The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1908-11-10
The Watson Case

The right of Christian Scientists to
decide whether to summon physician in
the case of illness is to be settled by the
Supreme Court of New Jersey. The case
involved is that of Mr.. and Mrs. Edwin
M. Watson, of Moorestown, who were
convicted here of voluntary manslaughter
In connection with the death of their
seven-yea r-old son. Granville, in May, 1907.
They were charged with having failed to
procure medical attendance for the child
when he was ill, relying on the doctrines
of their religious belief, until the disease
reached stage where medicine was of no
avail The child died after an illness of a
week of meningitis.
The parents hold that they were doing
their full duty by the child even when
they depended upon prayer alone to heal
him.
Frank S. Kstzenbach, Jr., at Trenton,
on Wednesday, declared that inasmuch as
this is Christian Nation it should not be
held an indictahle offense to believe wholly
and entirely in the Christian doctrines and
the Christian Bible.
Throughout the Bible, he said, there
are narratives showing the power of God
to heal the sick. A person who sees fit
to be guided by the Bible may rely on the
power of God to heal diseases and be with
in his rights under the Constitution" Mr..
Katzenbach also took exception to the act
of the lower court in excluding testimony
which might have showed the efficacy of
the Christian Scientists belief in the curing
of sickness.
The defence vigorously objected to a
question put to the Watsons concerning
their belief, and also to the charge of John
G.. Horner, of the Burlington county court,
to the effect that the law requires parent
to furnish food, clothing and medical
attendance for his children and neglects
his duty if he fails to do so. He then
quoted DR.. Oliver Wendell Holmes
Justice CLARK and other authorities to sup
port his contention that most cases of ill
ness recover without medical attendance
and then declared that in such matters il
was right for the parent to exercise opin
ion and discretion. A simple indiscretion il
this respect, he said, ought not be con
sidered an indictable offense.
In concluding Mr.. Katzenbach declared
that the aim of the prosecution seemed tt
be the arraying of the doctors of medicin,
against the Christian Scientists The cas-,
} is such, he said, that prejudice and no
justice prevails.
Samuel a. Atkinson, prosecutor 0
Burlington county, answered the argu
ment of Mr.. Katzenbach. He laid par
, ticular stress on the contention that it wa
the duty of the parents to cater to tn
necessities of the child in every way unit
} he was old enough to judge for himsel
as to the efficacy of Christian Science
, he held that common law" and commo
3 decency require parent to provide tn
r necessities of life for child and that
} could not be argued with any force ths
if an infant should suffer the loss of lie
D and bleed to death the parents would nc
be held criminallY liable In case of the
= failure to secure a surgeon promptly I
staunch the flow of blood. He declare
g that great majority of the people beliey
J. in medicine and that no one but an imb
|. cile would deny its value.
l. He concluded with the declaration thi
e the law does not protect anyone in wroni
: doing, no matter what their belief, citin
v as an instance the practice of polygam
70 Medford.
William B. Dyer has so far recovere
from his attack of typhoid fever, as to
sitting up over an hour on Sunday.
John Lake moved from the J. A. Ian
house on Main street, to the Carly propt
ty on ELEPHANTS Mill road on Saturday.