Southern shield., 1850-03-02
Suicide by Starvation.

ago ln CoTSlca. Dufln9 lne eleCtiohS' th0 Seur V. rushed into the electoral college armed with dagger, which he plunged in to the breast of man who had done himl some injury The man fell dead at his feet. The assassination was committed in the full light of day, and in the presence of an as- sembled multitude.
 Twas tried, found guilty and condemned to death. His high spirkt and resolute char acter were wei knownsand it was suspect ed that he would seek, by Involuntary death, to evade the disgrace of perishing on the scaflold. He was therefore viglantyI watched, and every precaution taken toI deprive him of the means of putting an end to his existence.
 He resolved to starve himself to death during the interval which elapsed between the sentence of the Court of Assizes and the reply which the Court of Cessation would make to the appeal he had addressed to it. He had succeeded in concealing from the observation of his iaiIors 2 portion of the food which they supplied him, so as to make it be believed that he regularly took his meals. After three days abstinence the bangs of hunger became insupportabIe. It then suddenly occurred to him that he might the more speedily accomplish the object he had in view, by eating with avidity Hel l thought that the state of exhaustion to which he was reduced would unfit him to bear the sudden excess, and that it would inevitably occasion the death he so ardentlv desired. He accordingly sat down to the food which he had laid aside, and eat voraciousIy, choos | ;pcr in, ,DrofOpon,o tbo +t,; 'L.I consequence was that he was seized with al violent fit of indigestion, from which, con- trary to his expectation, the prison doctor speedily cured him.
 He then resumed his fatal design. He suffered again what he had undergone be- fore. The torture was almost beyond his strength. His thirst, too, was intoerabe It overcome his resolution. He extended his hand towards the jug of water which had been placed in his cell. He drank with avidity, and, to use his own expression, lcas resiored t0 life.
 To avoid yielding again to a similar temptation, he daily took the precaulion of overturning the jug of water which was brought to him. Lesthe should be induced to raise it to hIs lips, he threw it down with his foot, not venturng 10 touch it with his hand. In this manner he passed eighteen l days.
 Every day, tdiAerentinteryals, he noted down in his album a minute account of his sensations. He counted the beating of his pulse, and marked their number from hour 10 hour, measuring with the most scrupuIous attention the gradual wasting of his strength. In several parts of his melancholy menaenlo, he declares that he felt it harder to bear the agones of thirst than those of hunger. He| confesses that he was frequently on the point of yielding 10 the desire of drinking. He nevertheless resisted.
 He was surprised to find his sight become more and more clear, strong and accurate; it appeared 10 him like the development of new sense. The nearer he approached his latter moments, the more bis power of vision seemed to increase. On this subiectI he thus expresses himself "It appears asl though l could see through the thickestl walls" His sense of feeling likewise at- tained the most exquisite sensibitv. HisI hearing and smelling improved in a similarI degree. His album contains many curious OA
 The Sieur V. had devoted some attentionl to anatomy and physiology; and he attri- butes the increased acuteness of his senses to the way in which the intestinal irrilationI acted on the nervous system.
 His ideas, he says, were numerous and clear, and very different from anything he had experienced in moments of excitementI or lntoxlcation. They were all directed to logical investigation, whether he applied them to an analysis of material objects. orI 10 philosophic contemplation. He also feltj himself inspired with singular aptitude for mathematical calculation, a study forI which he had previously felt very little in- clination. In short, he declares that he never derived so much qualification from his intellectual condition, as throughout the whole duration of his physical torture
 lie made notes in this album to the last moments ot his existence. He had scarcely strength sufficient to hold the pencil with which he traced the following words: "Myl pulse has nearl y ceased to beat-but my brain retains degree of vigor which, in my sad condition. is the greatost soace Provi- dence could bestow on me- It is impossi- ble thatl can live out this day. My jailors watch me, and fancy they have adopted every precaution. They little think that have outwtted them. Death annuls the sentence which has been pronounced on me. In another hour, perhaps, they will find nothing but cold corpse"
 V. expired as he foretold. His album has been carefully preserved. It is record replete with interest to medical professors. The slow torture, endured with so much courage. and described with snch remarkn-