The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-09-18
TYPHOID FEVER and A BROKEN LEG.
Believers Who Think faith VIII Cure
One But Not the other.
Proceedings In the Case of the Death
of Martha olsen.
Carl Olsen Held to Await the Action
of the Grand Jury.

New YORK, September 1.-THE INQUEST
in the case of Miss Martha Olsen, who died
last week in Brooklyn from typhoid fever
after refusing the attendance of physician,
was held by Coroner Rooney in the Brook
lyn Court House last evening. When taken
sick at the place where she worked Miss
Olsen went to the house of Carl Olsen, at
No. 203 Sackett street She had become ac-
quainted with the family at faith cure SER
vices held at No. $50 Hamilton-ave, but was
not related to them. Olsen called in DR.. A.
W. Ford when the woman's condition be-
came serious, but the medicines he pres
cribed were not ordered and the doctor made
affidavit that death was due to neglect.
Thereupon Olsen was arrested
William Olsen, a brother of the dead wo-
man, testified at the inquest that he visited
his sister when she was sick, and told her
she should have doctor, but she refused.
She told him Jesus Christ had made her
sick and would cure her. The last time he
Gus condition, but he could not say whether
she was at any time willing to take medi-
cine.
DR.. Ford repeated the statements in his
affidavit and told how he found man and
fifteen women around the sick w0man's bed
and some of them were praying. He
ordered medicines to check the fever, but
did not go to see the patient again, as he
was not sent for.
Mrs. Carl Olsen, wife of the man under
arrest, testified that the sick woman abso-
lutely refused to have doctor called in,
and said if one came she would not take his
medicines. But her husband sent for DIR.
Ford. so as not to be blamed if she died.
Mrs. Olsen was asked if she would call
IN a physician if she herself suffered from
typhoid fever. Her answer was that she
would not, but would trust in the Lord.
Would you call In physician il you had
broken leg9" was asked:
Yes, think l would" was her reply
after moments thought.
Then you draw the line in depending
upon faithcure at broken limbS?"
=. Yes" said Mrs. Olsen after some hesita-
tion.
Mrs. Edwards and Mrs. Benson, also be-
levers in faith cure, gave substantially the
same testimony in regard to the dead
woman's case as Mrs. Olsen. Mrs. William
Olsen gave testimony in regard to calling on
her sister-in-law and urging her to 60 to her
house. The dead woman had said that the
house was not Christ's house and she would
not enterit: She said that Christ would
cure her Ii he wanted her to get we'll She
said she would not take medicines in order
to get we'll.
Olsen, who is under arrest. in his evidence
SAID that the only reason physician did not
fusal to have one, and she also refused to
have the medicine procured after he had
called i2 DR.. Ford. He himself was not OPP
posed to doctors. He had one when his
Chi Id was sick, and called doctor to attend
his Wife, He explained that his wife did
not understand English we'll and made
mistake in her testimony. Then he was
asked If he would call in doctor if he had
typhoid fever, and said he would not. Would
he call in doctor if he had broken leg?
He couldn't tell, but would have to wait un
til he had broken leg. The witness also
testified that at the religious meetings he at
tended there was no discussion of faith cure,
its teachings. They had no ministers, but
the services consisted of singing, praying
and reading the Bible. The jury found that
the woman's death was due to typhoid fever
caused by neglect, and the coroner held
Olsen for the grand jnry's action.