New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-12-09
The Murderer Coleman.

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Many efforts have been made fsom time
to time to obtain Communication Of the sem
tence of Edward Coleman, who killed
Charles Berndt on Peters, near Hospital
street, April 12, 1874, and was convicted on
the tenth Of the following June. On tho
twenty ninth OF that month Judge Atocha,
in passing sentence, told the accused: /
The trial that you had brought forth evi
dence SO conclusive in it's character that 1t
showed, in the commission Of the murder OF
which you have been convicted, you were
entirely devoid of all the feelings which
usually aotuate human beings. 1t is use lsss
could have no influence on the depravity Of
your mind. f-l
He also said:
have given You every hope Of life within
the law. The jury have found you guilty.
l consider it my duty to further warn you
that it is my firm belief you have nothing
to hope from an appeal to the Supreme
Court of the State. l feel sure, and wish
to earnestly impress upon you, the certainty
of this: That there y NO point in the trial
4 az. E:as = = . - aAs cssse4 4
The prediction of Judge Atochs was yer.
ified in the subsequent proceedings, and no
legal loophole was left for Coleman to
escape by. His friends have, however, pre-
sented Q petition on the ground of insanity,
inelosed in the following letter from DR..
Schumacher:
CENTRAL DlpARrMRN7, METROPOLITAN PoL,oK,
New orleans, December ., 1875.
To his Excellency W. P. Kellogg, Governor of the
State of Louisiana:
DEAR SlR-The certificate hereunto an
nexei will show of the mental condition of
Ed. Coleman. The examination made was
at my request, having recused myself on
account OF the long acquaintance with the
prisoner and his family. / have known
Goldman TO be Of unsound mind from boy
hood up, caused by wounds received ON the
head, having been thrown from Q horse
upon q stump. which fractured his skull.
My object in calling n three uninterested
physicians is to satisfy your exoellency that
Coleman is not sane, and, therefore, not
altogether responsible for his act. think
it would be cruel to execute man Of this
character, but society should be protected
by keeping him confiDed in prison ior life.
Trusting to your just and human feeling.
l remain, very respectfully, your obedient,
+. SCHUMACHER,
City Ply sician.
The following is the petition:
New ORLEANS, December 2, A. D. 1875.
To His Excellency Governor W. P. Kellogg of the
State of Louisiana:
DEAR SIR-The undersigned, doctors of
medicine and licensed practitioners OF
this city and State, having been
called upon by DR.. f. Schumacher,
police surgeon, in charge of the Parish
Prison in tnis city, and by him requested to
examine into the mental condition of ans
Coleman, now prisoner in said building,
under sentence Of death for the crime OF
the consideration of your excellency:
The prisoner, Coleman, in our opinion, is
insane, and has been SO for several years
previous to having committed the deed
which has caused his confinement and sen
tepce. His insanity is due to injuries re-
ceived several years ago by being thrown
off horse. his head striking Q stump, and
evidence of his being subject to periodic
attacks of intense pain in the head and
violent temper are not wanting; that said pe-
riodie attack may have been increased on the
day of his having committed the homicide
or murder, from the blow inflicted on his
forehead by the victim of Coleman is very
probable, and the facts seem to prove.
Under these circumstances, and fully aware
of the difficulty of limiting the responsi
bility, in mental diseases, to be such that
neither our medical or legal authorities
have yet agreed upon the point, we deem it
our duty to express our opinion to be in the
case Of Coleman, as follows:
To execute the said Coleman in pursu-
aDce of the verdict and sentence OF law,
would be legal murder, second crime
added to the first, the result of insanity; his
pardon would be an injustice to society,
which will be fully protected by his confine-
ment for life in the Penitentiary or other
prison.
Relying upon the Justice and humanity of
your excellency, We remain your Obedlent
servants,
GUSTAvUS DEvRON, M. D.
No 63l Roysl street.
P. j. POELMAN, N. D.,
No. N3 Constance street.
j. B. COOPER, M. d,
Citv Phyeician.