and all these men, and she
cast benign look at the debased reporters.
All the statements regarding the Doctors
visits are false said KiIzmiller. as he again
took the witness stand, my wife declined to
have doctor, as she thought that faith would
cure her She expressed doubt about having
enough to cure her, and went for powders pre-
scribed by the doctor. | said when | got home,
would you take your life out of the Lords
hands and trust to little powderF / don't
want to do anything, she replied. Well, then,
l said, we will pray for permission to take it, ~
and they l1nelt on the floor and prayed. She
then said that she felt better
AT this juncture the spectators had their at
tention drawn to cutlery and heavy thud in
the rear of the Office, which had been caused by
Henry Fry, q cousin of the deceased. falling to
the floor in an epileptic fit caused by the ex-
element to which he had been subjected. He
laid the floor for half an hour. Kitzmiller
continued:
"On going home the Lord revealed to me that
1 had been doing what had said l never would
do, namely, believe half in the Lord and half in
medicine. We stopped the medicine and began
praying l then read the fourteenth verse of the
fifth chapter Of st. John, and then laid hands
on her and anointed her She said she felt bet
ter"
This was Saturday. On Sunday the witness
awoke and found his wife dead 'it was the
sleep of exhaustion he said, from which she
never awoke" The cause of death was found
from the examinations made by DR. Stewart to
have been inflammation of the bowels, and a
verdict was rendered accordingly. YES" said
DR.. Formal, "a dose of castor oil administered
at the proper time would have made her WE'LL