Evening star., 1907-08-20
HOLY ROLLERS CHILD DIES
CORONER'S JURY HOLDS PAR
ENTS FOR NEGLECT.
Both Pray Aloud in Court Before
They Testify-Admit They Gave
Baby No Medicine.

NEW YORK, August 2O.-Several weeks
ago the holy rollers Of Tottenvlle, Staten
Island prayed for five hours that Peter
Peterson, a member of the strange sect,
might die because In the excess of religious
zeal he had proclaimed that he was ready
| to be received by the Lord Peterson still
lives, but yesterday Ruth, his fifteen months
old daughter. died at his home on Breauhaut
avenue unattended by physician Fol-
lowing the tenets of the holy rollers. Peter
son and his wife had prayed over the sick
child instead of administering the medicine
a physician had prescribed.
Last night when Peterson and his wife
Anne, were called before a coroner's Jury
to tell why they had allowed the child to
suffer without medical aid both requested
that they might pray for divine guidance
before giving their testimony. The mother
of the deceased child knelt before Coroner
Martin Cahill and the jury and lifted up her
voice in prayer.
The Mothers Prayer.
almighty Cod she said. II left my
loved one in your hands. for l knew that
If you saw fit to save it's life you would.
Now that you have taken my child away
1 know that you have done it for the best
and l know you will permit to see 1t in
heaven some time. The Aim ghty God Is
powerful and l am satisfied that no doc
tor earth could prescribe medicine which
would cure my child if God saw ht to take
1t away. If God fit he could restore
my child to me-
While Mrs Peterson was praying the
hoy rollers, who had purposely hired a
hall next door to the Knights of Pythias
temple. where the inquest was in progress.
were engaged in praying vocferously for
the souls of the man and woman who were
being examined. Their shouts of glory
and hymns of praise dinned into the coro-
ner's room constantly during the proceed
ings MIR. and Mrs Peterson were field by
the coroner to appear before the magis-
trate's court in Stapleton today.
As soon the fact of the child's death
reported to the TOttenvlle police sta
tion yesterday morning District Attorney
John j. Kenny of Stapleton was notified
and Coroner Cahill began an investigation.
Peterson admitted that the child had been
allowed to suffer without the adminiStra-
tion of medicine because. he said, If 1t was
the Lords will that the little one should
die no human aid could avail to save her.
He said that a week ago he had called in
DR.. David Coleman, who had recommended
medicines for the infant. but the prescrip-
tons were never filed The doctor had
been called only because Peterson thought
that in case Of her death the physician
would sign death certificate.
District Attorneys Investigation.
When the district attorney made an in
vestigation of the case yesterday he learned
rollers. The Christian Alliance is the
name the denomination gives itself. The
sect has a church in Tottenville and carries
on religious services of a character to set
most of the people Of Tottenville In protest
against the vOtaries. Those who have at
tended the services told District Attorney
Kenny that In the frenzy Of their religious
mania the worshipers roll about the floor
and climb under the seats. men and women
indiscriminately. Below the floor of the
church there is a prayer cellar" with a
sign over the door, This Is for Christ
only" Here. 1t Is said. religious orgies are
carried on without lights and sometimes far
into the morning.
At d recent meeting of the sect Peterson
is said to have proclaimed that he was so
pure and happy in the redemption that he
knew to be his that he wanted to be trans
lated at once. Whereupon all the wor-
shippers united in five hours serious en-
deavor through prayer to have the Lord
show His strength and blast Peterson on
the spot.
1t is the belief of the holy rollers that
medicines and physicians services are in
references with the will of the Almighty
and consequently prayer Is the only remedy
for sickness among them Recently when
a woman of the flock was about to give
birth to child the holy rollers fought
against the calling in of a physician until
neighbors insisted. The child had been
hailed before it's advent as promised
prophet.
An autopsy held yesterday afternoon devel-
oped the fact that Peterson's baby had
died of Inflammation Of the bowels At
the cOroners inquest held last night Peter
son freely testified that he and his wife had
made no effort to minister to the sick child
except through fasting and prayer.