Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-04-03
LARCHE'S LITTLE GAME.
A Dramatic Poison Episode In a New
Orleans Court Room.

New Orleans Times, March 81.
Before the Superior Criminal Court, on
Monday, CASTOR Larche was tried on the
charge Of outrage, and at S:45 P. NJ. the jury
returned verdict of guilty, without CAPT
tai punishment.
Incidental to the delivery of the YER
dict, there transpired startling episode,
which, although at first presenting the ele-
ments OF a tragic sensation, turned out TO
be simply a bold game OF bluff.
As is the custom, the prisoner stood be-
fore the bar while the clerk read the YER
dict, and no sooner had this service been
performed by Mr.. Adams, than Larche,
with a sudden movement, drew a small
vial from his pocket, and, draining its con-
tents, fell back, but before reaching the
floor was caught by Sheriff Pagan, who hap
pened to be sitting near him. At once
there arose a great connection IN the court
room, and number Of voices cried out,
"HE's POISONED HIMSELF"
Meanwhile Iarche was attacked with
violent commissions, and being conveyed to
the dock, was laid upon three chairs, with
his head downward. Messengers were
forthwith dispatched for medical aid, and
while awaiting its coming, the man was
given a grain of tartar emetic and then cot
fee and warm water, but without any eff
feet, except that they were quickly cast up,
for he continued in violent commissions,
and terrible rattling in his thrOat-set
down by everybody as a veritable death
rattle-was kept up with painful vigOr.
During these exercises he appeared to be
perfectly unconscious, Uttering not word,
and that the man was poisoned and dying
was accepted as gospel belief.
at about 9:15, DR.. Aipuente came in, and
dosing the patient with six grains of tartar
emetiC, found that they did no good, where
upon a messenger was sent post haste for a
stomach pump.
THE DODGE DISCOVERED.
At this junCtuTe, DR.. j. i. Gaudet sp-
| peared on the scene, and, examining the
mans pulse, intimated that it was quite
| healthy; listening to the throat rattle, he
| declared that il was assumed and quite
| overdOne; observing the limb twitchings,
! he pronounced them voluntary, and IN con-
] ClusiOn said that the man was simply play
| ing a trick. To prove this, he brought
| forth bottle Of haTtshOrn, when holding
it to the chaps nose, 10, he, after vainly
| endeavOring to remain insensible TO Its eff
| fects, gradually succumbed, and in less
/ than two minutes threw up the spOnge-in
other words, he got up from the chairs and
/ handsomely
| RESUMED HIS NORMAL CONDITION,
| as sound in body and active in mind as
| any person in the room.
So his clever dodge failed after all, and
overcome perhaps by modification he be-
gan to cry, and said that he wanted to die,
| but instead Of letting him die, a Deputy
| Sheriff handcuffed him and lUgged him
away to prison in company with one Chas.
| Kaufman, who as charged as the person
who gave him the bottle just before the
reading Of the verdict.
DR.. Gaudet gave it as his opinion that
/ the bottle contained hartshOrn and cam
phOr, but to make sure, carried away the
uncOnsumed portion Of the liquid for the
purpose Of analyZatiOn.
1t is supposed that Larche's purpose was
to So fix himself that his transfer to the
hospital would be ordered, whence his ulti-
mate escape might be easier than from the
secure walls Of a prison.