St. Paul daily globe., 1889-06-27
PETERSON TESTIFIES.
One of the Murderers of
Coombs Tells the Story
of the Crime.
His Tale Of the Tragedy Diff
fers Materially From
That Of Date,
Who Reiterates What He
Said of the Affair at the
Inquest.
The Case Expected to Go Into
the Jury's Hands on
Friday.
SpeciaI TO the Globe.

Special to the Globe.
ROCHESTER,, June 26.-COunty At
torney Breckenridge was the first wit
ness called by the state in the Beckman-
Peterson trial. He was put on the stand
to show that the bones that were to be
exhibited were those taken from the
body of Coombs. He said when the
bones were taken from the body they
had been placed in box by him and
sealed, and lie put the imprint OF the
set in his finger ring upon it. The
bones were brought in on tray. They
were the two pieces of the broken
sternum and the three broken
ribs. They had been disinfected.
but, nevertheless, an OdOr was ditfused
about the capaciouS court room that was
decidedly offensive. DR.. Collins was
the second witness called by the State.
and said he was present at the autopsy
held in st. Paul the goth of June. When
cross-examned as to whether he was
positive that it was the body OF Taylor
Coombs he said he was. DR.. w. j.
Mayo was the next witness called. He
stated that he was present at the st.
Paul autopsy. and explained the in
juries found on the body, stating that a
fracture of the sternum was found, and
that the fifth. sixth and seventh ribs
were broken, and that there was a
bloody discoloration of the tissues under
the
FRACTURES OF THE BONES
and that they extended in a line from
the place where the sternum was tract
ured to point under the seat OF the
fracture of the ribs. On the cross-eX.
no fofa
tive that the injuries were what caused
CoombS' death. DR.. Collins was then
recalled and testified substantially as
DR.. Mayo. John Date, the painter, was
then called. He is the only sane wit
ness to the murder and. by far the most
important witness of the prosecution.
The taking of his testimony occupied
the attention of the court for two hours.
He said ne was painter by trade and
nineteen years OF age, and on April l
was painting at the asylum on Ward Z,
3 East, and was acquainted with defend
ants Beckman and Peterson and also
the negro patient, Taylor Coombs. He
stated that he was standing in the cor
ridor opposite the clothes room with
Peterson, when he saw Beckman come
out of the attendants room with
CoombS and commence striking and
pushing him down the corridor into the
clothes room, closing the door behind
him. Ed Peterson then opened the
door and looked in. Beckman said:
"Give it to him, Ed" Peterson then
went
INTO THE BATHROOM
and grabbed cane and commenced to
pound CoOmbs, who was lying on the
floor on his back, Beckman astride of
him. Beckman said: II told you that
if you ever sassed me again would kill
you.' | said: 'For Gods sake, boys,
don't kill him." Beckman then got up
off of Coombs. They saw that he was
unconscious, and Beckman said: my
God, we have killed him;' but in a
moment Combs came to, and Beckman
told him to get up and go
wash. He was lying on a pile
of mattresses that were lying
in the north alcove. l saw Peterson 20
down there, strike him over the legs
with stick, and make Combs get up
and sit on the seat. The whistle then
blew and l went to dinner. 1t was
1880. When | came back found Tay-
lor in the crib groaning and stroking his
chest with his palms. They commenced
kicking Combs in the side, who rolled
over, got hold of the radiator and pulled
himself to his feet, begging not to be
punished any more. They then walked
Beckman
KNOCK HIM DOWN
and stamp on his breast and stomach.
Steadying himself by placing one hand
on the door jamb. he got to his feet
alone, however, and went into the wash
room. then went back to work paint
ing in bedroom opposite the clothes
room. was standing on a scaffold,
and, hearing a noise, looked over the
transom. and saw Coombs fall on the
floor in front of the door. He got up
himself and went on down the hall.
The next time / saw him l asked him
how he felt. He said, pretty sore.
Charley" He asked for water. got
him some and left him. At p. m.
Peterson said to me: "The -
is croaking." l said: "You will
have to suffer for it.'' Peterson
said ''Never mind, you just keep STILL"
and went away to report the death.
Date was subjected to scathing cross
examination from Wilson. but he failed
to shake his testimony OH any essential
point. Victor Carlson was then called.
lie is an attendant at the asylum. He
testified that Beckman had told him a
few days after the occurrence that he
had stamped on Taylor Coombs. Drs.
Bowers, Collins, and Phelps we're then
recalled and asked if the defendants
said anything at the time about having
to subdue C0OmbS that morning. They
all testified negatively. The state then
rested its case, and it being nearly IL
C. Wilson. attorney for the defendants,
OPENED THE DEFENSE
Immediately after dinner in strong ad-
dress to the jury, in which he outlined
plan of the defense and philosophical
upon the circumstances under which
the deed was committed, stating the
men acted without any evil intent; that
the killing was accidental, as would be
shown by the evidence, and at least ex-
cusable; that these defendants had been
placed there to take care of nineteen
distracted persons, among whom was
shown, was vicious, incorrigible
ing that the deed was committed
threatened these men With death.
He also commented upon the fact that
the testimony of Date stood entirely I'M
corroborated by any evidence save that
Coombs was injured in manner that
would be probable in case he had re-
ceived the treatment told of by Date
and the testimony of the attendant Vic
tor Carlson, and expressed to the jury
the opinion that he did not think that
upon such slender evidence they could
find the defendants guilty. Assistant
Deputy Warden Cover, of the state
penitentiary, was the first witness, and
was called by the defense to show the
CHARACTER OF COOMBS.
He was objected to by the state on the