8 Capital Journal, Salem, Ore., Monday, February 20, 1950
World Watches Mercy Death Trial Of Young Country Doctor
By HENRY SUPPLE
(AP Newsfeeturesl
Manchester, N. H., Feb. 20 VP) Dr. Hermann N. Sander, young
country doctor accused of the "mercy" killing of a cancer
patient, will draw international attention today, when he goes
on trial for his life.
The state's accusation:
That he willfully injected 40
cubic centimeters of air into the
veins of Mrs. Abbie Borroto, 59,
"well knowing the said air in
jection to be sufficent to cause
death."
County authorities have quot
ed Dr. Sander as saying it was
an act of mercy that the wom
an's death was but a few hours
away.
Newspapers from throughout
the United States are sending
representatives to the trial. Res
ervations have been made from
-as far away as London. The
leading hotel of New Hamp
shire's largest city has been
turning away requests for reser
vations for the trial date.
Dr. Sander, 41, a former
Dartmouth college skier, has
been in seclusion with his wife
and three children since he
pleaded innocent to the murder
charge, Jan. 5. He is under $25,-
000 bond.
Mrs. Borroto died in Hillsboro
County hospital last Dec. 4. Dr.
Sander's owned signed medical
record brought about his arrest.
County Prosecutor William H,
Craig, a friend of the physician,
said Dr. Sander noted on Mrs.
Borroto's medical history that
he injected four doses of 10 cubic
centimeters of air into the wom
an's veins shortly before she
died.
a e e
The wife of a Manchester oil
salesman, Mrs. Borroto had can
cer of the large bowel. She had
been ill three months and had
wasted from 140 to 80 pounds.
Upon his release on bail prior
to his indictment. Dr. Sander
said: "I am not guilty of a legal
or moral wrong. Ultimately my
position will be vindicated."
The case has drawn comment
from as far away as Rome. L'Os
servatore, the Vatican's newspa
per, cited the fifth command
ment, "thou shalt not kill," in
condemning mercv slaving and
said: "The fact is, that the doc
tor (by committing a mercy f
slaying) changes his mission to
an inhumane one of giving
death.
Mrs. Robertson Jones of New
York, vice president of the Eu
thanasia Society of America,
said: "This is absolutely the best
case yet for our cause. It is good
because of the doctor's integri
ty and because he didn't hide
what he did."
The task of prosecuting the
case falls to Attorney General
William L. Phinney. a rugged
former FBI man who has one f"
murder conviction to his credit
since assuming office.
Superior Court Judge Harold
E. Westcott will preside at the
trial in the high-ceilinged court
room in the old brick courthouse.
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Is there justification for taking life under any circumstances?
Accused Dr. Hermann N.
Sander, who signed the med
ical record of death.
Victim Mrs. Abbie Borro
to, hopeless victim of cancer,
wnose deain is issue.
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Husband and Daughter of the Victim Reginald Borroto
has said the doctor has his complete confidence. How they
testify may be important. '
Defense Attorney Louis E.
Wyman, who heard the doc
tor plead innocence.
The Judge Harold E. Wes
colt, who will preside in the
old brick courthouse.
(AP Newsfeatures)
What right does a doctor
have to hasten death when
a patient in severe pain asks
him to do so .'
This question may be decid
ed in the trial of Dr. Hermann
N. Sander at Manchester, N.H.
He is accused of injecting
air in the veins of Mrs. Abbie
Borroto who was dying of can
cer. Her husband has said of
the .doctor, "He has my com
plete confidence." But the
law of the land and of religion
says, Thou shalt not kill.
Judge Harold E. Wescott
will have to decide the case,
which is drawing attention
from all the'world.
Crowd Cheers
Dr. Sander
Manchester. N. H., Feb. 20 (U.B)
Townsmen cheered' Dr. Her
mann N. Sander today when he
entered the courthouse and went
on trial for his life on a charge
of murdering out of "mercy"
patient on the verge of death
from cancer.
His loyal wife, Alice, though
ill with a cold, was at his side
in the little yellow court room
when his case was called to tri
al at 10:12 a.m.
.Judge Wescott told the ven
iremen they were "entering upon
a most important public duty.
"Each of you when examined
will keep in mind the import
ance of your duty as an Ameri
can citizen," the judge said.
"Under our American system
of trial by jury, we do not deter
mine the guilt or innocence of a
defendant on hearsay from per
sons outside the court or from
radio or newspaper stories,
whose authors are i not under
oath."
Judge Wescott gave the ven
iremen some sample questions to
consider. One was:
"Do any of you expect to gain
or lose by the results of this
case?"
' He also asked if any was re
lated to Dr. Sander or to Mrs.
Abbie C. Borroto. 59. a house-
MERCY DEATH QUESTION
Proposed Euthanasia Laws
Won't Offer Deaths Soon
By HOWARD W. BLAKESLEE
(Associated Press Sclenco Editor)
New York, Feb. 20 VP) The law which euthanasia-advocates
want for mercy deaths is not likely to offer quick deaths to any
one. In fact, it would take quite a while, and possibly some
red tape, to end life under euthanasia legislation.
According to Webster's dictionary euthanasii is the act or
practice of painlessly putting to
death persons suffering from in
curable and distressing disease.
This law, advocated by the
Euthanasia Society of America,
would require the doctors' deci
sion that death is the only pain
relief, the patients' consent and
then action by a court or more
likely by a judge or other legal
official specially designated to
pass on the evidence.
There Is nothing In the pro
posed legislation to prevent
the patient changing his mind
between the time he asks for
death and the legal permission.
Such a change might be ex
petted only rarely, but it is
possible according to medical
records. Once in the indefi
nite period known as a blue
moon, pain might unaccount
ably drop.
But on the average the doctors
know when pain of a person
nearing death reaches the point
where it will not ease off.
The American society is the
second euthanasia group.
The first was organized in
England, in the early 30s. The
American society followed in
the mid-30s. The membership
of both is small, each one under
a thousand, but members in both
societies include leaders in
thought, religion, medicine and
law. In Britain a number of top
military men are members.
The movement has been ac
tive in England for 50 years,
with occasional- pleas by
prominent men for establish
ment of mercy deaths. The
name euthanasia was coined
by Sir Thomas Moore in his
"Kingdom of Utopia."
The American society, with
nearly 600 members, relies for
its influence on the support of
prominent persons whenever a
mercy killing brings up the sub
ject.
The American society also is
working to introduce legislation
for euthanasia in New York and
other states. The society has
hopes of action soon in Connec
ticut, and perhaps New Hamp
shire.
It is not clear from the rec
ords that Dr. Hermann N, San
der's attorney will plead
wife, whom the state of New
Hampshire charges the physician
murdered by injecting 40 cubic
centimeters Into her veins.
mercy death when that cele
brated case comes to trial.
Hospital records at Man
chester, N.H., which Dr. San
der authorized said that air
was injected Into the veins of
a dying cancer patient. But
the records say- the patient
died of cancer of the large
bowel and metasteses to the
liver. Matasteses means can
cerous growths which leap
frogged from the bowel to the
liver.
There If no preliminary ev!
dence that the air caused death.
nor even that enough was given i
to cause death. Nor is there '
evidence as to why it was given.
Reports not in the available
written records have stated that
Dr. Sander told friends that he
tried to save his patient pain.
The official records leave un
certain how sharply mercy death
may play a part in the trial.
Hopewell Twelve mem
bers of the Ladies Aid attended
the all-day quilting at the Hope
well Evangelical church. Lunch
was served at noon. Mrs. Joe
Beauty and Miss Ruth Foster
were guests.
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Heavy gambling debts faced Jack Doe. He decided
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Later, Mrs. Doe learned of the mortgage and proved
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MAKING MORE JOBS ROM PINE
Shipping the Deschutes area's fine Ponderosa pine lumber
for re-manufacture elsewhere annoyed three old-timers in the
sawmill business M. L. Rogers, Walter R. Hansen and
Grant L. Jensen (left to right). So three years ago they
started the Cascade Forest Products mill in Bend. Now it
manufactures annually many trainloads of millwork window
casings, door jambs, especially cut stock, etc This increases the
lumber's value and creates more Oregon jobs. "We make use oi
every piece of board," said Rogers. "Our mill couldn't have
succeeded, though, if it hadn't been for help from the:
Bend Branch of the First National Bank."
THEIR FAITH IN LA GRANDE REPAID
La Grande's 100-room Sacajawea hotel is a monument to the faith
Julius Roesch and his wife, Annie, have in their community.
Roesch, a pioneer La Grande brewer, could have retired
comfortably in 1920. Instead, the Roesches decided their growing
city needed a large hotel, and by 1928 had built and opened it,
with a son, Marcus L. Roesch, as manager. The enterprise almost
went under in depression days, but the Koesches held last.
Today "The Sac" is an important part of the community still
operated by the Roesches, who are long-time customers of
First National's La Grande Branch.
These pictures represent three successful Oregon businesses.
Although they differ widely, each is based on the vision and initiative;
of energetic people. Such undertakings, multiplied by thousands
more throughout the state, help keep Oregon prosperous
providing more products, services, jobs and opportunities
r all of us. To assist individuals and businesses to better:
themselves, banks in the First National Group make constructive
banking services widely available. It is our way of helping
Oregon grow family by family, farm by, farm and,
famines bj business.
fH ; "
1
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MAKE WAY FOR MORE FREIGHT -O
By scientificuse of light metals, the Freightliner
Corporation, Portland, reduces the weight of
the long-haul freight trucks and trailers it
manufactures. Thus the equipment, while
meeting legal weight and size regulations, can
carry larger "payloads" of freight. Especially
designed parts, using both aluminum and
magnesium alloys, result in Freightliner's
major weight savings, and even increasing
strength and efficiency. General manager of
this ten-year-old firm already a major manu
facturer in the field is Thomas D. Taylor
, (right). He is shown with Ken Self, shop
superintendent, beside a cab-over-engine truck
tractor. Since its inception, Freightliner has
relied on First National's helpful banking
services.
SALEM BRANCH
FDR
NATIONAL DA Wit off Portland
OPEN 10 tO 5 facfedlng SertwtJay
MM! IIOIIAl BIPOJIT INSVIAMCI COIPOIATIOH