La Junta tribune., 1910-02-26
HRISTlAN Science IL virtu-
ally making fight for IT.
very life In the county cosgt
this waok Tho HEARING N

| tuta week. Iue nearing -
the b. ID. Messenger case commences
Thursday morning before Judge Nc
Daniel. and no matter what the out-
come is 1t is sure to be appealed y
the supreme court. The case h n
tracing considerable interest locally
and throughout the whole state. It
is claimed this Is the first case where
the issue Of the efficacy Of the -
called Christian Science healing, -
rather neglect to provide 4 regular
physician and \ nurse and submit -
the use OF drugs. has come before the
courts. The real issue Is, have pa.
ents the right to allow their children
to take sick and die without medico1
attention. especially where the dlssass
Ia contagious like diphtheria. ~ was
the case In this instance. Thb
strikes at the very root Of the Chris.
tian Science doctrine, and the whole
faith and prayer healing orgAnizatioa
Is alert. They have employed Judge
II. A. Hicks. OF Denver. who was .
member OF the late constipated seven
teenth. and who ran II. l.. Lubers. Of
Las Animas. a close race for speak
er Of the house. He is assisted BY
Paul NJ. North. of Rocky Ford, who
has been much In the spot light in
that burg OF late. and Is now acquir-
ing additional honors along that line.
! They also have number OF Other
prominent leaders present. including
Gray Montgomery: DIR. Maud b.
Schram. who vas formerly = regular
.pncticInG pAystcian. but is now 4
science healer: Mrs. Francis Mack
Mann. . renowned healer. all OF Den
yer: F. W. Palmer and wife and Mrs
Gertrude Dodge. Of Pueblo. and other
lesser lights.
\ The county commissioners have en-
ployed Fred A. Sabin. to take charge
OF the case. assisted by the Assistant
District Attorney. Harry 7. o'Connor.
1 The court room was crowded all day
by Interested listeners. among whom
were some OF the best citizens OF La
Junta
The legal battle opened by Mr.
Sabin filing an amended motion. which
made the charge little more simple,
charging simple neglect and not TAX
Ing proper care OF the children. The
defense fought the filing OF this mo-
] tion. but Judge Mcdaniel allowed T.
The defense then moved To have the
costs thus far In the case taxed up
to the prosecution. but the Judge
over ruled this.
The first witness called by the
state was B. ID. Messenger. for the
purpose Of establishing the parentagc
OF the children and their names and
ages. The defense objected to this
but the Judge allowed II.
The next witness. Dr. A. l.. stubbs,
brought his book with the records ~
: the death certificates. He Ii secrc
tary OF the state board Of health for
this county.
DR. Frank Finncy MAS then called
to the stand and told Of being called
on December goth to treat Rose and
Arthur for measles. He left preserip'
tions. but learned afterwards from
the parents that these were never
filled aud the powders that he lrft
were not used. lie Was called TO
see Rose again on December 27,b.and
found her suffering from pneumonia,
The next morning the parents phoncd
him that the kirl was better and that
he need not call again. but the girl
died that night. The next day Under
tsker Cook came 10 him for n death
certificate for the girl. and he gave
u. giving the cause Of death A. pncu'
tponiA. Some two weeks aftcrward
be- vas called again but Was too busy
TO 70 and advised the Messengers to
get another doctor.
Dr. u. W. RagsAals then took the
stand Tor . three hours grtiling. He
testifted that he Was called for Eta
and Mary. but too late TO do any
good. He was first called ON Ianu'
sry sth. and treated Eta for Group,
The parents phoned him the next
morning that the girl was better. and
Afterwards came and got medicine
for her. and he Was not called again
untn January 18th. when he found
her very bw With pneumonia. She
disl within twsntyfo hours. lie