St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1861-05-09
Mob and Murder.

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This morning we have the report Of an
other murder in Stear..s County, and also
that tho murderer is likely to be executed
here in St. Cloud by mob law. We would
respectfully ask the authorities who, are
responsible for this mob spirit During
the winter = servant girl in one Of our no.
tels, gave birth to an illegitimate child
She strenuously denied the existence Of
the child, even after her mistress and
neighbor women, who had been summoned,
heard II cry. When they proceeded for
chilly to search for it she assured them it
was dead ). and they found it in such po-
sition as to indicate her design to smother
it. 1t was rescued, dressed, and laid in
her arms, and she left with it until ply
s'cian was summoned, when he found it:
bleeding at the mouth. Next day it died,
! and post murtem examination proved that
. pair Of sharp pointed scissors had been
thrust down its throat and ehurned up and
down, iufiioting several serious wounds but
not sufficient to cause death. This had
been produced by laudanum. A pair of
scissors and bottle of laudauum we're
found in the mothers room, aud within
her reach. The Coroner's Jury brought
verdict Of nobody to blame. Child died
of laudanum administered by person or
persons unknown. No one was arrested
and there the matter lies.
Since that J. VOL, living six miles be.
low St. Cloud, shot a neighbor who was
walking across bis field on disputed road
shot him with heavy charge Of. buck
shot; and his lite was only saved by his
having thrown up large leather sack,
through which the shots passed in reaching
him, but his wounds were dangerous. Woll
gave himself up, and . St. Cloud Justice
Of the Peace, Mr.. Noel, discharged him on
his own recoguizance, of $500 bail. This
was before the shot had been extracted
from Mr.. Stewards wouads. MIR. Wool is
now at home, and openly expresses his de-
termination to shoot any other man or wo
man who travels that read. Keeps his
gun loaded and himself in readiness 1t
has been with the utmost exertion that the
prudent men of Maine Prairie, to which
the road leads, have been able to prevent
the rash from hanging Wool by mob law.
The Maine Prairie people have complained
that we did not protest against the dis
charge Of Vol, while not one Of them took
the pains to put US in possession Of the
facts, which we have but lately learned.
Now, there is another murder, the par
ticulars of which will be found in our local
column. Would this murder have been
committed If it hadn't been that this crime
has no punishment attached, or one from
its excessive cruelty men shrink from in
aicting in cold blood. We would not by
word or deed aid in bringing any criminal
to the gallows, because that by 50 doing
We should become a party to murder
1t is only when society is unable to protect
itself from assassins by combining them that
it can have right to deprive them Of life.
If the person, whom the public mind
settled uron as the murderer Of this infant,
could have been punished with life impris-
onment, the arrest wonld have been made,
a conviction would have been certain, and
the spirit Of murder would have been re-
buked.
Had our law recognized murderous
assault as the crime it really is, instead Of
placing it as less offense than horse-steal-
ing, murder would have been rebuked, and
poor Edelbrock might have been saved
from crime, and Reeder from violent
death. Shooting man is only $500 Of.
Tense provided it so happens he is not kill
ed but does an incident over which the
next man has no control and which turns
aside the p, rderous lead, change the ma
ture of his crime? Verify, no. The man
who kills his man is no more guilty than
he who fails, and the law makers who con-
tinue unequal and cruel laws are parties to
the guilt in both cases.
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ST.. PAUL PREss.-We can safely rec
commend this paper as the best published
in Minnesota-the DEMOCRAT of course ex-
ceptcd. It contains the latest and fullest
telegraphic news, items received by the la
test mails, interesting miscellany, moneta-
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