Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-04-26


one of the hest of the German journals. but we
have in addition. the assurance OF autfenuci.Y
and fine observations made OIL the same SUBJECT by
a person who, by profound study, has oeen la,n'.
larized with all the great questions OF philosophy
..To the Editor Of lie Glooe. 900
..PARIs, Nov. Is, 1929.
..s,n. Within few days the French journals
sne,t for the first time, Of the history OF a
younr man found at Nuremberg, whose name Is
Caspar Hauser. They speak OF HIM Ill cohse-
ouence of the assassination attempted upon lis
nerson ius the course of last month. quoting ,he
9ystrian Observer. which has itself derived It's
information from German journals printer III
countries nearer the place OF the atrocity man
wilma. The story appears to them lncredlole'
and with rood reason, for what IS true Is not al
uays nrobable. I have seen the young man In
question. and am able to furnish au'henuc liici
nation respecting him. | am convinced you VIII
Judge it worthy of being made public.
I'm the month of May, 1928, there was Cd
served at the entrance of one of the gates OF the
o;tv of Nuremberg. Young man who kept him.
selfin a.motioness attitude. He spoke not but
went. and held in his hand letter addressed to
an officer of the regiment of Light Horse IN sarrl
son in the town. The letter announced tha' from
the are of four to that of sixteen years. the bearer
had remained shut up i'll dungeon That ne haa
been baptized, that his name was Caspar iiause
that he was destined to enter the regiment OF
Light Horse. and that it was for this reason that
the officer was addressed.
"On being questioned he remained silent, and
when further Intercepted he wept. The word
which he most frequently pronounced was mann
| 1.-THE provincial pronunciation OF hem, home) TO
express the desire OF returning to his dungeon.
"When it appeared evident from the state IN
which the young man was, that the statement
contained in the letter was true, he was cohlded
to the charge of an enlightened professor OF the
most respectable character, and, by decree OF
the magistrates, was declared an adopted child
of the city of Nuremberg
"Previous to my return to France, had de-
termned to visit that city, the only large town in
Germany which had not seen. This was about
the end of last September. l was furnished
with letter to one of the magistrates, who, from
the nature of his functions had the charge OF SUI
perintending the education of Caspar Hauser.-
| 1t was this person who brought him to me, and,
| by privilege which should not have ventured
to claim, the last moments of a residence devoted
to the examination of the curosities OF this great
monument of the middle age, offered me an oppOr-
tunity of seeing a very rare, if not unique, sub
iect for the study of human nature. We beheld
Young man. below the middle stature, thick.
and with broad shoulders His physiognomy
was mild and frank. Without beins disagreed
bic, it was no way remarkable. His eyes an
nounced weakness of sight, but his look. espe-
cialy when feeling of internal satisfaction or
of gratitude made him raise it towards the skies,
had heavenly expression. He came up to us
without embarrassment, and even with the conf
dcnce of canaour. His carriage was modest
| He was urged to speak, to give us an account OF
of his emotion. of his observations upon himself.
and of the happiness his condition.
"We had no time to lose, for our horses were
already harnessed. While was reading an &C
count composed by myself, in which he had be-
gun to retrace his recollection, he related to my
travelling companion whatever had not yet been
recorded in it, or replied to his questions |
shall. therefore, first present the details of the
narrative, and then mention what was repeated to
me of conversation of which heard only part.
ellis manner of speaking and of pronouncing
German was that of foreigner, who has exerci-
sed himself for some years in it. The motion of
the muscles of the face indicated an effort, and
was nearly such as is observed IN deaf and dumb
persons who have learned to speak. The style
of the written narrative resembled that of a schOl-
ar of ten Or eleven years, and consisted OF short
and simple phrases, without errors Ill orthogra-
ply OF grammar. The following is brief ac-
count of it,
.sHis recollections disclose to him dark dun
geon, about feet long, broad, and very low;
loaf of bread, pitcher of water, hole for his
wants, straw for bed, a covering, two wooden,
horses, dog of the same material, and some rib
hons, with which he amused himself in decora-
ting them. He had no recollection of hunger,
but he well remembered being thirsty. When
he was thirsty he slept, and on awakening the
pitcher was found full. When he was awake,
he dressed his horses with the ribbons, and when
his thirst returned he slept. The man who took
care of him always approached him from behind,
so that he never saw his figure. He remained
almost constantly seated HeSecollects no feel
ing of nneasiness. He is ignorant how long this
kind of life lasted; and when the man began to
reveal himself and to speak to him, the sound of
his voice became impressed upon his ear. His
words are indelibly engraved upon his memory,
and he has even retained his dialect. These
words ran exclusively on fine horses. and latterly
on his father, who had ssome. and would give
Thorn IN him Ono dow N maka usei of fhis word