St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-08-11
A STORY FOR M. lola.
The Strange Case Found in
a First Avenue Board
ing House.
David Lane and His Peculiar
Relations With Mrs. Anna
Thompson.
Mayor Winston Is Not Pledged
to Support Oliver j.
Erickson.
Gleanings From the Political
Field--NeWs From the
Courts.

in all its filth and hideousness. 1t
would need his pen to picture each
little detail and make it stand out in
such way that the morbidly inclined
could read and smack their lips.
Some time ago the poor department
was notified that there was case at
324 First avenue north which would
bear inspection. Agent TatrO, of the
Humane society, was also told of the
case and together with Supt. Snyder
he looked it up. Yesterday morning
the two gentlemen visited the house
and the result was that a warrant was
sworn out for an Old, gray-halred man
named David Lane on serious charge
Two months ago this man Lane called
at the house at 324 First avenue north,
which is occupied by Mrs. German as a
boarding establishment, and requested
room for himself and wife. The couple
had been living at Mrs. Browns board
ing house several doors below, but they
wanted a change: SO Mrs. German gave
them an apartment on the second floor.
Mrs. Lane appeared to be in i'll health.
and, upon being questioned by Mrs.
German, stated that she had never fully
recovered from an operation performed
TWO years before. Shortly after being
Installed in the room of Mrs. Gorman'S
house. Mrs. Lane took to her bed, and
until she went to the city hospital yes
terdaY afternoon she was never known
to leave her room. Lane was employed
as caller in front of res
taurant on Bridge square, and for time
the occupants of the house paid no at
tentiOn to the affairs of the couple. The
other hnUaGnr
making complaints to the landlady.
Something queer was going on in the
room occupied by Mr.. and Mrs. Lane,
they said, and they were afraid every
thing was not all right.
The landiady then began to notice
that Mrs. Lane was not receiving the
proper treatment. She did not have
sufficient food, and was rapidly growing
worse. The woman was in an extremely
filthy condition. and the disease she was
afflicted with had rendered her incapa-
bic of moving either hand or foot Mrs.
German told Lane that he must get a
doctor for his wife at once. Butth doc
tor never came. Last Monday
Mrs. Gormau went to Dr. Nor
rs and asked him to call at
the house to see the woman. for she saw
it was useless to further petition Lane.
DIR. Norris called and went to the room,
but was not allowed to enter by Lane,
who slammed the door in his face, stat
ing :hat doctor was not needed. 1t
soon became apparent that Mrs. Lane
was dying, and that something had to be
done. The poor department and HUI
name society were accordingly notified.
Several days ago Mrs. Lane confessed
to a gentleman who occupies room
i'll the house, that she was being keptin
the room against her wishes. Lane, she
said, had taken all her property and
money. and had her under his control
to such an extent that she could do
nothing but obey his every wish. She
said she owned 500 acres of land near
Larimore, n. d., and had consider
able money i'll local bank. Lane
had secured possession of ner bank
book and the deeds to all her property.
She gave the gentleman to understand
that she was in such mortal terror of
Lane that she did not dare to make
complaint against him. Mrs. German
brought the poor woman some food and
fed 1t to her with spoon. Yesterday
She went to the room and told Mrs.
Lane that she was about to die. and, if
she had any confessions to make, she
had better make them at once. The
woman burst into tears and managed to
gasp out that Lane Was not her hus-
band and that her name was Mrs. Anna
Thompson. She was a widow, and her
parents lived in Lisbon, Wis. Her ia
! theirs name was Andrew Arneson.
A GLOBE reporter accompanied Agent
Tatro and Assistant City Physician
Weston to the house yesterday after
noon. The sight witnessed in the room
occupied bv the couple was enough to
make even physician turn pale and
stand "a tremble." Lane was seated
in a chair reading newspaper, while
Oh the bed lay the figure of the woman,
Anna Thompson. She resembled a liv-
ing skeleton and could move neither
hand nor foot, and when the visitors
entered she requested Lane TO cover her
bony limbs, which were exposed. DR..
Weston said. as near as he could aScer-
tain from his examination, the woman
was suffering from q complication of
diseases peculiar to the female sex.
There was no doubt that she ha3 been
neglected. Lane, when questioned,
said DR.. Freeman had attended the
woman and had prescribed medicine
for her. Mrs. German says Dr. Free
man has never been near the house.
The only medicine that could be
| found III the room was bottle of min
eral water. Lane said he had done
| everything he could for the woman. and
| w piOfS lilo ototC'uCIO To-
ward her. She hesitated for moment
and then family said. Yes" To the
| GLOBE reporter Lane said he first met
Anna Thompson three years ago, when
| she came down from LarimOre. He ad-
mitted that he had lived with her as her
| husband for long time, but denied Ill
treating her in any way. When asked
about the charges made against
him by the inmates of the house
and Mrs. German he held his
tongue for few moments and then
said they were all lies. He said the
woman was some sort of relative of
MS, but did not know exactly what the
relation was. He knew nothing of her
money or property. LORD bless you! he
didn't care for either,and if she had any
| at all, he certainly would be the last
man i'll the world 10 take it from her.
The reporter asked the woman if she
cared to make statement against Lane.
but he was watching her, SO she turned
her face to the pillow and shook her
head.
Lane is sixty years of age, and is said
to be worth between $4,000 and $50. 600.
He formerly lived in Groton, n. d..
where he conducted large farm. The
Thompson woman is in the neig hbor-
hood of thirty-five years of age.
Lane was arrested last evening bv
| Court Officer Byrnes, to whom the war
rant was given. He was taken to the
central station and locked III a cell. He
declined to say anything. except that ne
had done nothing wrong. He had treat
ed the woman in handsome manner,
and was sure she could say nothing to
the contrary. Inasmuch as she is in the
hospital and in no condition to appear
in court, Lane will probably have to go
to tie county Jail. unless he can furnish