Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1891-11-14
DOCTOR AND THIEF.

Charles N. Palmer, Well Known In Wis
consin Medical and Political Circles.
Pleads Guilty to n Charge of Burglary
Opium Led to His Disgrace.
RACINE, Wis, Nov. 10.-'I am gull
ty, your honor" said DIR. Charles N.
Palmer, when arraigned before Judge
Fish on Monday on the charge of rob-
bing the store of Postmaster Chris
tianson, of Raymond The wretched
prisoner then burst into tears and sat
down, covering his face with his hands.
The afternoon of Sunday, August 0,
this city was electrified by the an
nouncement that DIR. Palmer, one of
the best known and influential men in
southern Wisconsin, had been arrested
on charge of burglary. The friends of
the doctor could not believe that there
could be any foundation for the
serious charge, or that man of his
standing could be guilty of such a
crime. The doctor lived in the viii
lage of Raymond, and the man
who brought this charge against him
was Postmaster Christianson of the
same place. For several months
the postmaster had been missing
goods from his store, which he conducts
in connection with the post office. He
tried every means to catch the thief
without avail. Finally he decided to
watch in the store, and in company
with man named Frederickson kept
nightly vigil. Two weeks went by and
no one came near the place.
They had about decided to give up
when on the night of August 8, little
after midnight, as they were sitting be-
hind a desk in the store, they heard a
key CRATE in the lock of the door and a
moment later were astonishei to see
DR.. Palmer enter and flash a dark lam
tern about the place. In their excite
ment at this discovery they attempted
| to leave and call other witnesses, but
| in the effort made a noise and the doc
tor took flight. The postmaster at cnce
came to this city and swore out a war;
rant charging the doctor with entering
his store with burglarious intent.
The doctor protested his innocence,
and his friends were indignant at what
they considered a scheme to ruin the
doctors reputation. However, the dark
lantern was found near the DOCTORS
yard, as we'll as the false key
with which he had gained entrance
to the store. Both the men who
were in the store swore positively that
they saw the doctor plainly and had
not made mistake. In spite of the
fact that the evidence was over
whelmingly against the doctor
his friends were slow to be-
lieve that he was guilty, but as
the conviction gradually forced itself
upon them that there was no escape
they had the court appoint physicians
to inquire into his mental condition,
and, while they pronounced him sane,
testified that the man was continually
under the influence of opiates and ap-
parently physical and mental wreck.
The penalty for the crime is from one
to five years in the penitentiary.
The life of DR.. Palmer up to the
time he committed the crime was an
honorable one. He was a prominent
politician; he was an elector on the
republican presidential ticket in 1888,
member of the medical board of PEN
sion examiners and central figure
at all conventions. He is a
graduate of Rush medical college,
and enjoyed a lucrative practice at the
west end of the county,