The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-21
MIXED UP PILLS and PRAYER.
WONEN SAY STDRK'S ADVANCE
AGENT POSED As DOCTOR.
Only One Christian Scientist Goes 10 Court
TO Testify for Benjamin. and He Balks
at Pils-Texts Patients Didn't Read
or Sign 49, Many BIighted Hopes.

10 Testify for benjamin and lie Balks
at Mil Tex Patients Didn't Read
or Sign 49, Many BIighted Hopes.
julius BENJAMIN Of 33 East Seventeenth
street, the advance agent of the stork. VIII
calls himself "Dr. Benjamin and who is
accused by a number of women of getting
money from them on the promise Of secur-
ing babies for them through Christian
Science treatment, was again in the York
vile police court yesterday. Magistrate
Walsh, after he had discharged Benjamin
last Friday on a charge Of grand larceny,
issued a summons for him at the instance
of John Cooper, counsel for the County
Medical Society. Magistrate Moss con
Quoted the hearing yesterday. The charge
was practising medicine without a license.
Mrs. Bessie Lyman of 7o5 Fifth street,
the first witness yesterday, said that she
first visited Benjamin in January, 1905.
She said she told him she was in bad health
and wanted to he cured so that she could
have a baby. Benjamin, she said, prom
ised to cure her after a time and sent her
home minus 81.
She didn't visit Benjamin again for some
time, she said, but after her second visit
she went every day for three weeks. then
five times a week foI the mex six weeks,
and after thai twice a week for the next
two months. She paid Benjamin 81 for
every visit, she said. though he never did
anything to help her. She said she con-
tinued to go because he kept promising
to cure her after a time.
Finally, the witness said, Benjamin gave
her a pill. In all he gave her as many as
lztR 49,. - Ill., NzIl - L. tI-,-lt
God had heard her prayer. She said she
suffered a great deal Of pain, but was very
happy, because she believed Benjamin.
Then she went to the country, she said.
After a period of hope she found that Ben
jamin had deceived her.
Benjamin's lawyer tried to set up a
Christian Science defence He exhibited a
printed card containing ten articles which
stated that he, Benjamin, did not pretend
to cure by his W power, that all patients
must believe in God if they expected to be
cured and that they must be convinced that
Benjamin was not after their money. but
wished primarily to help them. The lawyer
also showed a chart containing a number
Of verses, such as Genesis l., 20. %, 2s and 81,
relating to the creation. He tried to show
that Benjamin effected all his cures through
prayer and insisted upon his patients putting
their entire trust in God. Mrs. Hyman
said she hadn't even read these circulars.
Mrs. Jacobowitz Of 233 Seventh street
then Dol the stand and told very much
the same story. She said she told Benjamin
that she was suffering from a tumor,
That will turn to fat and the fat will
dissolve" she said Benjamin told her.
She went through very much the same
experience as Mrs. Hyman. she said. For
a time she visited Benjamin once every
day, then several times a week and finally
twice a week, paying 81 a visit. In all she
paid nearly as much as Mrs. Hyman, who
lost 500 or more.
The witness said Benjamin also gave her
pills-four or five of them-but she didn't
know what was in them because he took
them from his pocket and put them in her
mouth himself
He said he was a doctor and could surely
cure me" the witness declared.
Benjamin's attorney tackled this witness
also on the Christian Science theory. After
exhibiting again. Me printed charts and
circulars, which. Fhe aid, all patients were
SSG 4s!p jaedb by ssa n ssS bad to sig 9be7 Ss "f Bsni
jamin in this ugr4oGhr2 She, promptly
declared she coyEd7t write. The lawyer,
Harold Spiegelberg. |g1ihed a little and
asked if she had readtoarefully all that was
in the charts, The Witness said she couldn't
read,
When asked to state exactly what Ben
jamin did when he said he could cure her
Mrs. ~Jacobowitz replied:
He put two ingeEs to his right brow,
shut his eyes and appeared to go into a
trance and said, ! can cure you"
At another time, she said. Benjamin
slapped her face because she said she felt
i'll.
You must believe in God" she said he
told her, and always scolded her when she
said she felt sick. 81
Sometimes" she added, when 1 went
to see him DR.. Benjamin said simply; Give
me 81 and CO."
She always gave up the 81, she said.
After Benjamin gave her the pills, Mrs
Jacobowitz said, she, too, had the same ex-
p~erience as Mrs. Hyman and was happy for
a while. This induced her friends to see
DR.. Benjamin also. Her happiness ended
in disappointment.
At this point the case was adjourned
until to-day.
1t was the intention Of the defence to call
some Christian Scientists to testify in be-
half of Benjamin. Only one of the sect
put in an appearance. This was H. Cornell
Wilson, chairman of the publication COM
mittee of the Christian Science Society of
New York. After MIR. Wilson had heard
the testimony. he said:
"If Benjamin gave these women pills he
can't establish a Christian Science defence :"