St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-12-19
FIEND IN HUMAN FORM.
BarbarOus Cruelty ofa st. Louisan
Toward His Children.

ST. LOUIS, Dec. 1S.-A horrible tale
of the alleged barbarous cruelty of
George A. Guenther, the aged and de-
fenseless old man, who was slain by mis-
sixteen-year-old son yesterday morning.
was related to-day by Charles Guen-
ther, an elder brother of the murderer,
who called at the Office of the chief of
police at 9 O'Clock this morning to Sc
cure permission to interview Emil
Guenther. in his cell in the "hold Over,"
the murderer having surrendered him.
self yesterday afternoon. The On'S story
brands the dead man as tieBd incar-
nate, who delighted in acts of inhuman-
ity toward his children, delighting in
tOrturing them by methods practiced
only by the most barbarous. Among
other barbarities alleged, was the chain
ing up of the children in dismal apart
ments, nude, and while in that condi-
ton, torturing them with all the cru
city
PRACTICED IN THE INQUIsITION.
81 haven't lived at home for five
years." began Charles Guenther. I'm
1884 left the place on Franklin avenue
because [ couldn't stand the way l was
treated by my father. Since then
have had but little conversation with
the family at home, but am convinced
by what / heard from those who know
of what was going on there that his saw
age cruelty toward my sisters and Emil
has been kept up. Before l left home
my father was guilty of the most hOr-
rible treatment OF his children that can
be imagined. left the place after one
period of slow torture that made me
desperate, 1t was in 1854. | had done
something that my father didn't like.
In fact, it was rarely that any of us
could do anything he did like. 1t was
small offenSe. but the way my father
tortured me would have made any one
believe that either he was crazy or that
/ had committed some terrible crime.
My father was stronger than then, and
when he announced that he was going
to punish me and commanded me to go
with him, l had to obey. He made me
go up stairs with him to room in the
back part of the house which was sell
dom used. He showed me in and came
in himself and locked the door behind
him. Then he brought out some chains
that he had hidden somewhere. and
when caught sight of them l set up all
outcry that must have
ALMOST CLEAVED THE CEILINGS,
but no one heard me, or, if they did.
father shouted to me to stop that in
fernal noise, and when he found he
couldn't frighten me, he jumped at me
and we had a regular fight. i bit and
hit about me and struggled to throw
him off, but he was the most powerful,
and finally got the better of me, and. by
threatening to do me even greater vio-
lence, compelled me to keep quiet.
Then he brought out those chains and
began to bind me with them. / thought
he had finished then, but taking up an.
other one he fastened it around my neck
and fixed it so that / could hardly move
my head. Then he left me. / suffered
fendish tortures then, but was COM
PEELED to submit to more, however.
After the lapse OF few hours heard
him coming up the stairs again. He
opened the door, and when he stepped
inside | noticed he had a bottle of
whisky In his hand. He released me
from the chains and compelled me to
strip from head to foot, until l stood
nude before him. Then he chained me
up, and the most horrible thing that