Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-07-21
SUICIDE OF THE FRENCH MINISTER.
The Appearance of the Remains.
M. Berthemy and the Children OF the
Deceased Expected.
The Coroner's Inquest. &c.

1He SOEOnefS knQueSt. DC.
Our two editions yesterday contained full par
tculars of the suicide of Mons. Provost Para
dol, the Minister from France, at his residence
No $50 New York avenue, the night before.
Messrs. George III. Fayman aud John Plant
last night watched over the corpse, and Mr.
Huiburd, the owner of the houses also engaged
a party to watch the premises.
The body is still in the par!or where ii was
laid out yesterday, and the house was visited to-
day by numerous parties anxious to get
glimpse at the features of the deceased. AL
were refused admission, however, by order OF
the Chancellor of the French Legation, who has
concluded not to expose the remains to the view
of the public until they are enclosed in such a
burial case as may be selected. Tho remains look
perfectly natural, the only change since the
embalmment being a contraction of the fingers
OF both hands and slight swelling of the neck.
The forehead and temples are also somewhat
discoloreG. guard of marines, twelve i'm num-
Der, in command of Lieutenant Ellsworth, ar
rived at the house to- day at one O'Clock, and
Immediately took charge of the premises, sub
Ject to the orders of the members of the
Legation in charge, sentries being placed on
the pavement in front, and the alley in rear of
the house.
At five o'clock this afternoon the Minister'S
daughter Lucille, aged IL, and his son Tai,
aged Il, who only left here tor Newport on Sun
day night last, will return, and will be met at
the depot by the Coupt De TureHne,
the Marquis De Chambrun and othors,
attaches of the French embassy here. They
will then be escorted to the residence of their
deceased father, when it is expected the scene
will he heartrending, as his daughter Lucille
was the idol of his heart, and she seemed to re-
turn his parternal affection with interest.
Count Berthemy, the predecessor of NJ.
Paadol, is expected to arrive here this evening
from New York, when all arrangements for the
final disposition OF the remains will be perfected
at once.
THE CoRoNRR's INQUEST.
1t having been determined that an inquest
would be proper and desirable, DR.. Potter the
coroner, was so informed, and requested Serpt
5. w. Taylor TO summon a jury, to assemble at
! O'Clock last evening. Accordingly at that
hour the following jury was sworn by DR.. Pot
ter: W. c. Harper, (foreman.) John George
Adams, John G. Harkness, Martin M. Rohrer
Alexander H. Yonng. Robert c. Hewett. John
man, John A. Ruff, James Il. Dodson, and III.
A. Jones.
There were present, among others, besides the
luroTs. Al. de ,1ardn, chancellor OF the French
legation; Mr.. BodiscO, first secretary eff the Rus
sian legation: Senior Potests. first secretary of
the Spanish legation; and the Marquis de Cham
brun. The jury assembled in the parlor, where
showing wound directly over the heart. The
jury then withdrew to the upper chamber, in
which the suicide was committed.
THE TESTIMONY,
NJ. Pau! Deiardin Chancellor of the Lega-
ton, was the first witness called. He testified
that he was with Mons. Paradol yesterday, on
NJ an adol told him he wanted to buy a pistol;
M Dejardin endesvOred to dissuade him from
aMU,ng so, seelng that nc was nervous, but the
Minister insisted on buying pistol, and for that
purpose went to Savage's, where one was mr.
chased. On Monday the Minister wrote him a
note, which was subsequently handed to him,
ana ne was about opening il but was requested
by the Minister not to do so unless some acci-
dent should happen to him. After hearing of
the suicide this morning. at five O'Clock, he
opened the note. Although written on Monday.
the 18th inst, it is lated Monday, July 2lst The
translation is as follows:
n",dfsy :" If any accident should happen pray NJ.
sul-general at New York, M. de Ia Place. to see
mat my family and servants are sent home. /
itated by the friends that 1 may have made in
the United states. PROVOST PARADoL."
M Dejardn said the valet to- day brought him
note. left on the table, as follows
"I kill myself. Berthemy come back and
stay. PRRvosT PARADOI.n
NJ Deiardn, in answer to a question by the
dol, said that the latter's mind appeared to he
much affected by the heat.
Mary Walter testified that she had charge of
the house since last Friday; had heard n noise
every night, and had had no rest from it; there
was always something going on, whether by
rats or not she did not know; that Mons. Para
fore, and during the night she heard noise as
II some one was walking; about one O'Clock she
heard the report of the pistol, and ran up and
saw the Minister lying on the floor with blood
on his breast; ran down to get the vinegar, and
returned, and saw him draw his last breath
When she heard the pistol she called the valet,
who said he did not think that there was any
Danger. Deceased was In his night shirt and
Shippers. The gas was burning, as also a candle
IN common japanned stick on the table, near
winch was the card with the memorandum
the door.
Auguste Merton, the valet of NJ. Paradol, who
came from France with him, testified, the Mar
gus DE Chambrnn being interpreter, that he
had been with NJ. ParadOl since June 18TH
Abont one O'Clock heard the report of the pistol
and and the voice Of the minister asking, "Do you
hear. The noise is not in this house, but in the
next ene." He then went to the minister's
room and found NJ. Paradol leaning forward,
from falling. M. Paradol tried to speak, but
could not. Witness attempted to get him to
bed, but failed and laid him on the floor. Wit
woman went after vinegar. When they retruued
he saw blood. The minister lived about three
lourths OF an hour after the shot was fired, but
on the bureau, and the other was found undeT
the foot OF the deceased.
Mr.. AlonzO A. MARI (Of Harvey & Marr) tes-
eAhcu W tnC dppcdId VI DOW when he
arrived, about o'clock. and to the shirt an
pearing as II the Minister had clutched il to
stop the flow OF blood. The gas was burning
when witness entered the room.
THE VERDICT.
The jury, after deliberation, rendered the
following verdiCt:-"That the said NJ Auatole
Provost ParadOl came to his death at about 1
O'Clock q. IN, on the 10th day OF July, in the
year eighteen hundred and seventy. They fur
ther find that the cause of the death of the said
M. Anatole Provost Paradol was q gun-shot
wound of the heart produced by pistol dis
charged by his own hands while he was laborinp
under temporary alteration Of mind"
ECCENTRICITIEs AND MENTAL CONDITION OF
THE DECEASED.
Zeta, - of the Baltimore Sun, saws:
One OF the foreign ministers, who had for a
number OF years been bosom friend of the de-
ceased, in discussing the sad event Of the death
OF Mons Paradol, stated to-day that he was sub
ject to most ungovernable fits of temper, during
which he entirely lost his self-possession and
committed acts OF which Afterwards he had NOT
the faintest recollection. In the opinion of the
minister referred to, it was doubtless in one of
these hts that he committed the act of self-de-
strcution. According to the same authority he
left Paris under highly unfortunate circum-
stances. His friends had become seriously
estranged from him on account Of his political
course, which, until of late, has been in warm
opposition to the Emper0r He bad for booo,,, Il