The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-07-22
SUICIDE OFTHE FRENCH MINI 2
TER.
Full Particulars of the Tragedy.


I A Cool and Premeditated Act.
Correspondence crM Cincinnati Enquirer.
WASHINGTON, July 90.
Washington city was shocked early this
morning by the announcement that NJ.
Lucien Provost Paradol, the new French
Minister, was suicide, having shot him
self shortly after midnight, In his own
room, 1.-THE newly established quarters OF
The Legation, No. 02O New York avenue.
The circumstances attending II show that
Il was a cool, premeditated act, even In the
purchase OF the deadly weapon curly on
Yesterday, and in the writing Ol u note,
several DAYS since, to his valet, which was
not to be opened till certain time, and
IN mere Memorandum leil Oh his table
lust night, the latter reading thus: II kill
myself is me- teu.' Berthemy, come
hack and stay. [Signedl PARADoL."
Alter brief visit 10 tue Secretary Of
State yesterday, NJ. Paradol returned to
his residence, and lying down, complained
Of the excessive heat. Soon aiterward he
rose and went down to u hardware store
on Pennsylvania avenue, near Tenth
street, where lle purchased q single-barrel
cartridge pistol being the mate To another
which he had purchased there In the
forenoon, about eleven o'clock. His con-
yersation with the clerk was in English
and entirely rational, and related simply
10 the price ofthe pistols, Tho clerk who
sold them observed nothing out OF the
way with him when he' called l9st, or
when he came with companion the first
iimc., From tue store he returned at once
TO His! residence, and retired sbetweenS :
and 1Ds6elocl& J The only inmatestot the
house were French servant man and his
house. keeper, Mary Walters. The latter
states that at the latter hour she retired,
and in gong to her room stepped to the
door Of that occupied by the Minister and
sail "Monsieir, Is there any thing that
YOU need" He replied, Nothing" u
hope you viii rest well, then" she added,
and he said II hope So" ~.
Eeverything seemed quiet in tho house
till a few minutes past one o'clock this
morning, when q quick sharp sound OF u
pistol came from the Minister'S room. 1t
brought,b both tho sGGHantslat once 70 his
apartment on liescconl floor front, where
i rhastly sight met their eyes. NJ. Para
dol Law III the center Of the room on his
back, with this right hand back Of his
head and his right leg drawn up. His
.night.shirt, the only garment he had on,
EbeIng crimson MRftli blood, which was
also running over Ills person on the carpet.
lie was addressed by the frightened at,
tondunts, but made no reply, having died
ina moment after hC fired the shot. An
exploded pistol lay on the floor, and on
the buraaii was rs mate with q cartridge
beside it. The two frightened servants,
beinr total strangers in tho city, knowing
no ono, hardly the street they lived on,
aid not give the alarm for some time,
when u physician was summoned, who Of
course could do nothing more than TO OK
anime tho wound, which was half an inch
above tho heart and necessarily instantly
fatal. ...
II appeared that he had not fully retired
TO bed, but merely laid down, and then
sat on fts side, as. II he had becn in : lpetl-
itAting mood. lie must have shot him.
self while standing in the centre 0I the
room, with his back 10 the Fireplace, and
falling toward the bed. The remains h9Ye
been enlbSlmcd, and Win await theWiShe6
Of N. BerthCmy, the late FrOnch Minister,
who has been recalled hero from New
York while on his return to Europe. a
dispatch, with details Of the event, was
sent during the forenoon To- GranlliOnt,
the Minister Of Foreign Affairs at Paris.
The direct cause Of this terrible tragedy Is
not definitely known, but Is aScrlbcd quite
correctly to many sources. Itwas stated
In these dispatches on Monday that ii.
Parallol was III from tho extreme heat OF
1.-The weather, 70 which hG was unaccus.
Itomed, and 10 which lie had exposed him.
sci: good deal. Yet he persisted in 60
ing out, contrary to tho protest Of his
I.hOusekceper, who warned him against
such exposure, but his mind seemed III al
ease. ..|1A .ll/.r
try he len peaceful on The I'd Of July hil
I ynVy,apISdSa m din1nmatiP mAffnr0 thE