Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-11-11
ADMITS HE'S A THIEF
PLEADS GULLY II THE opEy COURT
To . charge Of eurxiAFy-Dr c. ~
Faia<r. wF.sksd ~ tss Tee ss
Opium trsssss . sss.aSlsa
~ teatsss4sg IL

RAcrys. Wis, Nov. III am gull
~. your hoaor." said DR. Charles "
Palmer. when arr<igned before Judge
fish on Monday on the charge Of rob-
biuz tho store Of Postmaster Chris
tiaasos, Of Raymond The wretched
prisoner thea burst into tears and sat-
down. covering his face with his handA
The afternoon of sunday, August Q.
this city WAS electrified BY ths an
.nouDeement that Dr.. Palmer, one of
the best known ssd influential men in
southern Wisconsin. had been arrested
On . charge OF burglary. The frle ads Of
the doctor could not believe that there
could Dc any foundation for The
ssrious charge. or that . maa OF his
standing could be guilty Of such .
crime The doctor lived in the viii
lags 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
10 connection with tho post Office. he
tried every means 10 catch the thief
without avail Finally he decided to
watch in the store. and in company
with = man named Fredericton 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 desk in the store. they heard .
key CRATE in the lock of the door and .
moment later were astonishei 10 SEQ
DIR. Palmer enter and fash . dark Lam
tern about the place. In their excite
mer, at this discovery they attempted
To leave and call other witnesses. but
in the effort made a noise and the doc
tor took fight The postmaster 1t once
came TO this city and swore out a war
rant charging the doctor with entering
his store with burglarious intent
A Mental Wreck.
The doctor protested his innocence,
and his friends were indignant AZ what
they considered . scheme 70 ruin the
doctors reputation. however. the dark
lantern was found near the doctors
yard. Is well As the false key
with WhtSu Nc hoa 6eihco UhSsouco
70 the store. Both the men who
were in the store swors positively that
they saw the doctor plainly and had
not made . mistake In spite of tho
fact that the evidence was over
whelmingly against the doctor
his friends were slow to be-
ieve that he was guilty. but a.
the conviction gradually forced itself
upon them that there was no escape
they had tho 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 . ply sical and mental wreck.
The penalty for the crime 10 from one
TO five years in the psnitentiary.
The life Of DIR. Palmer up to the
time he committed the crime was al
honorable one. He was . prominent
politician; he was an elector on the
republican presidential ticket in 1883,
mem Der of the medical board Of pen
sion examiners and . central figure
at all conventions. He is q
graduate Of Rush medical college,
and enjoyed lucrative practice At the
west end OF the county. He Is q son of
N. II. Palmer. Waterford merchant,
who was for twelve years the warden
OF the penitentiary At Waupun. whore
his son will undoubtedly put On tho
prison garb within short time.