St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-06-02
Attendants at the Rochester
Insane Asylum Kill a
Negro Patient.
They Knock Him Down and
Jump on Him With Their
Feet.
An Eyewitness Silenced by
Being Threatened with
Death,
And the Awful Affair Kept
From the Public Two
Months.
Special TO the Globe.

Special to the Globe.
RoCHEsTE June 1.-AuguSt Beck
man and Edward Peterson, residents OF
this county, and former attendants at
the Second insane hospital in this city,
are under arrest and confined In the
county Jail, charged with the murder OF
TAYLOR Combs, negro patient in the
ward under their charge. Coroner
Mosse. of this county, had just finished
the reading of Very Hard Cash" when
he was called upon to investigate a
startling Illustration in real life OF the
facts set forth in that famous novel.
Combs death occurred under suspicious
circumstances on April l. Supt. Bow
ers called Coroner MosSe to investigate
the matter on April 2. A thorough post
mortem examination was held. when
developed a scalp wound on the back OF
the head, the skull and brain being I'M
injured: also large bruise on the back
of the left hand. On moving the breast
bone it was found
FRACTURED AND CRUSHED
in over the heart, and large blood clot
had partially filled the chest. This
fracture of the sternum, or breast bone,
and internal hemOrrhage had caused
his death. Further investigation made
at the time brought out story from the
two attendants that Combs had fallen
from a scatfold in the ward while
washing the ceiling; that he had
told them of his fall. and that
they had put him to bed, and asked him
if he desired to see physician, to which
he said he did not. He apparently fell
asleep. but. upon trying to arouse him
some time later, it was discovered that
he was dead. From that story they did
not vary. and it appeared at that time
that there were only two other wit
nesses 1.-TWO insane patients in the ward)
who could not be made to tell a
coherent story. But later develop
ment show that painter, one John
Date, employed in the hospital, had
witnessed what was in reality the muir
der of the patient. This came to the
knowledge of the superintendent and
Coroner Mosse, who interviewed Date
and elected the following blood
curdling story: Date came into the
ward in the morning and found
Combs in a Surly mood and mItterlng to
himself. AS he desired him to work,
Date: pacified. him with plug OF tobacco
and set him to work washing off cell
ing in company with two other patients.
At about quarter of eleven, Date saw
August Beckman. the attendant, COM
ing down the warn pushing and strik-
ing Combs Taking him into the cloak
room, Beckman
KNOCKED HIM DOWN,
and began choking him, at the same
time calling the other attendant, Peter
son. to pitch in," which he did. be-
laboring Combs with a cane, which was
broken to pieces, after which he oOk at
maple mop stick and pounded him into
insensibility. They then ceased their
maItreatment, through fear, Beckman
enchanting ''My Ged! We have
killed him." Combs finally came
to, however, and being ordered
into the wash room to remove traces of
staggered abound. again provoking the
attendants, who once more knocked
him down and jumped on his chest, then
probably inflcting the injury from
which he died. He was again ordered
up and made to go up the ward but had
not gone far when he was again
knocked down and pounded with
the mop stick. The two inhuman
attendants finally, after three-quarters
OF an hour of maltreatment, allowed
Cobms to lie on mattress that was in
the ward, where he died at 2 o'clock in
the afternoon. They then saw Supt.
Bowers and told the story OF Combs
falling from the scaffold, intimidating
Date into silence by threats of his life
if he opened his mouth. DR.. Bowers,
suspicious of their story, Immediately
discharged the attendants, and, on
learning of Dates knowledge of the
affair, Immediately swore out a war
rant for their arrest. which was effected
yesterday afternoon. Combs was in
dustrious, but hard patient to manage,
necessitating strict discipline. He was
brought to the asylum from Saltwater,
where he was serving out thirty-year
sentence for an assault on five-year-
old girl. The attendants will be brought
before the grand jury next week, where
further facts will be ELECTED.