New-York tribune., 1902-10-29
WOULD INDICT MRS. EDDY.
CORONER SAYS SHE Is MORALLY RE-
sPoNSIBLE FOR RELIGION WHICH
ALLOWED oUIMBY CHILD
To DIE

The Westchester County grand jury, after
| celebrating for five hours at White Plains for
| the purpose of fixing the blame for the death OF
Esther Quimby, the -year-old girl Who II
| is charged was allowed TO die from malignant
diphther1a through the neglect Of her parents,
Mr. and Mrs John Quimby Of White Plains
and John Carroll Lathrop, adjourned yesterday
until tomorrow morning. when it will draw up
indictments, it is reported. Coroner Archibald
Banning, of Mount Vernon. who held the
Quimbys and Mr.. Lathrop the healer. for the
grand jury and who is forcing on the prosecu-
ton. of the cult. even went far as to ask the
jurynen 10 indict Mrs. Eddy for being the in
stigator of the religion which allowed Esther TO
die without a doctor and because she was the
teacher of Lathrop. who treated the child
There is no Christian Scientist the fury.
most Of the members being Episcopalians. Pres
byterians and Methodists, and the majority of
them are opposed to the Christian Science faith.
Coroner Banning. in explaining the reason why
he suggested that Mrs. Eddy be indicted, said;
II feel certain that the Scientists will be
indicted, and think that Mrs. Eddy should be
included with them. She is the head OF the
Christian Science Church. and is morally re
sponsible for the neglect through her books and
teachings to abandon medicine. Indict Mrs
Eddy with all the rest concerned. This Chris
tian Science cult is a danger to civilization and
believe its teachings should be curbed. She is
the instigator of the whole sect and gave in
struction to Healer Lathrop. who treated the
child, and. in conjunction with the parents is
responsible for her death If had my way,
would indict her. most assuredly."
Assistant District Attorney Frederick E.
Weeks said last night: The whole matter will
be decided Thursday, when the jury Will
make its presentment to Justice Garretson, and
Mill Iad-
journ for this month. In all probability, indict-
ments will be found against the accused per-
sons" If Mr.. Lathrop, who is called healer.
and the parents of the girl are indicted for man
slaughter bench warrants will be issued and
the accused persons viii have 10 plead again
and give new bail. The foreman OF the grand
jury is Edward Towner wealthy resident OF
Greenburg, where the Rockefellers. Goulds and
other wealthy families have estates.
The first witness called yesterday was Coroner
Banning of Mount Vernon. who forced the
prosecution OF the Christian Scientists. He told
how he had made an investigation into the death
OF the girl, and found that she had been per-
mitted to die slowly from diphtheria without her
parents making any attempt 10 call in a phys-
clan to help her. Instead. the healer sat by her
bedside holding her hand. and by concentration
OF thought upon the patients mind made an at
tempt TO save her life. Health officer Birch
testified that the health Office informed
after Esther was dead. and that he then placed
the QuImby home under quarantine Dr Blrch
before going into the grand jury room, said:
Mrs. Quimby on the day l was called in salo
that the Christian Science healer had prayed for
her daughter, and that he gave her the usual
Christian Science treatment TO get rid OF her
hold on error. She said her other daughter also
had diphthera, but that she got rid OF similar
error In the case OF Esther she said II was not
the WIFI Of God for her 10 get rid of the error.
George Weiss and a. 5. Newell, who per-
formed the autopsy the child, told how they
throat, and said that her life could have been
saved had doctor been called in who would
have administered antitoXin and relieve her
spasmS of choking and Suf1Ocaung Instantly
DR.. Newell is a bacteTiologist, and he showed
the grand jury two bottles filled with bacteria
scraped from Esther's throat He said the con-
tents were sufficient 10 infect whole village.
If Lathrop and the Quimbys indicted they
will be defended at the trial by eminent counsel
and 5000 relief fund Of the church will he at
their command
I'VE do not fear the outcome" declared Mr.
Quimby. I'VE believe In our religion and not
in physicians. Medicines kill people. Christian
Science prolougs life and removes errors from
the body. Look at my wife and two children
Physicians said they had diphtheria. They did
not take any medicine. Their belief in faith
was their only relief"
In the case of Mrs. Reynolds. eighty-four years
old Of Elmsford. who has been under treatment
of scientists for a long time il is said that
nothing can be done by the authorities to prose-
cute the healers as under the constitution she
has right to her beliefs.
If she thinks the Scientists Will her.
declared Dr. Birch. no health department can
interfere"
The healers II has been learned are trying to
prolong the old wOman's life by daily prayer.
and predict that she will live despite her feeble
ness and present serious condition. score OF
years.