The Massachusetts Spy, And Worcester County Advertiser

Law Intelligence. A case of novelty and extraordinary interest occupied the Mayor's Court, Philadelphia, on Thursday, 28th ult. Thomas Clark, a young man of handsome appearance, about 24 years of age, was tried under an old act of Assembly, for speaking wilfully, despitefully, and disrespectfully of the Almighty. The indictment charged him with saying and repeating at divers times and places, "I am God." It appeared that Clark professed a smattering of the school of Joanna Southcote and Jemima Wilkinson; representing himself to be divine, not in his origin, but in his mission and powers. He has been for months surrounded in Philadelphia, by forty or fifty silly women and deluded men, who are fools enough to believe his preposterous professions. These he classifies as his disciples, and gives to them all his powers. They believe him to possess the faculty of working miracles, and many of them swore, in open court, that he had actually performed them; such as making the dumb to speak, the sick well, and the blind to see. Clark and his followers call them "Tasters." Clark himself has been for some time generally known among the idle boys of this vicinity as Tom Clark.

Judge Reed charged the jury to acquit, for want of wilful malice; that Clark was a weak, foolish fanatic, doing all he did innocently, and being more silly and misguided than criminal, more an object of pity than punishment. Clark addressed the court and jury for a long time. He had the scriptures in his hand, from which he quoted wildly and copiously. His speech was little else than citations of passages. Verdict of acquittal.