Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1903-09-24
REPUBLICAN NOMINEES.
THE HOFFMAN CASE.


THE HOFFMAN CASE.
The conviction of Henry Hoffman OF
Connoquenessing twp. on the charge OF
involuntary manslaughter, and the
probable appeal of the case to the high
er Courts of the State will make a new
legal record, as this is the first case OF
the kind to be tried in the State.
The facts of the case are about as fol-
lows Henry Hoffman. the defendant
in the case, is an elder of the religious
denomination known as The Saints,
who believe in the cure of all diseases
by faith and prayer
Scarlet fever entered his family, and
though he called in neighboring ply
sician to ascertain the nature OF the dis
ease. he refused the use of medicines,
relying upon his own faith and prayers
and those of other members OF the sect,
the Laying or. Of hands" the rubbing
with oil, etc. to bring about the recov-
cry of the children
One child died, and was buried, with
out much being said about it; but the
death of the second child and the spread
OF the disease in the community caused
action to be taken-a local Board OF
Health was organized. and the Coroner
was called upon to make an autopsy, by
which it was definitely ascertained that
the child's death was due to scarlet fe-
ver-and then information was made
made against Hoffman. who is an intel
ligent looking young man.
At the trial, Judge Galbreath. ruled
out all the religious belief, or faith or
fanaticism-whatever you have mind
to call it-and told the jury to decide
the case on the facts-and that was
done. and the defendant was convicted
as indicted and recommended to the
mercy of the Court.
The prisoner will probably be senten-
ced in the near future, and then the
case will be appealed. and we will, in
the coulse of time learn how far or to
what extent the vagaries of the human
mind viii be allowed to come in con-
f1ict with the accumulated knowledge
or ages
Over hundred years ago, in Germa-
nv. in France and in England numerous
religious sects aroee, or were organized;
the faith of each and every one of them
being founded on some particular pas
sages in the Bible. One of these sects
from Germany, under the leadership OF
q man named Rapp, and believing in
communism and celebacy emigra ted to
this country and located at what is now
the town of Harmony. and afterwards
at Economy. They met with varied
fortune, and as this is a country where
freedom Of religious belief is tolerated
to the limit. they were not disturbed in
their belief, as their practices affected
none but themselves, but now after a
hundred years Of such, their accumulat-
ed millions are in the hands of young
man with family
Other sects believing in or practicing
communism, plurality of wives or hus-
bands, free-love and the lord knows
what al haya bean organized Eu-
rope or this country, and some of them
are vet in existence, and SO long as their
practices harm nobody but themselves
nobody interferes with them, but in this
case two children, who were, in one
sense. the wards of the state, were al
lowed to die without that medical or
professional attendance, or resort to
medicines or remedies, which have
proved beneficial in millions Of cases,
and are positively known to aid the
system in throwing off the poison or in
lection to which all are liable, and be-
sides this the disease spread over the
community.
Some years ago powerful and well
doing mechanic Of this town, who had q
large family of small children, became
30 absorbed, or affected by some particu
lar religious belief, that he could bt
heard roaring in prayer block away
from his little home. He neglected hi
job and lost it; then he went down will
fever, refused medicine and died. leav
ing his family in distress.
Another case, here. that we can re
call was that an industrious and wei
fixed man going daft over salvation o.
prayer, and losing his all; and up il
Venango county, not long ago thu
mother of large family was, during
her husbands absence, induced by som'
religious fanatic or scoundrel to elop,
with him and 60 West.
Civilized man has been accommodating
a knowledge OF herbal and minera
remedies for disease and weakness fo
thousands Of years; almost every yea
some new and important discovery il
made and applied; and yet some dis
eases are yet pronounced incurable
There is much to learn.
The Indians or Red men who roamet
through the forests and over the plain
Of this continent had their medicin,
men, and they seem to have known
some things that the white man haI
never discovered. Some years ago al
Indian or man who had lived anon.
them passed through section of thi
county that was affected with diphthe
ria. One man of that vicinity did hin
. favor, and in return he took him t,
the woods next day, and hunted around
until, at the foot of tree, he found ,
certain herb or plant. with which te;
was made that cured the children O.
that family, while some children of th,
neighborhood died. But that knowledge
was lost, as the man whose children
were benefited by it, was never able t.
find or indentify the same herb after
wards.
We consider ourselves the h'ghes
order of animal life in existence and ye
we are more helpless in sickness (un
less we have a medical education) thar
any ether animal. All the parts of th'
human body, and all the functions o
all the organs, excepting the Spleen, ar
now known to us. and yet several com
mon diseases are pronounced incurable
On the other hand Nature or instinc
teaches all the lower animals what thei
remedies growing in field or forest :