Bridgeton pioneer., 1893-06-01
ILLEGAL PRAITIrlONEK.
Interesting Results of the lnvcs.
tixAeiOn OF Coroner Saw.
yer ln the Death of Charles
Harrington, of Vtnelaud.

| tixatiOn OF Coroner Saw.
yer ln the Death of Charles
Harrington, of Vtnelaud.
Vineland has pretty much all sorts
OF people located in It's midst, and
among the others is an old fellow
known as DR.. A. H. Stevens, who has
been practising a wonderful discov.
cry" without the formality of living
up to the laws of the State. The
worthy exponent of electric cure for
incurables" Is now in a peck of
trouble.
The trouble occurred over the death
last Thursday of a young man named
Chas. Harrington. who lives In West
Vineland, Nobody was surprised
when it was learned the young man
was dead, for he had long been suf,
ferer from consumption. But when
Undertaken White went to DR.. Stew
| ems after his death certificate he could
not get one because Stevens admitted
that he was not a registered physician
here. There was nothing to do then
but to bring the case to the notice OF
Coroner Sawyer, and he in turn noti-
fed County Physician Thompson, who
with a PIONEER reporter, visited the
place to investigate the matter.
Under all circumstances, 1t was con-
sidered best to have an !inquest, and
Constable Nickerson had this jury Sc
lected to bear evidence: A. r. Shinn,
foreman; Charles Cunningham, David
w. Slgafoo, Charles McDayitt, VIM.
II. Crotzer, O. Garrison, Jr., F. A.
Ward, 8. G. Singleton and W. H.
Cloyd.
The jury met at the home of the de-
ceased, and the inquest was held in
the parlors, in which the body lay.
After viewing the body the jury lis
tened to a remarkable story.
Undertaken White told of his being
sent for to take charge of the burial,
and his going to Stevens for a death
certificate, which the doctor" could
not issue, owing to his being a non
registered practitioner. The Doc
tor" told him that some other physi-
clan had been attending Harrington,
but this was learned to be false. The
doctor" further said that he did not
know he should have been registered.
The specialist was called. His name
Is A. II. Stevens. He is an old man,
somewhat feeble, and has long flowing
hair. He knows something of the con-
struction of human being, and spoke
as man of intelligence. But his evil
dence was remarkable, showing the
man to be very clever rogue, or a
crank. At all odds, he is quack.
The doctor" affirmed before the
coroner, and then told of his being a
practicing physician in Vineland for
two years, but he had never been reg
istered-and. did not know he was
obliged to. He was now practicing
in electricitylonly, giving up the use
of medicines forty years ago. He
claimed to be SO years old. He prac-
ticed, he said, In Philadelphia for
thirty-one years, but his figures do
not agree, for he said he did not grad
uate until 1865, when he received a
diploma from the "Philadelphia Col
lege," which at that time was situated
at Ninth g. Locust streets.
The gentleman then went on to ex.
plain that he had discovered in elec-
tricity, an agent that would cure all
cases of incurables In consumption,
catarrh and kindred troubles. He
came to Vineland to continue his
studies and in his spare time he prac-
ticed some. He then said that Har.
rington came to him on the 3rd of
April to be examined, and he found
him suffering with consumption. His
wonderful electric Indicator discovered
this, and he began treating the young
man. While he was almost dead
when he came, Harrington began to
improve under treatment, gained sew
eral pounds, and was able to be about.
So much improved was the young
man that he wanted to attend one of
Stevens lectures and proclaim to the
world, the great discovery that had
been made. Stevens told him, how
ever, that he could write out testi-
monials If he felt like 1t. Then the
young man took a.cold. and a relapse
occurred, and the ''life-saving- electric
treatment" failed to save the life.
Then Stevens gave lecture on his
discovery. He never made physical
examination of, patient, and then de-
clared that there was no other way to
examine person except by electricity,
In his peculiar method.
The Jurors then began to fire hard
questions at Stevens. Evidently they
thought him fraud, and had it In for
him. Anyway they tied him'all up,
hn IA