The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-12-26

A very cuFi0ns example Of suicide b. mesus Of
starvation, occurred some years ago IL Corlica.
During the elsctions, the Ssur V. rushed ialo The
electoral c0lless armed with dagger which be
plunged into the breast Of q man who had done him
some injury. The man fell dead at his ieek The
aasassinati0n was eomsifisa IN the flil light Of
day, and in The presence q an assembled nsnlatads
VI. was tried, found guilty. and condemned "a
death. His high spirit and resolufe character wefl
well known, and il suspected that he Would
ssek, BY q voluntary death, % sYade the disgTace
o. perishing on the seatioid. ne was therefore
yigilanty watched, and every pEscauliqn iailen 10
deprive him Of the means Of putting an end % his
existence.
He resolved 20 starve hfmsslfto death during she
interval which elapsed between me sentence q the
Court Or Asaizss and the reply which the GouFt of
Cessation Would make to the appeal he had al
Dressed to IL
He had succeeded il coucealing from TIE otssr-
Walton Of his iaiers portion Of the food with
which they supplied hiTa, as 70 make g - b.
ieved that hs regularly took his meals. AileE
three days Abstinence the pangE Of iIfsF becaiIe
insEppoFtable- Is then suddenly occurred % BIN
mat be might the more speedily accom iah ne
Cnlsct be bad IN vI8g, By eating with atillty. he
thought lla1 The state Of exhaustion % which be
was reduced would unfit him 70 bear lds sudden
excess, and that il would inevitably oeeaaion the
death be 50 aTdsntlg desired. He aceordinqlY sat
down 70 the food which be had laid ABIDE, and cas-
yofaciously, choosing in preference the heaviest
things. The consequence was that be was seized
with a Violent 81 Of indigestion, from which, con-
iraEy To- bis expectations the prison doctor speedily
cured him,
He then resumed his fatal design. He sufe1ea
again what he had undergone before. The f1Irffe
was almost beyond his strength. His thirsis tqs.
was intoenblo. Il oVeEcame his resoluIi1n. Re
extended bis hard towards the ing of water which
had been placed 10 bis cell. He dmnk with avidItys
and, 10 use his OWn expression, restored 10 ife
To avoid yielding again 70 q similar temp1ati0ns
he daily tnck the preeauiOn Of uEeriuminE the Jug
Of water which was bFoughttO bin. Geaa heahoala
BE- induced % raise & o biz lips, be thEeB Il down
with bis foot not ventuTing 10 touch i with rs
hand Ia this manner be passed eighteen days.
EvegY day, at different intervals be noted down
N bis album minute account Of his aeasadona.i
tie counted the Dealings of ais pulse, and marked
their number from hour 70 hour, measuring g7ifh
the most scInpulous attention The gradual visiting
Of his strength. IN several parts of bis Melancholy
zeleaio, he declares thai h felt il harder bear
the agUnies Of thirst than thass Of hunger. He
eoniesses that Be was frequently on tie p1int Of
yielding 70 The desire of driDkng. He neseEiile-
less resisted.
He was surprised 10 find his sight become mora
and more clear strong and accurate II appeared
to him like The development Of anew seHas. Th8
nearer he approached biz latter aoIaenis, the mola
his power Of vision seemed 70 increase. On tha
subject he thus express himself g l. appears a.
L though could zee through the thckesl walls
/ His sense Of feeling likewise attained ths most ex-
qnisite sensibilifV. His hearing and snsllint i'm
proved in similar degree. ans album coniains
| many curious statements on thee8 Subjects
i The Sieur " bad devoted some atienlion % aiI-
atOmy and phyanlagY and be attributes ne M
creased aeufenes "a Hls senses % the why n which
the intestinal irritation aqle On Che nsEvoIa system.
His ideas, ne says, were numerous and clear
and very diiIsranl from anything be had e1peri-
suced in moments Of exoilansnt into1ications
/ They Were all directed 20 logical inveatE liiaz
whether he applied them 20 an anal Ysis 81 laf1Eii
| objects, or to plilnsOphic contemplation. He ala9
felt himself inspired with a singular apttudB for
mathematical calculation, study for which be
had previously felt very ltteincliHafon. InshoIt,
he declares that he never derived much gTaliii-
eatinli iron lis int ectuai condition, as thr0uei-
ou4 TIE aas 1ufiiiaa &c bis physical torture.
He made nos Id ia album 10 tlIs last malnenis
of his existence. lie bud scarcely strength Sd 81
eiant 70 hold the pencil with which be sfies1 Il
following W0Tds Ny pulse has nearly ceased Is
beat-hut my brain retains degree Of vigoF which,
IN my sad condition, is the greatest solace Proy-
dence could besiogR on me. Il Is impossible that L
e | can live ont this day Ny gilsr watch me- and
' fancy tfsY have adopted every pFocauti0n They
little think that have 0ulNitied them. Death
Q annuls the sentence which has been pFononneed
on me. In another hour perhaps, they vii find
nothing but cold corpse
V. expired as he i0Fetold. E album has been
carefully preserved. Il is a record replaIe with
interest 20 medical professors. The slow torture
endured with SO much courage, and described with
such remarkable oleamess, renders il one OF Is
most curious documents in the annals Of medical
science.