Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-09-09
SOWING AND REApING.

Whatever n man soweth. that shall
he also reap Is a principle as true In
the moral as IN the physical world,
Sometimes the fast is not clearly APP
parent, because. In tho moral field, the
time OF reaping Is 80 far from the time
Of sowing that the true connection be-
tween the two is almost lost to hui
man contemplation. But sometimes
events furnish IA striking Illustration OF
the principle quoted.
The case Of Jane Toppan. once pro-
minent IN the news columns Of the
American press, IS a striking instance.
AZ the asylum where she Is confined
she now Is haunted with the idea that
her food is poisoned and for long inter-
walls she refuses TO eat. She is wasting
away. apparently nearing the end Of
her life on earth,
Jane Toppan, It viii be remembered,
at one time was a popular nurse. For
2j years she was loved as few and
was regarded as most competent, Fam
HES who employed her once never had
any other nurse II they could secure her
services, and she inspired an with
confidence IN her apparently pure and
benevolent character, And yet, for
twenty years she followed a criminal
career without parallel In history. She
had. apparently an unsuitable passion
to see people die. and she murdered
the patients she appeared TO nurse with
such uuselhsh love.
For a long time suspicion did not
touch her, but finally the hour Of
reckoning came, Confronted with eyi.
dence she calmly confessed that
she had murdered t%hirty-one persons,
She was convicted, but Notwithstanding
this terrible record she was only sem
fenced to an insane asylum, whore she
seems to have spent a pleasant time,
helping with such work as she was
capable Of doing, and reading novels
when tired OF work,
Her victims we're. nearly all, either
her patients, Dr. relatives Of the pa
tents. In her mlnistratlons at the sick
bed she invariably exhibited a great
fondness for those under her care, and
MS this feeling reached a stage Of deep
en- affection she administered poisonous
drugs TO impede their progress to a
! speedy recovery, Her victims usually
fingered IN agony for two or three days,
and then death was merclfully allowed
to s]uperyeue, morphine and atropia be-
Ink the drugs use. Pending the final
| stroke she would work he%roically, like a
! Trojan, as she expressed It, feiguiug
every ehort TO bring her patient back
TO consciousness, get AN the while en-
loyiug % secret forotastc OF the sweet
Joy which the impending end was sure
90 bring her, Then when an was over.
leaving the chamber Of sorrow, she
would creep away to her bed to a long
and dreamless sleep
She seemed 20 be incapable OF re-
morse. but now fear has taken posses
sion Of her soul The idea that some
one is trying TO poison her haunts her
constantly and forms the burden Of her
| letters to various persons I'm and out Of
the asylum. The Illusion is so strong
that ]latterly she has refused to take
food. and nourIshment is given her
through a tube. Her body Is wasting
away. and she is both mentally and
physically a wreck,
whatsoever "a man sowcth, that
/ shall ne also reap Human Justice
may fail, as in this case. but divine
Justice Is infalllhle.