The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-08-12
Il STRANGE POISON.
The Plant by which the Empress Car.
lotta Became Insane-General Iesca
also Poisoned.

By telegraphic dispatches il appears that
General Lescs has been poisoned. It is un-
certain. whether the deed was perpetrated by
some one Of the insurgents or by some Span
lard who feared that Lescs was using too much
clemeucy toward the Cuban forces. Certain
1t Is that Lesca has been poisoned, and that
his mind has become sadly injured. The pro-
liability ia that he Will live, but become insane.
The decoction by which be has been thrown
in this sad plight, it is certain, was the same
by which the interesting widow OF the unfor-
tunate Ma1imilian was thrown from the do.
main OF reason into the depths Of lunaoy. To
us this unfortunate widow has always appear
ed like shakespeare's Ophelia, who; with dark
oned mind, strewed flowers 90 the stream.
This poison, which maddens without bring
ing death to its victim, is derived from an
herb which grows in Cuba, South America and
q few places in Mexico. The plant is one OF
The most wonde rful OF natures productions.
It resembles the century plant in many OF its
features Like the century plant, 1t is men,
ber of the cactus family; still further, 1t blooms
once IN many years and at regular intervals.
The bud is large, and resembles that OF the
horse.c chestnut in the peculiar gluten surround
Ing IL. frOH tnlb tuo uhtiVeo ucEiNo tuo POtSohs
The flower is Of o gigantic size, and Contains
q purple centre, surrounded by blue and white
circles. The perfume is delicious, but deadly,
and the natives shun approach as the sailors
OF the old songs OF the sirens. To lnhale is
sweet, but to remain is death. The sorcerers,
or medicine men, take the buds Of this sinRu-
Lar plant, aud, first roasting, place them in
pot with sweet oil over fire, and dance around
with strange ceremonies till the oil and juice
Of the herb mingle, when they cease their
strange incantations and pour the docoction,
then resembling honey into shallow plates,
from which, after the lapse OF fev days, it is
al ain taken and kept in miniature jars.
| The pois n, when taken in sufficient quantl-
ty, first places the brain in delightful deli
rum, resembling that produced by fusel oil;
this is succeeded, in few days, BY aD uncon.
trollable apath., which at last eliminates IN
insanity, in which the patient is at times
strangely rational, then wildly insane, and
| ac ain rational, but greatly exhilarated. This
poison. is not destroyed by being mingled IN
vctuals before being subjected to heat, but
| It's immediate effects are somewhat deaden'
ed. They are sure to appear, however, il
| the lapse OF time. This Is the manner II
which the poison is generally administered.
When the victim is Of no great influence,
and it is improbable that he can turn upon
his poisoner, the decoction is administered II
| glass Of wine or cup OF cocoa. The poison
msnlfests itself shortly, and in tho curse ofa
week all the various phases OF the delriuu
appear. The sad tate OF the Empress Carlotta
| son from what 1t is derived, and how IT. acts
may add in forming more correct ap2reola'
ton OF the horrible troubles to which sbe is
subject General Lesca has been poisoned by
the same herb, and ls new subject to the same
freaks of insanity as the Empress Carlotta.