The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1905-05-04
A Visit to Chicago In 1925.

"'My God! Do you mean to tell me
that they actually kill people ?-that
they really murder men and women in
this placer
"Oh, it cannot be considered MUIR
DER he returned. The performance is
sanctioned by the government, you
know
"'But are those men willing to be
chloroformed to death p l asked.
"'No, not all of them. Some make
beastly fuss over it. They used to skip
to Canada and Europe before; but now
Canada and all the Southern republics,
as we'll as nearly every European
country have the Osslerian method, so
it doesn't make much difference where
they 60. c., is about the only
country IN Europe now that has not
adopted the method, on account of the
age of their ruler, consequently that
country is just swamped with old,
good-for-nothings But it is very
hard for them to get across; they
watch the steamers very closely, and
armored cruisers patrol the coasts to
see tina no private vessels slip over
with cargo of old ones. Here
comes another load of 'em now,' he
added, pointing down State street.
"And so it was. A great cage-like
wagon drawn by four black horses was
approaching. On either side of the
driver of this death-van sat guard,
armed to the teeth. On footboard
behind were two more officers of the
law. In the cage were about twenty
men. Some sat quietly on the benches
at the sides of the conveyance; others
were rolling about on the bottom,
fgroaning and crying; whiiu sonfo were
screaming and tearing their hair.
One splendid looking man, with black
hair and beard, and with muscles that
stood out like knotted cords on bis
arms, was frantically pulling at the
iron bars of the cage and shaking his
clinched fist at the gaping crowd of
morbidly curious.
"'Do you mean to tell me that they
are going to put that fine looking man
to death p 1 asked of my informant.
"Certainly,' he said. He is wonder.
fully we'll preserved, all right; but he
is past sixty and he'll have to co.
"'Do they have to bring them all
here like that?' asked, pointing to the
cage-wagon and its load.
"'Oh, no. he replied. Sometimes
they come of their own volition
; There's one coming up the sidewalk
now pointing down the street.
81 looked and beheld an old, we'll
dressed gentleman between two youne
ladies slowly approaching the east en-
l trance. He had a very intelligent face
4 gray hair and beard; wore glasses ant
Il supported himself OIL gold-headet
cane. The two young ladies, hi
daughters 1 presumed, were weeping
and he seemed to be trying to chez
: them up. A couple of women O.
l. the lower classes standing not far from
3 me were looking at the old man ant
his daughters with seeming interest.
: "'Look, Minnie,' said one of them
. what a fine corse! Them's the kind
like to dress, quiet and gentle like
l. "'He do be nice one,' remarked tn
= other.
u II turned to my chance acquaintanc
in disgust.
y "sIt's shamep I cried, "a govern
= ment that will sanction
o "Tush, my boy he interrupted; b
careful how you talk. If some on
Il should hear you that felt like inform
> ing against you, you'd be likely to g
y on the table yourself
"Just then very old gentlema
o came down the steps from the chlor'
formatory. His hair, beard and ey,
brows were white and his back we
r bent.
"'Look there I said. How is it tn,
N they let that old man live? He al
- pears to be a great deal older tina
~ sixtyr
90 "'Why, that's Professor Ossler hin
~ self-That's the man who first recon
O. mended the method, and of cour,
Sc they have to let him live SO that
he may look after and superintend Il
business replied the stranger.