Omaha daily bee., 1885-10-31
nescrtrd With Diving.

Carroll has been all stirred up over the
death of an old man there who, while in
Il dying and unconscious condition, was
deserted by his son and by his relatives.
The showing of heartlcssness is, us nar
rated, almost beyond belief, and can not
hut awaken indignation with all those
knowing the details. The particulars as
given by the Carroll Herald arc as fol
lows:
One of tho saddest and most shocking
details we have ever been called upon to
record occurred in Carroll about noon of
Monday last. Saturday the county otli.
GERS were notified that Richard Mct2gar,
whose home was about six miles north OF
Carroll, was insane, and he was brought
to town, the idea beng that he should 90
to the Independence insane asylum. DR.,
Wright made a careful examination
and found that he was suffering
from illness which affected his brain
and for the time rendered him dclirious
His condition was pitiable. He was in
constant commissions, his arms, lcgS and
every muscle of the body being in contin.
Gus and violent motion, over which he
had no control. There was scarcely a
squarc inch upon his entire body which
was not bruised. The skin was torn IN
NlOIttiS VI lpllNFS. IL SNtAlIS stkN' NIltil lVt
had taken n ~pitchfOrk and injured him
self by driving the tines into his bo.ly.
His abdomen. legs and chest showed
marks indicating that this had been
done.
The muscles of tie mouth and throat
had become impaired 50 that he swallow
ed with the greatest difficulty and could
hardly make himself understood when he
tried to talk His sulerings were beyond
Ax,,-n.yi,,, nr,l ~, u,N hin, IN Liz oyrnpNr
was sufficient to touch the stoutcst heart
with pity.
In this horrible condition be was
brought to Carroll. 1t does seem that
his relatives and neighbors should have
seen that he ought not TO be moved.
During nearly all of Sunday he lay upon
a blanket placed upon the hard floor in
the clerks Office at the court house, cared
for as best they could by strangers.
A brother OF Metzgar's, who lives at
Freeport, H., was here, and although he
was informed that this was not a county
case, but merely Of illness from which
the relatives should care, he insisted that
the county authorities should care for
him. His conduct is denounced as un-
feeling and heurtless in the extreme.
One of Metzgar's sons is 10 years old,
and he, also, showed u great dealof in
difference. Although informed Monday
lllcoli tsitSN i'iS ltlbllNl ilNhNb VIZ w.
soon, he left him and went out to the
farm. Before he returned death had re-
leased his father from the torture he suf-
fcred.
The entire case was Il blunder. Metzgar
should never have been moved. In his
condition TO drag him around over the
country and to keep him for many hours
in the court house laying upon the floor,
without nursing or care, such as he re-
CURED, was almost equivalent to killing
him outright. For this his brother was
responsible, as he was the only adult who
had control. Ii is understood that Metz
gar had ample means TO pay for proper
nursing and medical attention at his
home, and that there vas no reason
whatever for seeking to make him a
county charge. After he was brought to
Carroll our people did al they could to
relieve him. A room was fitted up in
the old school house building and careful
attention, medical and otherwise, was
given TO him. But after he reached town
there was at no time any hope Of his re-
coVcry
Mr.. Mctzgar was about 80 years old.
His sickness is said to be the result of 4
sunstroke received during the war, and he
has been frequently the subject Of attacks
similar to but less violent than the one
which caused his death. Hclcaves n wife
and several children. His wife is said to
suffer from periodical attacks Of insanity
~ +. .