Widnes Examiner. — 1911-10-14 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

THE TRAGEDY OF THE SHAKERS.  I could scarcely believe my eyes when I read a few daya ago' that two members of the Shaker Community, in Florida, had been arrested on a charge of murder.  For nearly a hundred and fifty years, no criminal charge of any kind had ever before been made against any member of the most picturesque, communal sect in the world. But the facts, as cabled from America, again reveal the Shakers as a strange and loveable people. The facts are simple. A Shaker sister, suffering the worst and final agonies of galloping consumption, begged a brother and sister Shaker to put her out of her misery. In all civilized countries, people have frequently debated the question : Is it right in any circumstances to shorten human life? But while the world talked, two members of the most unworldly community in existence, settled the question in their ova hearts with dramatic swiftness.. . . .  It was their reverent Molds that gave her the anmsthetic—a dose of chloroform—that sent her to sleep for ever; it was their loving desire to release her from suffering that supplied the beautiful motive for what most people may call murder !” And who are the Shakers? They are the successors of the original followers of an English woman, Ann Lee, who founded the sect in the second half of the eighteenth century. The Shakers derive their name from the idea, founded on taut, that the members would shake will emotion, or ecstscy, when telling their , experiences of spiritual life, at their gospel meetings. ! Their religion is of the early Quaker pattern, and , their sacred songs are often accompanied by • stately dancing, such as it is supposed Miriam performed after the crossing of the Red 'Sea. Both the men and the women Shakers live celibate lives, and their numbers, though dwindling, are recruited I only by the accession of converts. It is the habit of the Shakers to adopt orphan children, who remain with them until they have reached years of discretion. Then they have to choose between going out into the world, or remaining to live the austere, self-denying life of the Shakers and to profess their simple faith. All property, of every kind, among the Shakers belongs to the community, the women having equal rights with the men. The motto of these simple folks sums up their character " Our work for the world, and the rest to God " ! They rise early, are as hard-working as even the Carmelite monks, and devote themselves to agricultural and a few manufacturing pursuits. What business sffsirs they have are discussed at the general meetings of the Shakers, and authority is vested in two men and two women chosen, as trustees, by each colony. The two junior communities in Florida and Ohio, have little commercial contact with the outer world, but the parent community, at mount Lebanon. New York, is largely engaged in cultivating, or gathering, shunt a dozen different herbs which &fib not grown elsewhere, its only British customer being • London firm which uses the herbal extracts obtained by the Shakers in the making of a remedy for indigestion which has a world-wide reputation as Mother Seigel's  Syrup. In favour of the Shakers, it meet be admitted thst their few manufactures are of superior quality, and their industry, cleanliness, fair•dealing and peace-abiding habits are a pattern for the world. Such are the simple folk, two of whose number are now charged with murder, and the world is asking : "What will the verdict be? "