Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1900-07-26
COAD ACQUITTED.
Man Charged With the Murder of n
Cass County Patient Goes Free.

Man Charged With the Murder of n
Cass County Patient Goes Free.
| J. G. Coad, who has been on trial at
jamestown for several days, on the
charge of numbering Mike Gleason, a
patient at the state insane asylum, has
been acquitted of tie charge. Coad
was an attendant there, and was
charged by fellow employe with
beating Gleason prior to the insane
mans death.
The defense closed the testimony Sat
urday afternoon. Coad was witness
| in his own behalf He testified as to
! his employment as attendant in Ward
4 in the asylum, and said that he was
but slightly acquainted with Attendant
Gentemann. The ward he had charge
of had something like thirty patients
confined in it. 1t was known as the
"disturbed" ward, because of the state
of mind of the patients. These pa
tients were usually unquiet in mind.
and would quarrel and fight with other
patients if the attendants did not
watch them closely. Gleason was ill
occupant Of the ward. Ell, the wit
ness stated, was a quiet person, and
usually had his head bent forward, talk
ing little notice of anything that might
be going on around him. He was in Il
stupid condition. In walking. he tot.
tered along, and was in poor shape
generally.
In Ward 4, Joe Monray. an Italian.
was also confined, the witness contins
ued. Monray was brutal and vicious
patient at times, and required a great
deal of attention. He would strike (,
patient whenever the attendant was
not watching or near. ABOUT June %.
the patients of Ward We're being con-
Quoted from their rooms to the dining
room, in the lower portion of the build
ing. AS they were being conducted
down the stairway Monray pushed
Gleason, and the latter fell headlons
down to the next landing. Coad set
Gleason on his feet as quickly as pos
sble. Gleason said he was not hurt.
He was out OF breath, and witness
held him up, assisted by an attendant
named Harris, for few minutes. He
did not notice anything unusual about
Gleason. The next Monday Supt.
Moore sent for Coad and discharged
him. He was arrested on the follow
ing Thursday.
Coad contradicted the testimony of
Gentemann regarding the alleged con-
versation in the bath room at the asy-
lum. Gentemann's story as to his tell
ing him of having kicked Gleason, the
witness said was untrue. Gentleman
had also testified that he gave Glea-
son n bath without using a brush or
soap, and this the witness also pro
nounced false. Gentemann was a new
man and did not know much about the
work. so the witness let him look on
while he attended to the bathing of
, Gleason. Coad gave his testimony i'll
an easy manner, and, on cross-eXamin-
alton, did not get at all mixed.
Attendant Harris corroborated the
testimony of the defendant. He said
some of the patients in Ward 4 were
vicious at times. striking one anothe.
so as to bring the blood. He knew
Monray to be brutal, vicious and anN-
ious to take advantage of the absence
of an attendant, to do some injury to
. some fellow patient. The witness told
of having heard Gleason fall down
stairs and Of assisting Coad to pick him
: up. He had noticed diScolOrationS on
the body Of Gleason shortly after
ward.
} Attendant Davis testified that he
: had seen Gleason fall down one of the
stairways of the asylum. Attendant
Osborne also testified to having wit
!. messed Gleason fall down stairway.
In answer to a question of States At
torney Baldwin, he admitted that he,
: as we'll as all the attendants of the in
stituton. had contributed to a fund for
the defense of their fellow attendant,
Coad, showing the way they felt abou,
/. the matter.
DR.. Depuy, Assistant Superintendent
| Baldwin, of the asylum, and Coroner
5 Baldwin We're witnesses. DR.. Deputy
insisted that the broken ribs of Glea
son were the result of violence. and
+ brought on pneumonia, which caused
the patients death. Upon the conclu-
, sion of Coroner Baldwin's testimony,
the state and defense announced that
the testimony was all in.
Attorney Thorp announced that he
had motion to make, and the jury
was excluded from the room while he
was making it. Mr.. Thorp asked that
/ Judge Glaspell direct the jury to re.
e turn a verdict of acquittal in the case,
On the ground that there was no proof
of any criminal offense having been
t committees; that there was no proof
that Mike Gleason received any injur-
les at the hands of any one; that there
was no evidence in the case pointing
, to Coad having any testimony of Cen
temann, and this testimony was I'M
confirmed. Judge Glaspell denied the
motion of Mr.. Thorp.
LEGAL FIGHT FOR A CHILD.