Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-10-02
REV. DIR. WENDTE.

idldl character OF Jn6 tOrtureS endured
by being present at many autopses
AS result of my study and close OBJ
servation ! am convinced that the I'M
happy beings whose ailments are be-
a right to demand the relief that death
alone can afford. When a murder is
committed We leave no stone unturned
to bring the criminal to punishment.
That he may do no further harm, and
also to deter others from following in
his footsteps, we deem it our duty to
take his life. Society is thus protected
Justice is satisfied.
rs justice more commendabe thNh
mercy?
motives, nations engage in warfare. In
a spirit Of aggression or revenge men
MAIN and kill each other Those whose
hands are dyed deepest in blood are
called heroes.
is it more heroic to cause misery
than to end it?
ITO my mind the step from the legal
execution Of criminal, from the So
called valorous Staying of men in bat
tie. to the humane release of a human
being racked by hopeless pain, ought
not to be an impossible one"
Since he has publicly given voice to
his views DR.. Wendte finds that they
are not, latter ALL so very unusual. AL
most everyone he has met has had
something to say on the subject. Very
many are wholly in sympathy with
him. One man who felt deeply the
reasonableness of the doctors argyll
ment, quoted an instance in his own
family. His father was afflicted with
disease that had baffled the physi-
clans skill. Remedies were exhausted
and recourse was had to narcotics. With
time they failed to relieve. The pain
was unceasing, agonizing. The patient
begged the doctors and his friends to
help him to end his torment. He was
no longer the fond parent. The subtle
poisons of the opiates no longer
soothed-they maddened. His mind
had given way. The nervous tension
was having a damaging effect upon the
helpless friends They had completely
exhausted their resources. Then they
joined their applications to his ap-
peals, and the doctors increased the
strength of the drugs The end brought
the peace that he had struggled in vain
10 win for three years.
nootor yTandta told ~ noor fappr
who was a patient at the county hos
pital in San Francisco. When the ma
,ture of his disease was discovered he
was Immediately isolated. A hut at
some distance from the hospital was
prepared for his reception and there he
was left. absolutely alone, to await the
release of death. His food was depos-
tied at distance from his miserable
abode and the attendants made good
their escape before his approach, lest
from his breath they should contract
the loathsome disease. The doctors,
knowing they could do nothing for his
physical welfare, did not go to him,
fearing they would carry contagion to
patients, who, being i'll and debilitated,
would be doubly susceptible. And there
the poor wretch had been for weeks
when DR.. Wendte heard of him, and in
company of some humane friends visit
ed him. They found him in state of
depression closely bordering on mania.
The awful solitude was worse than the
disease. He longed most pitiably for
the sleep chat knows no waking" His
visitors had come laden with dainties
and such things as they could leave, to
help him kill the leaden hours. DR..
Wendte asked him If he would prefer
to go to the pesthouse to remaining