Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-04-15
MURDEK 1,EFENnEn

NUkIlEK DEFENDED.
The Insane asylum has at last secured an
organ which is prepared to go any length
in its defense. The Minneapolis Tribune
has the unenviable distinction of occupying
this position aud it's starts off by defending
murder. Here is the organs defense of the
brutal murder of the patient, Mcdonald:
1t would certainly have been simpler and
easier for Belts to have saved himself the
trouble of TO- cling the patient to receive food,
ny allowing him to have his will and die of
starvation. Suppose Belts had chosen the
latter alternative; would he not then have
been arraign> still more bitterly for indirectly
causing the patients death? Tue howl that
this matter has produced is without particle
of sense or justice. Belts did his duty, and
only his duty. and the whole investigation at
St. Peter SO far as it progressed vindicated the
conduct of the officers.
This is the most monstrous position we
ever knew newspaper to take. To say that
the "howl is without particle of sense or
Justice and that "Betts did his duty and
only his duty is to declare it is unjust to
condemn murder, and that murder, excep
tional in its brutality is simply ''duty." We
do not exaggerate this matter when we say
that the man Belts anurdered the patient
Mcdonald in wickedly, infamous and brutal
manner, and any man or journal which defends
the dastardlY act, becomes an accessory
after the fact. Let the reader attentively
peruse the following extract from the sworn
testimony of Andrew Herberg:
Belts told us to hold him and lay him on q
bench; held him by his hands and sat across
ho1v Ro&fa 0toou nod
helped hold him; OConnor held the soup;
Belts plugged his mouth; the plug slipped out;
Belts was excited, and thrust the plug down
his throat, and held him SO fast he couldn't
move anything; could see down his throat;
he told OConnor to pour in the soup; could
hear his breath gurgle as the soup was going
into the windpipe; l felt his strength was go
ing; l said, in whisper, Mr.. Belts, he will
| die; he said, he is only choked; the sane mo-
ment l let go his hand, lifted him up, and
shook him; he gasped for breath, and died in
| five minutes.
Now let the reader analyze the above.
The victim was laid fat upon bench
(rhat, of itself, is an elegant situation in
which to swallow soup) One man sal
across his body and held his hands
Two other men helped hold him. woode1
| plug was thrust down bis throat, and the1
Belts told an attendant to "pour in thu
soups
Another witness, Gnstavson, produced thu
plug, and it was found to be five and seven
eighths inches in length and one and one
eighth inches in diameter. The witness
marked the distance, showing that this plug
was thrust three and three-qua1ter inche
| down the victim throat.
And still there is newspaper SO destitute
of humanity and decency as to speak of till
exposure as a"howl, and declare that s'Bett
only did his duty To have allowed IT,
patient to starye himself to death woult
have been the Kndest treatment possiblei il
comparison. Does the organ of brutal,
assert that murder is to be commended t
prevent voluntary starvation?
We can tell all concerned that the s.howl
will not cease at their bidding. The out
RACES are too shocking, and the rascality to
great to be overlooked, and the people w
howl" until the proper remedy is applied
One of the remedies should be the send:n
of murderers ard their accessories to til
penitentia1y.