Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-03-25
News

the week days as well. 1t is hard for
the children to understand why they !
are such objects of curiosity. They
run and try to hide from the visitors
There is still in them that lurking
fear Of mankind for in their home
they knew nothing else but brutality
and cruelty, to sleep on the floor and
to be fed On the floor"
Some of the visitors to the chill
dren's home have been bent on
charitable purpose, according to Mr..
Hall, and they have left half dollars
and ten-cent pieces for the children.
Others are there for curiosity. The
children will be kept at the North
Dakota children's home until after the
trial and will then be taken to the
Catholic orphanage. 1t is very prob
able that their stay in the children's
home will not be so long as some
people think, for there is a general
belief about jamestown and among
the neighbors of the McDonnells in
the Courtenay district that the father
and mother will plead guilty to the
charge rather Than face trial in the
Stutsman county district court in
June. In the meantime the children
will not attend school. Attendants
listen to almost every word that
passes between the little ones. think
ling that the children might possibly
drop some information which would
against the father and mother should
they go to trial. Not eve a remark
has been made. by the little ones as
to the whereabouts of their father
and mother, and according to a state
ment made by States Attorney John
Carr of jamestown, the parents have
made no inquiries from any of the
Sfo 70 a ,,fI1,.itioc oo fN thu uyhorooh oy,fc
of the children. Their c~old-hearted-
, ntss only adds gravity to the intense
feeling held against the couple by the
residents of Stutsman county.
Duncan, the crippled boy at St.
Johns hospital. is going to come out
all right, but will eve be a strong
boy, according to the physician who is
in attendance. Daily his little limbs
are rubbed and massaged. The sisters
of the institution have sort of adopted
him. He. too, like his brothers and
sisters, is receiving man. visitors.
zone just has to like Master Dun
can" said Miss Madelyn Mclean,
stenographer for the Manchester Bis
cult company, who happened to visit
the little fellow during a call to the
hospital last Saturday. He is a
mighty nice little man and the sisters
are making it very pleasant for him.
ne says LII W1lc 81 W4lll1AAA6Iy tAAd
ones blood has to boil when thought
is given Of the cruelties inflicted on
the little fellow and the suffering that
he has undergone from the date of
his birth. l told him I was going to
bring him. some candy, and he said
.All wite'." Miss Mclean say h is
going to visit Master Duncan real
often if he will consent.
The father Of the children, Dan Nc
Donnell, is a powerfully built man,
has q long, narrow skull, broad face
and a very powerful jaw. Once
angered, it would be difficult for Of
ficers of the law to manage him. And
it was from this man, the state con-
tends, that blows were struck on his
little 12-year-old daughter a week
ago last Friday morning, March IA,
which sent her Keeling to the floor,
and while lying helpless was further
maltreated by the father by kicking
her with his heavy field shoes. On
top Of this inhuman& treatment came
the whipping from the mother with a
piece of board from-an apple box.
Twenty-eight wounds were inflicted on
the body, according to the autopsy.
Mrs. Mcdonnell is not "a slovenly
dressed oma She is a fairly in
telligent person., but by her state
ments and actions she appears to be
l constantly AL 4SoA VI ASA
During the examination Of the woman
in the Gladstone hotel a week ago
this morning, she would not let out
information until she had been as
sured thai her husband was a prisoner
in the Stutsman county Jail. Then she
was willing to make a full statement
as to the tragedy. and the events
leading up to the beating and whip
ping which started two days before
the girl died.
Mrs. Jessie schofeld, in whom Mrs
Mcdonnell conf1ded the death of the
second child under queer circum-
stances, is of the belief that Mrs. Nc
Donnell is insane because of the CLASSY
stare in the woman's eyes: Mrs
Schofield said h took particular no.
tice Of the woman when she walked
and that the steps were very hesitat.
ing and doubtful, which she a is
one sign Of insanity. Mrs. Schofeld
avs she would not be surprised to see
1.-THE woman go violently insane any
time.
Mrs. Schofeld has handled many
cases Of insanity during the time she
has made nursing her profession. Fol-
six years she was in charge Of one Of
the wards at the state hospital for the
insane at jamestown and there
studied many of the inmates. Cases
in which violent insanity developed
she says are similar to the actions
characteristic of Mrs. Mcdonnell dur.
ing the time the was in charge
Of a nurse at Valley City.
The authorities of Stutsman county
have unearthed considerable evidence
which they believe is formidable ir
the prosecution of the father n the
i mother.