Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1873-06-26
ISLANDER AND ATTEMPTED BLAcKMAn.-


at the Editorial Convention, abused the
trust reposed in him by grossly SANDER
ing and boldly attempting to blackmail
Mr.. NJ F. Rewey, oyerseer of the county
poor farm
1t appears that about four weeks ago
boy named Adam Sandel, Of Highland,
was brought to Judge Wilson, at Dodge
vile, by his father, on claim that he
was insane, and should be placed in the
asylum. Doctors Cutler and jenkins, Of
Dodgeyille, pronounced the boy insane,
and the asylum at Madison being full, he
was sent temporarily to the poor farm,
though Doctor Burial and another phys
ician said the boy was not insane. On
the farm the boy acted less insane, than
mulish, and caused considerable trouble
On being directed to do, or forbidden to
do anything he rebeled, and was imper>
tinent. On one of these occasions the
overseer pltcked twig from an apple
tree, and as he admits, switched him
severely, perhaps too severely, as
father might have done, but inflicted no
permanent injury, nor spilled the first
drop of blood.
These facts coming under the notice of
the irresponsible pro tenn editor of the
Chronicle, he wrote and had set in type
an article depicting the fogging of the
boy as fiendish outrage, comparable to
the recitals of brutality found in Uncle
Toms Cabin The injuries inflicted
he described in detail, and summed up
as simply horrible;" tone of the most
revolving and sickening sights he ever
witnessed, &c. With a proof>sheet of
this article he proceeded to the county
farm, showed it to Mr.. Rewey, and told
him that at uou1d be published unless he
came dorn" pih one hundred dollars.
Mr.. Rewey, of course, Indignantly re-
fused to "come down" and the article
appeared in the Chronicle last week.
"A partial investigation has been had,
we hear, by Messrs. Bainl ridge and
Coates, two of the Superintendent of
the comfy poor, who will report in sub.
stance the above. If our information is
incorrect, their report will correct it,
and we shall not be tardy to condemn
Mr.. kewey as we may find be deserves.
Whatever blame may attach to him,
however, will not excuse the bold at.
tempt of Mr.. Briggs to levy blackmail,
Ii the overseers conduct was brutal and
fiendish as his article depicts, and the
boys injuries as great. then it was an
outrage not to be hushed up for hum
dred dollers, even if the money was to
be given to the unfortunate bow. which
was not the case-ncither the boy nor
MS father, we understand, having known
anything about the proposition to 'hush
up were to have any part of the "hush
money. Had Briggs proposition been
accepted, the money would undoubtedly
have been placed where it would do the
most good to NJ }. Briggs.
7. S.-Since the above was put in type
we are handed the following by a gem
tleman who appears to be conyersant with
the facts. -ED. TRIBUNE.
Mr.. EDITOR The Chronicle has tempo
rarily changed editors, as is announced bv the
incoming editor, NJ. J. Briggs, ESQ, in card.
which Is witty, sprightly, funny, brilliant.
linen, Tor heavy work, the reputation of the
paper must be maintained even thouob the
responsible editor be absent, to say nothing
OF The duty of editors to protect the
nigh moral tone of the press. A local is the
thing, and fortune presented the chance. A
boy from Highland, named Sande. was
brought before Judge Wilson, and by him
sent to the County Farm as an insane per
son, where, l am informed, the Superin-
tendents of the poor saw him next dav. and
tod Mr. Rewey, the overseer, they did not
consider him proper charge on the county, or
entitled to be an inmate of the poor house F..
they considering him more weak minded than
insane-his habits, l thing, affecting his in
teiiect. One of his habits is to literally eat
tobacco as he would food, swallow inc RAPIDLY
all he can get after masticatinr it-saliya az
well-thcn he is an inveterate smoker. Mr..
Rewey hogged this boy because he would not
quit swallowing tobacco to great excess.
when he reasoned with him he sauced him ;
then he commenced to whip him he con
tlnucd to sauce him then commenced TO
abuse him then to resist, funtl Mr.. Rewev
was excited beyond his wonted condition
and whipped the boy harder than he Intended
The father took the boy to Dodgeviile, where
he saw MIR. Briggs, the attorney, who was
fearfully incensed, and advised prosecution.
Then turned the matter over to Mr.. Briggs.
the editor, who Immediately saw chance for
fame in getting up spicy local Having read
Uncle Toms Cabin" and other works OF
fiction, the fiction part of the local came easy.
and he dressed it up. After finishing the ed
itorial, the two, Mr.. Briggs, the editor, and
Briggs, the attorney, went to see Mr.. Rewey 4:
showed him the article, and told him if he
would pay B., the lawyer, $4,000, be, B., the
editor, would see that the article was SIM
pressed, or so mutilated that it would do no
harm to Rewey. And B., the LAWYER said. in
consideration of the $4,000, there would be
no suits commenced. and both of them said
the world should never know how much r
the lawyer, received. You see, Mr. Editor.
the article had twofold object to black