Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1837-09-28

Commit sell obstruction attributed 10
the following causes:
Six were driven TO this desperate
act by grief for having lost their chill.
dren, two BY frei,ihg at not having any,
nineteen by misery and direliction
FIVE by jealousy. seven 10 consequence
Of child-5ed, four ~ gnef for being a,
the hospital, three by imitation. five by
trifl'ng quarrels, nine by political ter.
rors IN June. 1893, eleven BY religious
exci,emeEts. thirteen by disappoint.
mcnt IN their marriages. three BY re.
morse at having stolen. four by re morse
at having deceived their husbands.
thirteen IN consequence OF . disorder.
~ life and PROSTITUTION, twenty. one by
the bad behavior and ill-,rea,nient OF
their husbands.
We could hardly take IL upon our.
selves 10 doubt, much les 10 puShciy
question. the perfect correctness o: he
eEudte DR.. Pinrl. nv whom this sinyu.
lar piece OF statistics is published -
Blu, to ind that m 50 large q number
the very learned doctor did not find a
solitary case IN whIrh the melting cause
could not be most property charged
to the influence OF example, clashes
wonderfully with the notion we had
iostered for years. thai that kind of mad
ness which Impels TO commit sGitide
would seem TO he contagious, or cpl
denic. from the fact that there are nu-
merous Instances N hich. once light.
ed IN The brain Of an individual. IL has
/ spread 10 several others and manifested
itself IN similar acts Of violence upon
their own persons.
In 4 small town Of Massachusetts,. a
single example OF self destruction bv
hanging vas followed by three Others
I IN immediate succession. The fourth
/ case was that OF little boy. who xas
supposed to have put the fatal moose
about his neck Tor experiment, 10 as.
certain the sort Of feeling experienced
by person in state Of suspension.
A short time after the infatuated Per
inston had murdered his family and
put an end 10 his own life with a ra-
ger, two o,het persons in the town Of
Augusta, Maine, terminated their ex-
isience by the employment Of similar
violent means. II Is probable that the
occurrence Of one such fact in a
small village produces a degree of ex.
element amounting 20 phrenzy, in
those whose, Iniellects are peculiarly
susceptible. whether from debility of
their physical or moral powers. or 10
the impression OF such an agent.
IL Is only about year since suicides
were so frequent all over the country.
and particularly in this cit- and Boston.
as TO be subject Of daily comment.
There was no prevailing cause at that
time TO which they could be attributed,
such IS national calamity. or general
distress ia MONEY transactions. The
depression at this moment is far more
prominent and universal than il has
been for years. and yet the instances or
self-desiruciion are exceedingly rare.
The only manner. therefore. in which
we can reconcile these facts. ~ on the
suppoSiHon that erGmpLe is peculiarly
Influential in proPaga,ing this species Of
criminal act
There are many other instances in
which this bad influence Is very visib v
exeried in the production Of crime
AT certain periods murders will be ire.
quenl over re whole country, rs If all
the evil passions Of the human breast
had reached their maturity at once.
and executions and ommissions for
manslaughler follow each other IN "a.
piJ succession. A few years ago the
crime OF arson was very common here
and in all the principal cities OF the
United States. and the alarm Of people
was such that every one wa IN con.
slant expectation Of having his own
dwelling burnt over M. head The al
iemPts to 0sso0in1i, LOUIS Philippe are
continually recurring. add the der per.
ale delusion which nerve. he arm o.
the assassi1 viii not probably vanish
until the death 81 their victim j.. effect.
ed A. one time suiciiss ere of such
frequent occurrence ~ Paus. that hue
dreds made way with Themselves dailv
The ldvorite mode Of putting an cad 10
life was by blowing Oh: the brains with
a pistol.
Thus the seeds Il crime seem 10 lie
dormant ~ every breast. and only wan
Tor The influence of some example. tie
most poserful Oi Ell incitemsnis. 20
burst into activity aud become source
n fnonsirous evil ADD inIquitv in
the community. When once the ma
tural Tepugnanoe. the intuitise hor.
rot Of crime ~ overcome. or cloudsd
by the illusions Of the Imagination.
there are no limits 10 the excuses of
passion ADD Dalevolcnce Under The
influence Of such feelings II man
chance 70 have many and varied n 81
foHunes. and Tor the moment 20 be-
weary Of existence. be - ready 90
commit suicide II he issl . sen'i.
nent II hatred toward. b., enemy. he
- prompted 20 assassfnshon. and the
more frequently these crimes ere corn.
mIiied, the more obvious sppear the
means Of escape from the ills Of lite and
the means Of vengeance.
The various means ~ ade use 81 IN